Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 1

Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda

by
Ashok Malhotra, Ph.D. , U.B. C. , Canada

Abstract

Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans described a godly plant known as
Soma. The juice of this plant imparted huge improvements in physical, intellectual and
emotional abilities to ancient Indo-Aryans who consumed it. Some modern studies have
identified certain intoxicating plants as possibly being Soma but these do not come close
to the original description. Soma was neither intoxicating nor hallucinatory. Rather, its
effect was precisely opposite. It increased focus, alertness and memory. An earlier study
by this author suggested that sugarcane grasses appear to be similar in description to
this plant. However, sugarcane juice as available now, although healthy, does not have
the unusual enhancing properties of Soma. It appears that it does not contain the active
compounds that Soma had as described in texts. The original Soma variety is likely to
have become extinct now. A natural organic compound that seems to have effects
similar to those described for Soma, albeit to a lesser degree is 2-Phenylethylamine. It
seems this compound is not present in sufficient quantity in modern varieties of
sugarcane. However, it seems possible to modify existing sugarcane grasses with the
help of modern science so as to produce the required compounds. It may then lead to a
sugarcane variety close or similar to the original Soma plant. It may be mentioned that
consumption of 2- phenylethylamine in isolation will not produce the same effect as a
combination of compounds as exist in a plant. It may also have adverse side effects as
many isolated chemicals do. The natural juice of the Soma plant is needed to derive its
full benefits.

1. Introduction

An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in Rig Veda, an ancient sacred
text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this plant has been lost to mankind
since ancient times. Scholars have made several attempts to identify this plant but none
of the proposals come near the original Soma plant. The plant was perhaps harvested to
extinction in ancient times, especially because it as not the fruit or flower of this plant
that was needed for a drink but its wood and stems. Thereafter, ancient civilizations
from South Asia, Iran Turkey etc. have made use of substitutes such as ephedra or
mixtures of opium, ephedra and cannabis in an attempt to approach the same effect,
even calling the resulting potion by similar names. However, these latter choices were
narcotics with adverse effects and none came near the magical Soma of lore.
Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 2

Effects of Soma included ethical behavior, poetic insights, enhanced fertility, alertness,
wakefulness, ability to heal, attainment of wealth, beauty and great physical strength
useful for warriors. The drink of Soma was neither intoxicating nor hallucinatory and
this rules out many of suggestions of modern scholars about what it might have been.
In fact Soma did precisely the opposite. It increased focus, concentration, attention and
memory. It also provided physical strength and accuracy in use of weapons such as a
bow and arrow to warriors rather than intoxication or hallucinations. It seems that
human aging was retarded while under the effect of Soma and it was therefore
regarded as a drink of immortal gods.

Illustration 1. Green, yellow, tawny, red and brown stalks of sugarcane

2. Identification of Soma with Sugarcane grasses

An earlier study by this author [1] identified similarities of Soma with sugarcane
grasses. The interested reader is referred to the earlier note [1] for arguments leading to
this suggestion. The process of preparing the drink from this plant includes crushing
the stalks to extract a sweet frothy juice as is done with modern sugarcane, filtering,
Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 3

resting in wooden vats and mixing with milk before consumption. The process is
described in greater detail in the earlier note. It was also mentioned in the same note
that modern varieties do not have all of the active compounds that were present in
original Soma. One particular compound 2-Phenyletylamine was suggested as a
possible compound that the Soma plant might have had because some of its effects
appear to be similar to Soma. Sugarcanes are stalks that need crushing to produce a
sweet frothy juice similar to Soma juice in Rig Veda. The stalks occur in green, yellow,
brown and red colors precisely as described in the Rig Veda

3. 2-PhenylEthylAmine

Other names of this compound are phenylethylamine, β-phenylethylamine,

phenethylamine, β-phenethylamine 2-phenethylamine and PEA. This compound is a
natural compound that is a part of the natural biochemistry of humans, plants and
animals.

It is important and critical to distinguish this compound from a class of compounds

known as phenylethylamines that are chemically modified forms of this compound.
Some of these latter find use in medicines and others in illegal and dangerous drugs,
many of them with serious adverse consequences. Most of these latter compounds do
appear not to be natural like 2-phenylethylamine, the focus of the present note. This last
compound does not appear to be illegal in most countries and also appears to be
unscheduled in most as per information in Wikipedia. Some athletes and sportspersons
use it as a performance enhancing substance. For more on this compound please see [2]

The present note does not recommend that anyone consume this latter substance
without advice from a medical practitioner even though it seems to be freely available
at the present time without prescription. It is also necessary to ascertain correct dosages
and methods of consumption since this compound is a potent one. It may be mentioned
that many isolated chemicals often have adverse side effects even though their origin
may be a natural source as opposed to an organic compound consumed as a part of a
health giving food that contains a host of other compounds that serve to balance its
effects. The latter is a part of plant, human and animal life processes out of which life
has evolved. An international study [3] described how many common chemicals used
in the modern food industry may lead to cancers. This was conclusion reached by a
massive study involving 174 scientists from 28 countries published in the journal
Carcinogenesis. Therefore, the attempt of mankind must be to rediscover, Soma the
plant rather than discover its isolated chemicals. If an isolated chemical has been
mentioned here, it is for purpose of identification and/or regeneration of the plant.

Another organic compound of interest is Hordenine that has effects similar to PEA. It is
occurs naturally in food grains such as barley and sorghum grasses that are closely
related to sugarcane grasses. Presence of hordenine in smaller quantities (about ten
Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 4

percent) slows down the breakdown of PEA in the human body and therefore prolongs
the effect.

It is interesting to note that users of the stated organic compound have described
different effects, some describing beneficial ones and others unpleasant ones. This is in
agreement with descriptions of Rig Veda that has suggested that in order to derive
benefits from Soma one must be an ethical person,

“To him who keeps the law, both old and young, thou give happiness and energy that he may
live.”

4. Regenerating Soma

An earlier study [4] has described how C4 grasses of which sugarcane is one, are
eminently suited to be engineered with modern genetic engineering to produce a wide
range of natural organic compounds including 2-phenylethylamine. Therefore, an
attempt to regenerate Soma must focus on genetically modifying sugarcane to yield 2-
phenylethylamine as also perhaps hordenine in a smaller quantity (about ten percent)
in the expressed juice.

5. Preparing the Soma Drink

The process of preparing the Soma drink from the juice of the plant is available only in
poetic descriptions of Rig Veda. Precise times and quantities are not known. These
include,

1. How long should the sugarcane juice be rested in wooden vats after filtration and
what type of wood may be employed for the vat?

2. How much milk is to be mixed in the juice to prepare the drink?

Both factors as mentioned here might have important influence on quality of the final
drink but it is something that should not be difficult to research once the Soma plant has
been regenerated.

6. A Substitute Soma drink

A substitute Soma drink may be conceived in which chemical 2- phenylethylamine is

added to fresh sugarcane juice and the process followed through. Although this mixing
may mitigate some of the adverse chemical effects as compared to consuming the
chemical in isolation, it nevertheless will not be natural. When an organic compound is
produced by a plant, a host of associated compounds are also produced that serve to
make the product natural. As a starting point one may attempt adding 200 mg of PEA
HCL in salt form to a glass of sugarcane juice, resting it for a few hours in a wooden
Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 5

container and then mixing an equal quantity of milk. This may be attempted with or
without an addition 20mg of Hordenine HCL salt to see the different effects. Both salts
are available as supplements with online stores such as Amazon along with reviews of
users.

Fresh sugarcane juice is not available in all places at all times and one may be tempted
to use other sweeteners. Neither honey, nor sugar is suitable as they do not contain the
compounds present in C4 grasses but diluted sorghum syrup appears to be a better
choice when sugarcane juice is not available. Sorghum is also a C4 grass like sugarcane.

This substitute drink has not been researched and its full effects are unknown. The
public without medical advice must not consume it. It has been mentioned here as a
topic for study and research.

7. Conclusion

The present note suggests a pathway to regenerating the ancient Soma Plant of Rig
Veda. Central to the proposal is to locate, breed or genetically engineer sugarcane plants
to produce the organic compound 2-phenylethylamine as also hordenine in required
quantities along with other compounds sugarcane grasses produce naturally. It may be
mentioned that the range of organic compounds as exist in nature are huge and one
does not for sure what the original Soma plant contained. However, suggestions of this
note offer a starting point towards a discovery of a plant similar if not identical to Soma
of ancient fame. It appears to be a promising step in the right direction. The hope is that
if such a discovery bears fruit, it would help mankind derive the immense benefits that
Soma provided ancient Indo Aryans of Vedic fame.

This note also appears as a blog post where a reader may comment or discuss at:
https://steamcenter.blogspot.com/2018/10/on-regeneration-of-soma-of-rig-veda.html

References

1. Malhotra, A. (2015). On Revival of Soma Plant of Rig Veda, 2015

https://www.scribd.com/doc/290825034/On-Revival-of-Soma-plant-of-Rig-Veda
Regenerating Soma Plant of Rig Veda, October 4, 2018 6

2. Irsfeld, M., Spadafore, M., & Prüß, B. M. (2013). β-phenylethylamine, a small

molecule with a large impact. WebmedCentral, 4(9), 4409.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904499/

3. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Is-cancer-hiding-in-your-home-
28-nation-study-flags-common-drugs-chemicals/articleshow/47808228.cms

4 Brumbley M. Stevens et al ( 2002), Patent Application, Transgenic plants used as a

bioreactor system, https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110252507