Sanatana & Science: Soma & Biochemistry of Bliss
🌿 Soma – Elixir of the Gods & Biochemistry of Bliss
Vedic Nectar, Psychedelic Science & Neurochemistry
“सोमः राजा देवेषु”
Somaḥ rājā deveṣu
“Soma is the king among gods.”
— Ṛigveda 9.42.4
What was Soma, the mystical nectar praised in over 120 hymns of the Ṛigveda?
Was it simply a plant-based drink, or a gateway to altered states of divine consciousness?
Across history, mystics, yogis, and seekers have spoken of Soma as a drink of immortality, a neurochemical catalyst, and a sacred bridge between the brain and the cosmos.
Today, neuroscientists and psychedelic researchers are rediscovering similar compounds with mind-expanding and healing effects, opening new conversations about consciousness, spirituality, and the body’s inner pharmacy.
📚 Contents
- What is Soma in the Vedas?
- Soma in the Brain – Biochemical Parallels
- Endogenous Bliss – DMT, Anandamide & the Pineal Gland
- Soma, Psychedelics & the Mystical Experience
- Yogic Soma – Internal Alchemy of the Sushumna
- Soma in Ayurveda – Rasāyana & Longevity
- Scientific Research on Plant Entheogens
- Soma and the DNA-Light Connection
- References – Vedic + Scientific
🕉️ 1. What Is Soma in the Vedas?
Soma is described as:
- A sacred plant whose juice was pressed and offered in fire rituals
- A deity, a god of immortality, ecstasy, and divine inspiration
- A nectar that grants vision, strength, and communion with the divine
Ṛigveda Hymns:
- Book 9 (Soma Pavamāna Mandala) entirely dedicated to Soma
- Soma is said to “flow into the mind, illumine the heart, and strengthen the gods”
- It is both a liquid and a cosmic principle of transcendence
“We have drunk Soma and become immortal.” — Ṛigveda 8.48.3
🧠 2. Soma in the Brain – Biochemical Clues
Modern researchers suggest that Soma may refer to a compound or experience produced:
- Internally in the brain and glands (neurochemical Soma)
- Or externally via psychoactive plants (botanical Soma)
Possible internal correlates:
- DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) – natural in pineal gland
- Serotonin – bliss neurotransmitter
- Anandamide – body’s own bliss molecule (named after Sanskrit “Ananda”)
- Melatonin – secreted during deep meditation and sleep
🧪 These compounds create feelings of unity, light, timelessness—matching Vedic descriptions of Soma.
🔬 3. Endogenous Bliss – The Pineal Gland
The pineal gland (ajñā chakra area) is believed to:
- Be the seat of Soma secretion
- Release DMT during dream states and death experiences
- Be activated through meditation, breathwork, fasting, and mantra
Ancient yogis call it the “bindu from where Soma drips” into the body via the Sushumnā Nāḍī.
Modern Neuroscience:
- Pineal gland has photoreceptors like eyes
- Calcifies with fluoride, stress, junk food
- Reactivated through yoga, pranayama, and shuddhi kriyas
Soma is not a substance—it’s a state of divine neurochemistry.
🌈 4. Soma, Psychedelics & the Mystical Experience
Scholars like R. Gordon Wasson proposed Soma was:
- Amanita muscaria (psychedelic mushroom)
- Or a combination of Ephedra, Cannabis, and Peganum harmala
Today’s psychedelics research shows:
- Psilocybin, Ayahuasca, and LSD induce “mystical-type experiences”
- They mimic the exact language used in Ṛigvedic hymns:
- “Light pouring through the body”
- “Ego dissolved in divine unity”
- “Timelessness and cosmic sound”
🔬 Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research (2019) confirms that:
“High-dose psilocybin occasions a complete mystical experience similar to religious texts.”
🧘♂️ 5. Yogic Soma – Internal Alchemy
According to Tantra and Kriya Yoga traditions:
- Soma is stored in the Sahasrāra (crown chakra)
- It drips into Vishuddhi chakra (throat) where it is preserved or burned based on lifestyle
- Meditation, celibacy, and devotion preserve Soma
- Lust, anger, and indulgence burn it
Yogis drink amṛta (immortal nectar) through the udāna prāṇa, bypassing decay.
🕯️ Thus, Soma is also a psychospiritual distillation created within through sādhana.
🪔 6. Soma in Ayurveda – Rasāyana Therapy
In Ayurveda, Soma is associated with:
- Ojas – the vital essence of immunity
- Rasāyana – rejuvenation therapies to preserve Soma
- Herbs like Amla, Shankhapushpi, Ashwagandha, and Brahmi considered Soma-enhancing
These:
- Boost brain neurotransmitters
- Reduce cortisol (stress hormone)
- Enhance memory, mood, and sleep
🌿 Soma is the goal of Ayurveda: a state of glowing vitality, peace, and spiritual receptivity.
📚 7. Scientific Studies – Plant Soma Parallels
Modern research on entheogens:
- Psilocybin (Johns Hopkins): Healing anxiety, PTSD, terminal illness trauma
- Ayahuasca (MAPS, Brazil): Activates dormant brain areas
- Cannabis & Anandamide: Enhances neuroplasticity
- Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Bacopa: Shown to boost cognition & bliss
📖 Studies in Frontiers in Pharmacology suggest:
“Ritual psychoactive plant use expands consciousness and neural connectivity, resembling spiritual ecstasy.”
🧬 8. Soma, Light & DNA Resonance
Vedas speak of Soma flowing like:
“A golden stream of divine radiance”
Scientists like Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp discovered:
- DNA emits biophotons (light particles)
- These photons are affected by emotion, intention, and sound
🔅 Suggests that Soma may be:
A field of conscious light, activated by internal harmony, breath, and mantra.
This aligns with:
- Yogic theory of Soma + Prāṇa = Tejas (radiance)
- Quantum biology – DNA as a receiver of spiritual light
📚 9. References – Ancient & Modern
🕉️ Scriptural:
- Ṛigveda Mandala 9 – Soma hymns
- Chāndogya Upaniṣad 8.5 – Nectar of immortality
- Śiva Samhita – Soma in Sahasrāra
- Yoga Tattva Upaniṣad – Inner alchemy
- Charaka Samhita – Rasāyana therapies
🔬 Scientific:
- R. Gordon Wasson – Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality
- Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Studies
- MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)
- Frontiers in Neuroscience – Pineal DMT research
- F.A. Popp – Biophoton emission and DNA light
🌟 Final Takeaway
“Soma is not just a substance—it is the nectar of conscious bliss.”
Whether secreted in your brain, distilled from sacred herbs, or unlocked through mantra and meditation—Soma is real.
It’s the Vedic symbol for the inner elixir of immortality, the heaven within, and the bridge between science and soul.
The future of medicine and mysticism may lie in understanding how Soma awakens our highest evolutionary potential.