Characteristics Of Sarcostemma Soma

Many plants have been used as substitute of Soma and in the South India it is Sarcostemma brevistigma. This Sarcostemma brevistigma may not be the soma plant of the Ṛgvedic era but exhibits similar characteristics of the Ṛgvedic soma such has having a very bitter taste. In the Soma ceremony the juice of the Soma is enthusiastically imbibed three times a day. Based on the characteristics and properties Ephedra, is the most scholar agreed plant as described in both Rgvedā and Avesta.
Plate 2: Sarcostemmabrevisti-gma as Soma Plant. Plants possessing similar nature and traits were identified by the modern scholars among them Amanita muscaria, Asclepiasacida, Basellacordifolia, Cannabis sativa, Ceropegiadecais-neana, Ceropegiaelegans, Eleusinecoracana, Ephedra sp., Ichinocarpusfrutescens, Periplocaaphylla, Rutagraveolens, Saccharumsp.,Sarcostemmaacidum,
2.3.4 Soma in Yoga Texts
The production of Soma is stimulated by kumbhakā (suspended breath), mudrās and the bandhās closely relating it to the raising of kundalini energy (Yogani, 2010). Soma is also related to Brahma vihārās or four noble mental states or attitudes of Buddhist texts. They are maitri (Friendliness), karunā (compassion), muditā (joy), upekshā (equanimity).

In Hata Yoga Pradīpikā
सोम-सूर्याग्नि - सम्बन्धो जायते छामृताय वै।
मृतावस्था समृत्पन्ना ततो वायुं विरेछयेत॥ ह् य् प्