sóma m. (fr. √ 3. su) juice, extract, (esp.) the juice of the Soma plant, (also) the Soma plant itself (said to be the climbing plant Sarcostema Viminalis or Asclepias Acida, the stalks [aṃśu] of which were pressed between stones [adri] by the priests, then sprinkled with water, and purified in a strainer [pavitra]; whence the acid juice trinkled into jars [kalaśa] or larger vessels [droṇa]; after which it was mixed with clarified butter, flour &c., made to ferment, and then offered in libations to the gods [in this respect corresponding with the ritual of the Iranian Avesta] or was drunk by the Brāhmans, by both of whom its exhilarating effect was supposed to be prized; it was collected by moonlight on certain mountains [in [RV. x, 34, 1], the mountain Mūja-vat is mentioned]; it is sometimes described as having been brought from the sky by a falcon [śyena] and guarded by the Gandharvas; it is personified as one of the most important of Vedic gods, to whose praise all the 114 hymns of the 9th book of the [RV.] besides 6 in other books and the whole, [SV.] are dedicated; in post-Vedic mythology and even in a few of the latest hymns of the [RV.] [although not in the whole of the 9th book] as well as sometimes in the [AV.] and in the [Br.], Soma is identified with the moon [as the receptacle of the other beverage of the gods called Amṛta, or as the lord of plants, cf. indu, oṣadhi-pati] and with the god of the moon, as well as with Viṣṇu, Śiva, Yama, and Kubera; he is called rājan, and appears among the 8 Vasus and the 8 Loka-pālas [[Mn. v, 96]], and is the reputed author of [RV. x, 124, 1], [5]-[9], of a law-book &c.; cf. below), [RV.] &c. &c.
the moon or moon-god (see above)
a Soma sacrifice, [AitĀr.]
a day destined for extracting the Soma-juice, [ĀśvŚr.]
Monday (= soma-vāra), [Inscr.]
nectar, [L.]
camphor, [L.]
air, wind, [L.]
water, [L.]
a drug of supposed magical properties, [W.]
a partic. mountain or mountainous range (accord. to some the mountains of the moon), [ib.]
a partic. class of Pitṛs (prob. for soma-pā), [ib.]
N. of various authors (also with paṇḍita, bhaṭṭa, śarman &c.; cf. above), [Cat.]
= somacandra, or somendu, [HPariś.]
N. of a monkey-chief, [L.]
sóma (am), n. rice-water, rice-gruel, [L.]
heaven, sky, ether, [L.]
sóma mfn. relating to Soma (prob. w.r. for sauma), [Kāṭh.]
mfn. (prob.) together with Umā, [IndSt.]