Vedic Mythology c5.s3.t4.13

c5.s3.t4.13

Based on the mixture of water with the juice, the connexion of Soma with the waters is expressed in the most varied ways. Streams flow for him (9, 31³). The waters follow his ordinance (9, 82⁵). He flows at the head of streams (9, 86¹²). He is lord and king of streams (9, 15⁵. 86³³. 89²), lord of spouses (9, 86³²), an oceanic (*samudriya*) king and god (9, 107¹⁶). The waters are his sisters (9, 82³). As leader of waters, Soma rules over rain (9, 74³). He produces waters and causes heaven and earth to rain (9, 96³). He streams rains from heaven (9, 8⁸. 49¹. 97¹⁷. 1089·¹⁰). The Soma drops themselves are several times compared with rain (9, 41³. 89¹. 106⁹)²⁴ and Soma is said to flow clearly with a stream of honey like the rain-charged cloud (9, 2⁹). So too the Pavamāna drops are said to have streamed from heaven, from air, on the ridge of earth (9, 63²⁷). There are some other passages in which the soma that is milked appears to refer to rain (8, 7¹⁰; 9, 74⁴, cp. 10, 30⁴)²⁵. The ŚB. (11, 5, 4⁵) identifies the *amṛta* with the waters. This identification may have given rise to the myth of Soma brought down to man by an eagle (p. 111)²⁶. But the celestial Soma descending to earth was doubtless usually regarded as only mixed with rain, and not confounded with it²⁷.