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Botanical Identity Of Soma–haoma
There has been much speculation as to the botanical identity of ''soma'' or ''haoma''. ''Soma (drink), Soma'' is a plant described in Hindu sacred texts including the ''Rigveda'', while ''haoma'' is a plant described in the Avesta, a collection of Zoroastrian writings. Both names are derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian ''*Sauma''. Proposed candidates include various species of plants and or fungi. Traditional etymology of Indian Soma is ''Somalata'' (''Cynanchum acidum''; 'moon plant') used traditionally by the Srauta Brahmins called Somayajis whereas the Avestan Haoma is an Ephedra (''Ephedra distachya''), which are totally unconnected species sourced from different areas. European researchers suggest other plants, such as the perennial ''Peganum harmala'', ''Nelumbo nucifera'' (also known as the "sacred lotus"), ''Cannabis sativa'', and the sugarcane species ''Tripidium bengalense'' (synonym ''Saccharum sara''); while fungal candidates include the fly-agaric mushroom ''Amanita mus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Soma (drink)
In the Vedic tradition, ''soma'' () is a ritual drink of importance among the early Vedic Indo-Aryans. The Rigveda mentions it, particularly in the Soma Mandala. Gita mentions the drink in chapter 9. It is equivalent to the Iranian haoma. The texts describe the preparation of soma by means of extracting the juice from a plant, the identity of which is now unknown and debated among scholars. Both in the ancient religions of Historical Vedic religion and Zoroastrianism, the name of the drink and the plant are not exactly the same.Victor Sarianidi, Viktor Sarianidi in The PBS Documentary The Story of India There has been much speculation about the most likely identity of the original plant. Traditional Indian accounts, such as those from practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha medicine, and Somayajna called Somayajis, identify the plant as "Somalata" ('' Cynanchum acidum''). Non-Indian researchers have proposed candidates including ''Amanita muscaria'', ''Psilocybin'' mushroo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Amanita Muscaria
''Amanita muscaria'', commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus ''Amanita''. It is a large white-lamella (mycology), gilled, white-spotted mushroom typically featuring a bright red cap covered with distinctive white warts. It is one of the most recognizable fungi in the world. ''A.muscaria'' exhibits complex genetic diversity that suggests it is a species complex rather than a single species. It is a widely distributed mushroom native to temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, now also naturalized in the Southern Hemisphere, forming symbiotic relationships with various trees and spreading invasively in some regions. Its name derives from its traditional use as an insecticide. It can cause poisoning, especially in children and those seeking its hallucinogenic effects, due to psychoactive compounds like muscimol and the ibotenic acid; however, fatal poisonings are extremely rare. Boiling it reduces toxicity by removi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Ephedrine
Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and sympathomimetic agent that is often used to prevent hypotension, low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred treatment. It is of unclear benefit in nasal congestion. It can be taken oral administration, by mouth or by intramuscular, injection into a muscle, intravenous, vein, or subcutaneous injection, just under the skin. Onset with intravenous use is fast, while injection into a muscle can take 20minutes, and by mouth can take an hour for effect. When given by injection, it lasts about an hour, and when taken by mouth, it can last up to four hours. Common side effects include insomnia, trouble sleeping, anxiety, headache, hallucinations, hypertension, high blood pressure, tachycardia, fast heart rate, decreased appetite, loss of appetite, and urinary retention. Serious side effects include stroke and myocardial infarction, heart attack. While ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Tapas (Sanskrit)
Tapas (Sanskrit: तपस्, romanized: tapas) is a variety of austere spiritual meditation practices in Indian religions. In Jainism, it means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and self-discipline; and in the different traditions within Hinduism it means a spectrum of practices ranging from asceticism, 'inner cleansing' to self-discipline by meditation practices. The ''Tapas'' practice often involves solitude and is a part of monastic practices that are believed to be a means to moksha (liberation, salvation). In the Vedas literature of Hinduism, fusion words based on ''tapas'' are widely used to expound several spiritual concepts that develop through heat or inner energy, such as meditation, any process to reach special observations and insights, the spiritual ecstasy of a yogin or ''Tāpasa'' (a vṛddhi derivative meaning "a practitioner of austerities, an ascetic"), even warmth of sexual intima ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Entheogen
Entheogens are psychoactive substances used in spiritual and religious contexts to induce altered states of consciousness. Hallucinogens such as the psilocybin found in so-called "magic" mushrooms have been used in sacred contexts since ancient times. Derived from a term meaning "generating the divine from within" entheogen have been used to facilitate transcendence, heaving, divination and mystical insight. Entheogens have been used in various ways, including as part of established religious rituals and as aids for personal spiritual development. Anthropological study has established that entheogens are used for religious, magical, shamanic, or spiritual purposes in many parts of the world. Civilizations such as the Maya and Aztecs used psilocybin mushrooms, peyote, and morning glory seeds in ceremonies meant to connect with deities and perform healing. They have traditionally been used to supplement many diverse practices geared towards achieving transcendence, including ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Indra
Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. [3 volumes] Indra is the most frequently mentioned deity in the ''Rigveda''. He is celebrated for his powers based on his status as a god of order, and as the one who killed the great evil, an Asura (Hinduism), asura named Vritra, who obstructed human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rain and sunshine as the saviour of mankind. Indra's significance diminishes in the post-Vedic Indian literature, but he still plays an important role in various mythological events. He is depicted as a powerful hero. According to the ''Vishnu Purana'', Indra is the title borne by the king of the gods, which changes every Manvantara – a cyclic period of time in Hindu cosmology. Each Manvantara has its own Indra and the In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron
Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron (7 December 173117 January 1805) was the first professional French Indologist. He conceived the institutional framework for the new profession. He inspired the founding of the École française d'Extrême-Orient a century after his death. The library of the Institut français de Pondichéry is named after him. Early life Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil was born in Paris on 7 December 1731 as the fourth of seven children of Pierre Anquetil, a spice importer. As was the custom of the time, the name of one of his father's estates, "Duperron", was added to his name to distinguish him from his brothers. Anquetil-Duperron initially distinguished himself in the study of theology at Paris and Utrecht with the intention of becoming a priest like his elder brother Louis-Pierre Anquetil. In the course of his studies, however, he acquired such an interest in Latin, Hebrew language, Hebrew, and Greek language, Greek that he chose to devote himself entirely to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Mead
Mead (), also called honey wine, and hydromel (particularly when low in alcohol content), is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alcoholic content ranges from about 3.5% ABV to more than 20%. Possibly the most ancient alcoholic drink, the defining characteristic of mead is that the majority of the beverage's fermentable sugar is derived from honey. It may be still, carbonated, or naturally sparkling, and despite a common misconception that mead is exclusively sweet, it can also be dry or semi-sweet. Mead that also contains spices is called (), and mead that contains fruit is called melomel. The term honey wine is sometimes used as a synonym for mead, although wine is typically defined to be the product of fermented grapes or certain other fruits, and some cultures have honey wines that are distinct from mead. The honey wine of Hungary, for example, is the fermentation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Kumis
''Kumis'' ( , ), alternatively spelled ''coumis'' or ''kumyz'', also known as ''airag'' ( ), is a traditional Fermented milk products, fermented dairy product made from mare milk. The drink is important to the peoples of the Central and East Asian steppes, of Turkic peoples, Turkic and Mongolic peoples, Mongolic origin: Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Kalmyks, Kyrgyz people, Kyrgyz, Mongols, and Yakuts. Kumis was historically consumed by the Khitan people, Khitans, Jurchen people, Jurchens, Magyars, and Han Chinese of North China as well. ''Kumis'' is a dairy product similar to kefir, but is produced from a liquid starter culture, in contrast to the solid kefir "grains". Because mare's milk contains more sugars than cow's or goat's milk, when fermented, ''kumis'' has a higher, though still mild, alcohol (drug), alcohol content compared to kefir. Even in the areas of the world where ''kumis'' is popular today, mare's milk remains a very limited commodity. Industrial-scale production, ther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Phalaris Aquatica
''Phalaris aquatica'', known by the common names bulbous canary-grass and Harding grass, is a species of grass in the genus ''Phalaris'' of the family Poaceae. Description It is an erect, waist-high, stout perennial bunch grass, with grayish to bluish green leaves. Flowering heads are dense, spike-like, and usually long. It is slow to develop from seed, but can form large bunches after several years. ''Phalaris arundinacea'' (reed canary grass) differs from Harding grass in having more distinct rhizomes, and an inflorescence that is compact at first but becomes more open as the branches spread. Hybrids of Harding grass and reed canary grass have been produced. Varieties include 'AQ1', 'Uneta', and 'Australis'. ''P. aquatica'' is a quick-growing grass which incorporates and utilises soil nitrogen rapidly. Geography ''Phalaris aquatica'' originated from Southern Europe and the Caucasus. It is naturalized in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Although very recent ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Peganum Harmala
''Peganum harmala'', commonly called wild rue, Syrian rue, African rue, esfand or espand,Mahmoud OmidsalaEsfand: a common weed found in Persia, Central Asia, and the adjacent areasEncyclopædia Iranica Vol. VIII, Fasc. 6, pp. 583–584. Originally published: 15 December 1998. Online version last updated 19 January 2012 or harmel (among other similar pronunciations and spellings), is a perennial, herbaceous plant, with a woody underground rootstock, of the family (biology), family Nitrariaceae, usually growing in saline soils in Desert#Classification, temperate desert and Mediterranean climate, Mediterranean regions. Its common English-language name came about because of a resemblance to rue (to which it is not related). Its seeds contain a high concentration (at least 5.9% by weight) of diverse beta-carboline alkaloids. It has deep roots and a strong smell, finely divided leaves, white flowers rich in alkaloids, and small Capsule (fruit), seed capsules containing numerous dark, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Claviceps Purpurea
''Claviceps purpurea'' is an ergot fungus that grows on the ear (botany), ears of rye and related cereal and forage plants. Consumption of Cereal, grains or seeds contaminated with the survival structure of this fungus, the ergot sclerotium, can cause ergotism in humans and other mammals. ''C. purpurea'' most commonly affects Open pollination, outcrossing species such as rye (its most common host), as well as triticale, wheat and barley. It affects oats only rarely. Life cycle An ''ergot kernel'' called ''Sclerotium clavus'' develops when a floret of flowering grass or cereal is infected by an ascospore of ''C. purpurea''. The infection process mimics a pollen grain growing into an ovary (plants), ovary during fertilization. Because infection requires access of the fungal spore to the Gynoecium, stigma, plants infected by ''C. purpurea'' are mainly outcrossing species with Anemophily, open flowers, such as rye (''Secale, Secale cereale'') and Alopecurus. The proliferating fun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
