Soma (drink)  In Vedic tradition, soma () is a ritual drink of importance among the early vedic Indians. The Rigveda mentions it, particularly in the Soma Mandala. 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. In both the ancient religions of Historical Vedic religion and Zoroastrianism, the name of the drink and the plant are the same. There has been much speculation about the most likely identity of the original plant. Traditional accounts with unbroken continuity in India, from Ayurveda and Siddha medicine practitioners and Somayajna ritualists undoubtedly use "Somalata" (Sarcostemma acidum). Non-Indian researchers have proposed candidates including Amanita muscaria, Psilocybe cubensis, Peganum harmala and Ephedra sinica. According to recent philological and archaeological studies, and in addition, direct preparation instructions confirm in the Rig Vedic Hymns (Vedic period) Ancient Soma most likely consisted of Poppy, Phaedra/Ephedra (plant) and Cannabis. Soma is a Vedic Sanskrit word that literally means "distill, extract, sprinkle", often connected in the context of rituals. Soma, and its cognate the Avestan "haoma". The word is derived from an Indo-Iranian root "*sav-" (Sanskrit "sav-/su") "to press", i.e. "*sau-ma-" is the drink prepared by pressing the stalks of a plant. In the Vedas, the same word (soma) is used for the drink, the plant, and its deity. Drinking "soma" produces immortality ("Amrita", Rigveda 8.48.3). Indra and Agni are portrayed as consuming soma in copious quantities. In the vedic mythology, Indra drank large amounts of soma while fighting the serpent demon Vritra. The consumption of soma by human beings is well attested in Vedic ritual. The "Rigveda" (8.48.3) says: Ralph T.H. Griffith translates this as: Swami Dayanand Saraswati explains this as: The references to immortality and light are characteristics of an entheogenic experience. (Michael Wood (historian))(The Story of India)  Also, consider Rigveda (8.79.2-6) regarding the power of Soma: "...He covers the naked and heals all who are sick.