Vedic Hymns to Sacred Trees and Plants

The Vedic texts, composed by the Seven Rivers civilization, give great importance to trees and plants. These living beings are not only sources of medicine or food, but also spiritual entities honored in sacred hymns. Among them, certain plants are particularly associated with rites and mystical experiences.

Soma: An Entheogenic Plant

The Rig Veda often speaks of Soma, a sacred plant used in rituals to achieve an altered state of consciousness. According to Vedic descriptions, Soma is a plant without leaves, seeds, flowers, or fruit, whose juice was extracted for consumption during religious ceremonies. Some modern researchers have suggested that it could be the fly agaric, but this hypothesis does not fit all descriptions in the Rig Veda. Another, more consistent hypothesis is that Soma could be an entheogenic mushroom, such as Psilocybe cubensis. This mushroom, which grows naturally on cattle dung, contains tryptamines similar to DMT, a molecule involved in mystical visions produced by the pineal gland.

The Hymn to the Hairy and the Bhang

In the 10th mandala of the Rig Veda, there is a fascinating hymn called the Hymn to the Long-Haired One (Keshin), which describes a long-haired ascetic wandering in nature, clothed in the wind and free from worldly attachments. This Long-Haired One drinks a « quick-acting » beverage, likely bhang (bhanga), in the company of Rudra, the ancient name for Shiva. Bhang is a traditional cannabis preparation that is still widely consumed today, particularly during the Shivaratri festival, which celebrates Shiva.

Cannabis has always held an important place in Indian spiritual traditions. It is often associated with Shiva, the supreme yogi, who is depicted using it to deepen his state of meditation and detachment. This ritualistic use has its roots in ancient hymns and continues to this day.

Other Sacred Plants in the Vedas

Besides soma and bhang, other plants appear in Vedic hymns. The banyan tree was already venerated as a sacred tree, a symbol of immortality and wisdom. The ashvattha, or sacrificial fig tree, is mentioned as an axis connecting heaven and earth. Sandalwood, meanwhile, was used for its purifying properties in ceremonies.

These plants were not only elements of nature, but intermediaries between humans and the divine. They were believed to bring protection, wisdom, and enlightenment to those who knew how to use them.

A Tradition Still Living

These practices persist today. Bhang is consumed during many religious festivals, sandalwood is still present in rituals, and the banyan tree remains a place of contemplation. The idea that certain plants can open doors to other dimensions of consciousness has never disappeared, and it resonates with the ancient traditions of the Seven Rivers Civilization.

The Vedic hymns thus remind us that nature is alive, sacred and that it holds within itself mysteries that man has sought to understand and celebrate for millennia.