This is an artist's depiction of Soma.
Click on image for full size
Windows to the Universe original image
Soma
According to Hinduism, every part of the
cosmos is seen as an action of a
god. Time is the endless repetition of the same long cycle where gods, demons
and heroes repeat their mythological actions. In Hindu
mythology, Soma represents
the god of the Moon. He rides through the sky in a chariot drawn by white horses.
Soma was also the name of the elixir of immortality that only the gods can drink.
The Moon was thought to be the storehouse of the elixir. When the gods drink soma,
it is said that the Moon wanes because the gods are drinking away some of its
properties. Some people think that the Moon is inhabited by a hare. That is why all hares are viewed as incarnations of Soma.
You might also be interested in:
Ahsonnutli was the sky father and chief god for the Navajo. He created heaven, Earth, and the sky. Each of the four directions, or cardinal points, are supported by a giant. Each direction is symbolized
...moreAmphitrite was one of the sea-nymphs called the Nereids. One day the sea god Poseidon saw her dancing and fell desperately in love with her. He promptly asked her to marry him but unfortunately she refused.
...moreAphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She was known to the Romans as Venus. To the perfection of her figure and the purity of her features she added an innocent grace. On her sweet face she
...more In Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Jupiter(in Greek Zeus) and Leto (Letona). He was the god of the Sun, logic, and reason, and was also a fine musician and healer. Leto travelled all over Greece
...moreAccording to an ancient Greek legend, the figure of a gigantic crab was placed in the nighttime sky by the goddess Hera to form the constellation Cancer. Hera swore to kill Heracles, the most famous Greek
...moreIn the Northern Hemisphere sky is the constellation Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and that of his wife Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia claimed that she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than the sea nymphs,
...moreAccording to Navajo mythology, the Milky Way was created by the mischievous behavior of the god, Coyote. When the world was created, the Holy People gathered around Black God to place the stars in the
...more