[Persian] A deified plant in Persian mythology whose sap, which has anaesthetic qualities, was drunk during sacrifices. This deity ruled over all medicinal herbs and grants immortality. It is associated with the purification of fire, and believed to have the power of providing husbands for unmarried women. Haoma is similar to the Vedic Soma herb.
Haoma (Avestan)
Hum (Pahlavi)
Homa (Persian) The Tree of Life; there are two haomas: the yellow or golden earthly haoma, which when prepared and used as an offering for sacrifice is the king of healing plants, the most sacred and powerful of all the offerings prescribed in the Mazdean scriptures. This haoma is equivalent to the Hindu soma -- the sacred drink used in the temples, and is said to endow he who drinks it with the property of mind.
The white haoma (or hom) is called the Gokard, the sacred tree of eternal life created by Ahura Mazda which grows up in the middle of the Farakhard ocean (unbounded ocean or the waters of space), surrounded by the ten thousand healing plants, created by Ahura Mazda to counteract the 99,999 diseases created by Angra Mainyu. By the drinking of the Gokard men will become immortal on the day of the resurrection, according to the
Bundahish. From the white haoma was also cut the sacred baresma of the Mobeds.
In later esoteric Persian literature, Simorgh takes the place of haoma at the top of Mount Alborz. It finally becomes the mythical bird that brings happiness and good fortune to those he protects.
The fruit of the haoma was the fruit of the tree of knowledge and wisdom (later transformed into the forbidden fruit), similar to the apples of wisdom and the pippala.
See also ASVATTHA
