A falcon there was that bore the soma from heaven to earth. His wings were swift as thought itself. His beak was sharp as the edge of a thunderbolt. The gods themselves could not match his speed as he descended through the endless sky.

Where came this bird from? From what remote celestial realm did he take flight? Some say he was born of the wind. Others claim he was a god in bird form, chosen by Indra himself to accomplish this sacred task. Whatever his origin, his deed was great beyond measure.

The falcon descended through layer upon layer of the sky. Below him lay the earth, vast and parched, waiting for the gift he carried. The waters were imprisoned in the chambers of the sky. The soma lay hidden in the treasury of the gods. This noble bird would steal it and bring it to mankind.

He clutched the soma in his talons — that precious fluid golden as liquid sunlight. His wings beat powerfully against the thin air of the highest heavens. He sang a cry of triumph as he began his descent, knowing that his journey would change the fate of all the worlds.

The gods attempted to stop him. They threw thunderbolts at the sky behind him. They raised walls of wind. They summoned the Maruts to bar his path. But the falcon could not be hindered. His purpose was too great. His wings carried him forward, ever forward, toward the earth.

And when at last he reached the ground, he released the soma into the waiting hands of the priests. The sacred juice spilled into their bowls. The fragrance of it rose toward heaven like incense. The earth rejoiced. The sky wept with joy.

That falcon was the servant of Indra, the bearer of divine gifts, the bridge between heaven and earth. Through his deed, the soma came to mankind, and in the soma, immortality itself became possible.