THE HOLY GRAIL AND THE HOLY BLOOD

In the Rig Veda, the oldest and most authoritative of the ancient Vedic texts, the flowing essence of consciousness was called soma, the drink by which the gods attain immortality, and amrita rasa, “immortal blood.” This has deep connotations to the myth of the Holy Grail.

The immortal blood corresponds to the fluidlike essence of consciousness, which may be compared to the waters of life. The immortal vessel that contains the waters of life or the immortal blood is none other than God—the field of pure consciousness. This is the essential meaning of Narayana. As the very substance of God, the immortal water or immortal blood was viewed as cosubstantial with the immortal God; the immortal blood and immortal vessel were viewed as one.

This notion is reflected in the myth of the Holy Grail, which can be translated from the French as “holy vessel” (san greal) or “holy blood” (sang real). According to this myth, the very sight of the holy vessel or taste of the holy blood is enough to render the wasteland whole and the soul immortal.