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Chandra
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In Hinduism, Chandra (lit. "shining) is a lunar deity and a Graha. Chandra is also identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma (lit. "juice"). The Soma name refers particularly to the juice of sap in the plants and thus makes the Moon the lord of plants and vegetation. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus. He rides his chariot (the moon) across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope.
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In Hinduism, Chandra (lit. "shining) is a lunar deity and a Graha. Chandra is also identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma (lit. "juice"). The Soma name refers particularly to the juice of sap in the plants and thus makes the Moon the lord of plants and vegetation. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus. He rides his chariot (the moon) across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope. Although the antelope is the animal most commonly depicted with Him in iconography, the rabbit is also particularly sacred to him and all rabbits are under his protection. He is connected with dew, and as such, is one of the gods of fertility. He is also called Rajanipati(lord of the night) and Kshuparaka (one who illuminates the night), Indu (lit. The bright drop). He as Soma, presides over Somvar or Monday.
He is the father of Budha, (planet Mercury) the mother being Tara (Taraka). He is also married to Rohini, Anuradha and Bharani, who are the 27 Nakshatras (constellations) and daughters of Daksha.
Legends
In one legend, Chandra is the son of Rishi Atri and Anasuya. He is supposed to be an incarnation of Brahma. In another legend, Chandra is considered the son of the ocean as he was one of the 14 Ratnas (Jewels) that emerged from the ocean during Samudra manthan. He was gifted ,by the Devas and Asuras, to God Shiva, who wears the crescent moon on his head.
Legend has it that Daksha was livid with Chandra for being partial to one of his daughters Rohini and ignoring his other daughters and hence cursed him to lose all his lustre.Chandra then invoked Lord Shiva at the Prabhas tirth who abated the effect of the curse to the extent that Chandra's powers would wane and wax periodically every 14 days.. Chandra built the Somnath Temple with gold at Prabhas in honour of Shiva or Somnath( Master of Moon ).
In another story, Chandra is said to have married Twenty Seven of Daksha's daughters, but favored one (Rohini) in particular, neglecting his other wives. This angered Daksha who cursed Chandra to wither away and die. The daughters of Daksha intervened and made Chandra's death periodic.
According to the Puranas, Chandra carried Tara (who was the second wife of Hindu God Brihaspati, God of planet Jupiter) off, which led to a great war between the Devas and the Asuras. Chandra, who was infatuated by her beauty, refused to return Tara back. Ultimately, Brahma put an end to the war and restored Tara, but she was delivered of a child which she declared to be the son of Chandra, and it was named Budha (God of Mercury).
In astrology
In Vedic astrology Chandra represents brain and mind, emotions, sensitivity, softness, imagination, queen and mother. Chandra rules over the sign Karka (Cancer), while he is exalted in Vrishabha (Taurus) and in his fall in Vrishchika (Scorpio). The waxing moon is considered to be benefic, and the waning moon is considered to be malefic. The bright moon is considered a benefic of the highest order, while the dark moon is considered a malefic. Chandra is lord of three nakshatras or lunar mansions: Rohini, Hasta and Shravana. Chandra has the following associations: the color white, the metal silver and the gemstones pearl and moonstone. His element is water, direction is north-west and season is winter. The Food Grain associated with him (One of Nava Dhanyas) is Rice.
Other uses
Chandra is also the word in Sanskrit, Hindi and other Indian languages for moon. It is the middle name of the Hindu god Rama. This word is named after Nisha Chandra. Chandra Shekara literally refers to the 'Person who wears the moon' which links to Lord Shiva in Hindu Mythology. It is directed as both evil and good, as it could mean 'Queen of the Moon' or 'Demon of the moon'. It is also a common Indian name, both male and female (e.g.: Anurag Chandra) and exists as a name in many South East Asian languages that originate from Sanskrit.
The god, the drink and the plant probably referred to the same entity, or at least the differentiation was ambiguous. In this aspect, Soma is similar to the Greek ambrosia (cognate to amrita); it is what the gods drink, and what made them deities. Soma is still coined as name for an entheogenic brew (avestic: Haoma) still in ceremonial use.
Indu, one of the other names for Chandra, is also the name of the first chakra (group) of Melakarta ragas in Carnatic music. The names of chakras are based on the numbers associated with each name. In this case, there is one moon and hence the first chakra is Indu.
See also
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