The Padma Purana

by N.A. Deshpande | 1951 | 1,261,945 words | ISBN-10: 8120838297 | ISBN-13: 9788120838291

This page describes the worship of the moon (candra) which is chapter 80 of the English translation of the Padma Purana, one of the largest Mahapuranas, detailling ancient Indian society, traditions, geography, as well as religious pilgrimages (yatra) to sacred places (tirthas). This is the eightieth chapter of the Srishti-khanda (section on creation) of the Padma Purana, which contains six books total consisting of at least 50,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.

Chapter 80 - The worship of the Moon (Candra)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vaiśampāyana said:

1. Due to your grace we have heard about the power of the lord of planets. O brāhmaṇa, (now) tell us about the means of (pacifying) the planets like the Sun etc.

2. Who are these Sun and others? How can they be pleased? How (can that which is) dear (to them be done)? (At which) time and (which) place is their sight auspicious or inauspicious?

Vyāsa said:

3. It is the planets etc. that experience the fruits of merit or sin. For the destruction (of the fruits) of the deeds of the world, they bring about what is auspicious and what is inauspicious.

4. The Sun should be known to be the destroyer of time among men and planets. He is powerful in curbing and favouring due to his sharpness and mildness.

5-6a. I (shall) tell (you) how he can be pleased as a planet. He who offers (oblations to him) with the sprouts (i.e. sticks of) udumbara and palāśa, by reciting the sacred original hymn: ‘Ā Kṛṣṇena’ for (his) pacification, (gets merit).

6b-7 a. He should offer (the leaves) anointed with ghee for fulfilling his desire, for curing all diseases and for freedom from bondage due to a murder.

7b-9. With each sacred hymn he should offer (the oblation) a hundred times. He should present a white goat to a brāhmaṇa on a Sunday. He should feed the brāhmaṇas with lovely oblations (of food) intended for gods and manes, on the seventh or the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight. A sick person is free from his disease, and will not be troubled by the disease.

10-11a. In the universe, right from Brahman to a clump of grass, the Sun will be regarded as great, immortal being, (present) in the universe as well as in an atom till the deluge, due to his being the cause of the creation and maintenance (of the world).

11b-12a. He, who moves in the world, is present in the body of men at the time of the creation of life (in them). At the time of their death, he goes from the body with life (i.e. the vital breath).

12b-13a. In the head, the Moon (candra), endowed with the sixteen digits is always (present). With his face bent down he always showers nectar into the body.

13b-14. Due to that the beings, having portions of these great beings, live. (The Moon) nourishes the crops on the earth and the immobile and the mobile. Due to these two i.e. the Sun and the Moon, the world is created and sustained.

15. Due to their propitiation auspicious and very valuable nourishment always follows. A pure person who obtains (their favour), would always accomplish all his undertakings.

16. The life of the mean man, who, through delusion, does not worship the Moon, diminishes, and he obtains (i.e. goes to) hell.

17. (A man should offer the following prayer to the Moon:) ‘O spotless Moon, the prop of the digits, the gem on the head of Śiva, O lord of the world, my salutation to you on this second day.’

18. A man who, finding some other day (i.e. even on some other day than the second), offers a salutation to the Moon, would obtain the desired fruit.

19-20. (He should offer the following prayer:) ‘O Moon, born from Atri’s eyes[1], O you pleasing one, O you produced from the sea after its being churned, O you residing on Śiva’s crest, my salutation to you. O you Moon of a divine form, the lord of the world, my salutation to you.’ The wise ones know (this to be the sacred hymn to be recited) on a night of a bright or a dark half.

21. The sacred hymn to be recited is: ‘Om hrām, hrīm, salutation to Soma.’ It should be recited in the morning. He who would thus worship the Moon, or recite to others, or himself listen to (the account of Soma’s worship), would be (living) in a nectar-like world birth after birth.

22. He, who, on this earth, praises or worships the Moon with (the recital of his) thousand names, obtains heaven eternally wherefrom rebirth is difficult.

23-24. Thus should be done the worship of Soma. Hearing the (account) without having jealousy for the rite, a wise man, putting the collection (of the materials for worship) in an auspicious brass vessel or a vessel of bell-metal full with curds and ghee—(putting) less or more according to his wealth even in a golden or silver vessel—should offer it to a brāhmaṇa having many sons.

25. His good fortune very much excels (even) nectar. Women and men never meet with misfortune.

26. (He should say:) ‘I, desiring (good) form and good fortune, offer you the vessel full of curds. Give me good fortune and form residing in the vessel of bell metal.’

27-29. Without (any) prejudice a man should be given according to his capacity. Also new (piece of) cloth etc. should be given). For (obtaining) good form and fortune he should give food complete in all (respects) and a lovely tāmbūla, and garlands of flower etc. He, who thus makes a present to a brāhmaṇa in honour of the Moon, has a good form and good fortune in heaven or in the human world.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Atrinetrodbhava—Atri, a celebrated sage and the author of many Vedic hymns, was one of the sons of Brahmā. While he was absorbed in meditation, the essence of Soma or the Moon trickled down from his eyes. The presiding deities of the quarters, at the command of Brahmā, gladly conceived the foetus, but could not bear it. So it shot out in the form of the Moon.

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