Part 7.13 - Poetic conventions regarding to the Moon

In this convention of moon is divided into three ways viz.

1. The Moon is produced from the eyes of the sage Atrī and the Moon produced from the ocean,
2. Everlasting youth of the crescent moon on Lord Śiva’s head and
3. Attribution of the mark of moon as deer and hare.

(i) In ancient believe the moon produces from the eyes of sage Atrī, there are some other believe the moon is produced from the ocean. But in the poetic convention recognized both of all are correct because here moons are identical.

In the Kāvyamīmāṃsā illustrate it as:

“vandyā viśvasṛjo yugādiguravaḥ svāyambhuvāḥ sapta ye
  tatrātrirdivi sandadhe nayanajaṃ jyotiḥ sa candro'bhavat |
ekā yasya śikhaṇḍanamaṇirdevasya śambhoḥ kalā
  śeṣābhyo'mṛtamāpnuvanti ca sadā svā hāsvadhājīvinaḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-XVI, Pp- 87

In this śloka refer the moon is evolved from the eyes of Ṛṣi Atri.

Thereafter Rājaśekhara also says about a śloka from Anargharāghava of Murāri where moon describes to evolve from the ocean;

C.f.

“yadindoranveti vyasanamudayaṃ vā nidhirapāmupādhisthatrāyaṃ
  jayati janikartuḥ prakṛtitā |
ayaṃ kassambandho yadanuharate tasya ku mudaṃ
  viśuddhāḥ śuddhānāṃ dhruvamanabhisandhipraṇayinaḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-XVI, Pp- 87

Here the both of Śloka gives us the concept that the moons as identical and produces from eyes of Atri and ocean.

In the Rghuvaṃśa, Kālidāsa while describing about the pregnancy of Sudakṣiṇa says that:

“atha nayanasamutthaṃ jyotiratreriva dyauḥ surasaridiva tejo vahniniṣṭhayūtaimaśam |
marapatiku labhūtyai garbhamādhatta rāñjī gurubhirabhiniviṣṭaṃ lokapālānubhāvaiḥ || ”

- Raghuvaṃśa of Kālidāsa: II/ 75

Here he also says that:

“tadanvaye śuddhimati prasūtaḥ śuddhimattaraḥ |
dilīpa iti rājendurinduḥ kṣīranidhāviva || ”

- Raghuvaṃśa of Kālidāsa: I/ 12

Here both of the śloka says that the genesis of moon from the eyes of Atrī and the oceans.

(ii) In poetic convention, the description of ever youthfulness of the crescent moon is also considered.

Rājaśekhara illustrated this in his Kāvyamīmāṃsā as:

“mālāyamānāmarasindhuhaṃsaḥ koṭiravallīku sumaṃ bhavasya |
dākṣāyaṇīvibhramadarpaṇāśri bālendakhaṇḍaṃ bhavataḥ punītāt || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-XVI, Pp- 87

Here in this śloka describes the ever youthfulness of the moon on Lord Śiva’s head.

(iii) About the spot of moon there are relating two concepts i.e.

1. it is mark of a fare that resides in the moon and
2. the mark of moon is deer.

In the Kāvyamīmāṃsā illustrate this as:

“mā bhaiḥ śaśāṅka mama sīdhuni nāsti rāhaḥ khe rohiṇī vasati kātara kiṃ bibheṣi |
prāyo vidagdhavanitānavasaṅgameṣu puṃsāṃ manaḥ pracalatīti kimatra citram || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-XVI, Pp- 86

And the other śloka says:

“aṅkādhiropitamṛgaścandramā mṛgalāñchanaḥ |
ke sarī niṣṭhurākṣiptamṛgayūtho mṛgādhipaḥ || ”

- Kāvyamīmāṃsā of Rājaśekhara: Ch-XVI, Pp- 86

Here both of the śloka describe the moon spot is hare and deer. So the moon seems to be identical.