Significance of the Moon in Ancient Civilizations

by Radhakrishnan. P | 2017 | 51,158 words

This study analyzes the Significance of the Moon in Ancient Civilizations and it’s contribution to modern astrology. This thesis also aims at integrated scientific explanations on New and Full Moon and their influence of Geo-physical phenomena and also analyzes how significant a role the moon plays in keeping the life on earth. Astrology is the or...

The significance of moon has been narrated in different fundamental Astrology texts whereas the most elaborated description is available in Utharakalamrita of Kalidasa as follows:-

[...][1]

The following denotation belong to the Moon: (1) intelligence (2) flower (3) good perfume (4) going to a fortress (5) disease (6) Brahmin (7) idleness (8) phlegmatic (9) epilepsy (10) enlargement of the spleen (11) disposition of mind (12) heart (13) woman (14) good or bad (15) sourness (16) sleep (17) happiness (18) anything watery (19) silver (20) thick sugarcane (21) typhoid (22) travel (23) well (24) tank (25) mother (26) impartiality (27) mid-day (28) pearls (29) consumption (30) whiteness (31) waistband (32) bell metal (33) salt (34) short in stature (35) mind (36) ability (37) pond (38) diamond (39) Sarad Ritu (40) an interval of 48 minutes (41) facial luster (42) white colour (43) belly (44)reverence to Goddess Gowri (45) honey (46) favor (47) joking (48) nourishment (49) wheat (50) pleasure (51 splendor (52) face (53) quick in thought (54) love of curd (55) mendicant (56) fame (57) beauty (58) strength at night (59) Westward-faced (60) learned (61) saline (62) getting a job (63) love towards west (64) the middle world (65) nine gems (66) middle age (67) life (68) eating (69) going to distant counties (70) disease of the shoulders (72) umbrella or other royal insignia (73) good fruits (74) good blood and vital energy (75) fish and other water born creatures (76) serpent (77) Silk Garment (78) good budding (79) Shining Bell Metal (80) clean crystal and (81) delicate cloth (82) Menstrual Problems (83) Dry Breast (84) Mother’s Milk (85) Paddy (86) Deceitful (87) Temporal Love (88) Disciplinary Actions from Higher Authorities (89) Loss on Expenditure. The significant planet of Tamil Language is conferred to Moon whereas Sanskrit language is imparted with Sun, Jupiter and Venus respectively.

Kalayana Varma’s Saravali designate the characteristics of moon as:

[...][2]

The Moon signifies beautiful eyes, fascinated speech, whitish colour, thin and tall body, soft, slim and youthfulness, blackish curled hair, noblest attributes, rheumatic and phlegmatic nature, fond of splendid life, dimple and generous, artistic and temporal nature with graceful characters. Under Astrological categorization, Moon is considered as a female planet, whereas it is treated as masculine deity in the epics.

The inter-connectivity of mind, soul, intellect and its goal had been distinguished in Kathopanishad and Gita as:-

[...][3]

Gita says that the organs, mind, and the intelligence are said to be its abode. The mind diversely misleads the embodied being by concealing Knowledge with the support of these. It works through the senses, the mind and the reason; and with their help, annihilate wisdom and confounds the soul.

Poet Kalidasa too express similar opion about the mind [...] The hymns of Sage Valmiki denotes the same point–[...] Mind is the ultimate controller of all senses distinguishing the cause of all good and bad.

As versified by the Krishnacharya, the significant nature of the Moon has been denoted with the characteristics of wavering mind, stout body, tender hearted, kindly, attractive eyes, rheumatic quality, whitish colour, scholar and noble blooded quality.

[...][4]

The moon signifies water in Astrology. The availability of water in the moon was already notified by our seers and several salutation hymns were narrated in ancient texts.

[...][5]

Moon is the source of water, He who knows the source of Moon, Becomes established in his Self, Water is the source of moon, He who knows this, Becomes established in his Self. He who knows the source of water, Becomes established in his Self. These verses would be the hunch of hypothesis for searching the water particle of the Moon with the help of highly developed technological support. It is self-explicit that the first level human thoughts were developed from the Upanishads.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Prof. N.EMuthuswami, Commentator of KalidasaVirachitaUtharakalamrutha-Part-II, Canda-5 Verses 25 to 29, pp-195.

[2]:

Puliyur.P.S.P.Nampoothiri (2012) Saravali-1 S.T.Reddiar, Quilon; Chap-4 Ver-22; pp-43

[3]:

Bhagavad Gita Chap-III Ver-40, 42.

[4]:

Puliyath Krishnba Kutty Gupthan; (2012) Krishneeyam; Panchangam Book House, Kunnamkulam, Chapter-1, Ver-24, pp-20

[5]:

htttp://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_veda/mantrapushhpa.html

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