Tārā, Candra and Bṛhaspati

This is the account of how Candra, the moon deva (a shining one), took Tārā, the wife of his own guru Bṛhaspati, by force. Bṛhaspati is the guru of the devas. The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa tells it in the Prakriti Khaṇḍa and again in the Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa. The Vishṇu Mahā Purāṇa also tells it, as the start of the Candra-vaṃśa (the Lunar dynasty).

The account ends with Tārā’s return, the birth of Budha, and the line of kings that comes from him.

Candra’s pride after the Rājasūya

Candra was the son of Atri and the grandson of Brahmā. He had performed a Rājasūya yajña and had been made king. His pride in this rank made him roam the three worlds without care. In this proud state he came to the āśrama of Bṛhaspati and saw Tārā bathing in the Gaṅgā. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57)

Tārā’s refusal

Candra went to Tārā and spoke openly of his desire. Tārā did not hesitate. She said: “You are like a son to me; I am like a mother to you. Give up this thought.”

The wife of one’s guru is called guru-patnī. Tārā’s words reminded Candra of this tie. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57)

The abduction

Candra did not listen. He lifted Tārā by force and put her in his chariot. For a hundred years he roamed with her over mountains, rivers and forests, far from her husband’s āśrama. All that time Tārā stayed faithful to Bṛhaspati in her heart. Her pātivratya (faithfulness to her husband) was so strong that it left a mark on the moon’s disc, a shape like a rabbit, which can be seen on the moon to this day. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57)

Candra takes refuge with Śukra

When news of the deed spread, Bṛhaspati grieved and looked for help. Candra feared what would follow and took refuge with Śukra, the guru of the daityas. Śukra gave him protection. He even made fun of Bṛhaspati, which added insult to the hurt.

Bṛhaspati went to Indra and told him what had happened. Indra searched for Tārā for a hundred years and did not find her. He then sent Bṛhaspati to Kailāsa and went himself to the Narmadā to search. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 58)

Brahmā steps in

Brahmā himself set out for the fortress of Śukra. With him went the great ṛshis Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana, Sanatkumāra and others, and the great bhakta (devotee) Prahlāda. Brahmā asked Śukra directly to give Tārā back. Śukra, seeing this company, agreed. Tārā was brought out and returned. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapters 58–59)

Brahmā comforts Tārā

When Tārā was returned, Brahmā saw that she was with child. He comforted her. He said that no fault lay on a woman who had been taken by force, and that her purity was whole before dharma and before the whole creation. Her own mind and conduct during her captivity had been those of a faithful wife. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 59)

Who is the father

When the child was born, he was golden in colour and shining. Both Candra and Bṛhaspati came forward to claim him. Brahmā questioned Tārā again and again about who the father was. Under this pressure Tārā said that the father was Candra. So Candra took the boy. This child became Budha, the adhideva (presiding deva) of the planet Mercury. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapters 59–60)

Bṛhaspati takes Tārā back, and the line of Budha

Brahmā gave Tārā back to Bṛhaspati. He received her with full gladness and without any reserve. He knew that she had been taken by force, and he welcomed his wife back into his life and home.

Budha grew up. In Nandanavana he met Citrā, the daughter of Kubera and Ghṛtācī, and married her by gāndharva vivāha (a marriage by mutual consent). Their son was Caitra. Caitra’s son was Ādhīratha. Ādhīratha’s son was the great king Sūratha. Sūratha would one day please Durgā and receive the vara (boon) of becoming Sāvarṇi Manu. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapters 60–61)

The Vishṇu Purāṇa account: the Tārakāmaya war

The Chaturdhāmsa of the Vishṇu Mahā Purāṇa, in Chapter 6, tells this episode before it gives the earthly line of the Candra-vaṃśa. In this account the taking of Tārā by Candra led to a great war. The devas stood with Bṛhaspati. The daityas stood with Śukrācārya, who was protecting Candra. This war is called the Tārakāmaya, the war caused by Tārā. It shook the three worlds.

At last Brahmā stepped in and made Candra return Tārā. When she was returned, she was found to be with child. Brahmā asked her who the father was, and she named Candra. The child was golden in colour and shining. He was Budha. From Budha and Ilā was born Purūravas, and so the earthly line of the Candra-vaṃśa began. (Vishṇu Mahā Purāṇa, Chaturdhāmsa, Chapter 6)

The Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa account

The Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa gives another telling, in Chapters 80–81.

Candra takes Tārā

Candra met Tārā as she came back from her bath, alone and unguarded, and took her against her will. He carried her to many places and spent time with her. She was the wife of his own guru Bṛhaspati, and she had refused him, but his attachment overcame all restraint of dharma.

Śukra and the war

Bṛhaspati asked for help to get Tārā back. Śukrācārya, the preceptor of the daityas, stepped in, but he took Candra’s side. Śukra also made fun of Bṛhaspati’s request, adding to his insult. Bṛhaspati went to the devas. The quarrel between Bṛhaspati’s side (backed by Indra and the devas) and Candra’s side (protected by Śukra) grew into a full armed fight, a sena-yuddha (war of armies). Śukra went on protecting Candra while the war grew fiercer, keeping to his duty to protect those who had come to him for refuge.

Bhagavān Śiva and Brahmā make peace

Bhagavān Śiva and Brahmā stepped in together as mediators. Their joint authority ended the fight. Through this, and through his own submission, Candra was cleansed of his pāpa (sin), the wrong of taking his guru’s wife. Tārā was returned to Bṛhaspati.

Not to see the Bhādrapada Caturthī moon

As a lasting result, the moon of Bhādrapada Śukla Caturthī carries the stain of Tārā’s taking. It is forbidden to look at this moon, because on this Caturthī Candra carries the Tāra-vedhā (the mark of Tārā’s suffering). That is why the fourth-day moon of the month of Bhādrapada is not to be seen. It recalls Candra’s old wrong.

A person who sees this moon by accident must say the Syamantaka maṇi (jewel) verse and drink pūta-jala (purified water). This clears the fault at once.

Siṃho Prasenaṃ avadīt, Siṃhaṃ Jāmbavān avadīt,
Suukumāra mā rodīḥ, tava hyesha Syamantakaḥ

The verse says that a lion killed Prasena, and Jāmbavān killed the lion, and it tells the child not to cry, for this Syamantaka jewel is his. (Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapters 80–81)

Sources

• Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakriti Khaṇḍa, Chapters 57–61
• Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Śrī Kṛshṇa Janana Khaṇḍa, Chapters 57–61, 80–81
• Vishṇu Mahā Purāṇa, Chaturdhāmsa, Chapter 6