The Birth of Soma (Brahma Purāṇa)
Somotpatti · soma utpatti, “the birth of Soma”
Pushṭi has other meanings too: see all meanings of Pushṭi.
The birth of Soma (Somotpatti) is told in Chapter 9 of the Brahma Purāṇa, where Lomaharshaṇa tells the munis the opening of the line of Soma. Atri Maharshi, the mind-born son of Brahmā, performed tapas for three thousand divine years, and his tejas rose upward and took the form of Soma. The devatās of the ten directions could not bear it and let it fall; Brahmā took Soma onto his chariot, and as Soma circled the earth twenty-one times, the oshadhis sprang up from his tejas. Brahmā made him king of the seeds, the oshadhis, the brāhmaṇas and the waters, and Soma performed a Rājasūya in which he gave the three worlds as dakshiṇā.
Atri’s tejas
Soma‘s father was Bhagavān Atri, a ṛshi, the mānasa-putra of Brahmā. It is famed that he performed tapas for three thousand divine years. His tejas rose upward and took the form of Soma, and water flowed from his eyes in ten streams, lighting up the directions.
The devatās of the ten directions, at the command of Vidhi (Brahmā), together tried to bear that tejas, but could not, and let it fall. Seeing that vīrya in the form of Soma fallen on the earth, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, took it up onto his chariot for the good of the worlds. The sons of Brahmā, the devas and the foremost munis praised Atri’s son, and as they praised him his tejas spread on every side, nourishing the worlds.
King of the oshadhis
Seated on Brahmā‘s chariot, Soma went round the sea-encircled earth twenty-one times. His tejas entered the earth, and from it sprouted all the oshadhis, the support of all the world. Gaining tejas through the praises and his own good acts, Soma performed tapas for the darśana of Padma, and Brahmā, foremost of the knowers of Brahman, gave him sovereignty (sāmrājya) over the seeds and oshadhis, over the brāhmaṇas and over the waters.
Soma’s Rājasūya
Soma, the gentlest of the gentle, then performed a Rājasūya with a dakshiṇā of a hundred thousand; it is heard that Kairava-bandhu, the friend of the white lilies, gave the three worlds as dakshiṇā. The brahmarshis were the sadasyas and received the dakshiṇā. Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā), Atri and Bhṛgu were the ṛtvijas, and Hari, surrounded by many munis, was a sadasya. Nine devīs served Soma: Sinī, Kuhū, Dyuti, Pushṭi, Prabhā, Vasu, Kīrti, Dhṛti and Lakshmī. After bathing in the avabhṛtha, the closing bath of the yajña, honoured by all the devarshis, Soma, king of kings, shone, lighting the ten directions.
Having gained a lordship no one else could obtain, Soma afterwards swelled with pride and carried off Tārā, the wife of Bṛhaspati, which led to the Tārakāmaya war and the birth of Budha.
Phalaśruti
This is the account of Soma‘s birth; reciting it brings fame (kīrti). The recital of the line of Soma brings dhanyatā, long life, health and puṇya, and the fulfilment of one’s resolves. One who hears the account of Soma’s birth is freed from pāpa.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 9
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 9