Candra and Daksha’s Śāpa

The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa tells how Candra, the moon deva, came to grow bright and dim in turn. Daksha Prajāpati cursed him because he favoured one wife above all the others. Bhagavān Śiva then took Candra onto his own head, and Bhagavān Vishṇu gave him a vara (a boon) that settled the matter. This account is in the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa.

Candra and his twenty-seven wives

Daksha Prajāpati had twenty-seven daughters. All of them were married to Candra and were his nakshatra wives. Each daughter stands for one of the twenty-seven nakshatras (lunar stars) of the Vedic lunar calendar. The agreement was that Candra would give equal attention and love to all twenty-seven wives.

Candra favours Rohiṇī

Candra did not keep the agreement. Rohiṇī was the most beautiful and the most loved of his wives, and he leaned strongly towards her. He spent most of his time with Rohiṇī and neglected the other twenty-six wives. They complained again and again to their father Daksha.

Daksha’s śāpa

Daksha warned Candra several times and asked him to treat all his wives equally. Candra kept on favouring Rohiṇī. Daksha grew angry at the neglect of his daughters and laid a śāpa (a curse) on Candra: kshaya-roga, a disease of wasting away. Under the śāpa Candra began to grow smaller, and slowly lost his light and strength.

Candra goes to Bhagavān Śiva

The śāpa overwhelmed Candra, and he went to Bhagavān Śiva for refuge. Bhagavān Śiva is called Candraśekhara (the one who bears the moon on his head). He is also the one who gives shelter to all who surrender to him (śaraṇāgati). He received Candra with compassion and placed him on his own head (śiraḥ). By this act of grace Candra was protected from the worst effects of the śāpa, because he had touched Bhagavān Śiva and so found partial relief. This is how Bhagavān Śiva came to be called Candraśekhara.

Bhagavān Vishṇu settles the matter

The śāpa of Daksha could not simply be cancelled. It had to be honoured in some form. Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared as an aged brahmin and stood between Candra and Daksha. He gave Candra a vara that settled the dispute. Candra would wax in the śukla-paksha (the bright fortnight) for fifteen days. He would wane in the krishṇa-paksha (the dark fortnight) for fifteen days. This would go on for ever.

In the krishṇa-paksha Candra grows smaller, and so Daksha’s wish is met. In the śukla-paksha Candra returns to his full glory, and so his work in the cosmos is kept.

What the account gives the world

This account gives the origin of the two pakshas (fortnights). It gives the origin of Bhagavān Śiva’s name Candraśekhara, and of Candra’s link with the nakshatras, his twenty-seven wives.

Sources

• Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa