Indian moon god Chandra

God Chandra (“shining”, “moon”) – Indian god of the Moon, patron of plants, son of Atri and Anasuya. The very name “Chandra” is derived from the word “Chadi”, which means “to appease” (translation from Sanskrit). Other names for the moon god are: “Soma” - the god of the invisible Moon, beyond human perception; Sarvagyayaya – omniscient; Nisakaraya – creator of night; Taradhishaya – lord of the stars. In the Vedic scriptures one can find the name Manomaya – the personification of the mind, the subconscious.

How is he depicted? Chandra is most often depicted as a young man holding a symbol of power – a club – in one hand, and blessing everyone with the other. In various sources one can find images of Chandra with four hands, in which he holds: - a lotus, as a symbol of spiritual enlightenment; - a chakra, eliminating ignorance; - a conch shell (shankha), as a symbol of the original Om, liberating from the limitations of material perception of the world; - chariot control. In some images Chandra sits on a chariot drawn by several horses, in others the chariot is drawn by two antelopes. On his chariot Chandra crosses the sky, bestowing coolness of the reflected light of Surya (the Sun) on all living things, and also saturating all living things with his power.

The Moon in Vedic astrology The energy of the Earth is connected with the Moon. The mirror surface of water bodies and seas, tides are directly related to the Moon. The Sun, for example, possessing enormous power, does not cause tides, but gives fire and heat, which fills the entire planet, gives strength to plants, makes them sour and sweet. The Moon, however, gives plants the ability to grow, to increase their mass. Thus, for example, under the influence of the Moon, the roots of vegetables grow better.

Moon Day The day of the Moon in many languages and cultures, as in India, is Monday. This is clearly seen in the word formation of the day of the week in many languages of different cultures. For example: monday (from English moon - moon), lundi (from French lune - moon), lunes (from Spanish Luna - moon), etc. In Sanskrit, Monday is “Sōmavāra”. For many, Monday is the most difficult and nerve-wracking day of the week, however, it itself possesses a positive lunar calming energy. This is due to the fact that man ceased to consider himself a part of the universe and began to excessively praise his inner “ego”. Monday is the day of the home and family. In Vedic astrology, the moon (Chandra) is considered a beneficial planet. On Monday, it is necessary to pay attention to loved ones and not overload yourself with unnecessary things.

Place of worship The Moon Temple, where Chandra is worshipped, is located in India in the city of Thingalur. It was built in the 7th century AD and is a small white building, on the roof of which you can see an image of Shiva.

Chandra and yoga In yoga there is a complex of morning exercises, which is called Surya Namaskar , meaning “Salutation to the Sun”. In yoga, as in life, everything is interconnected. The Moon, having no light of its own, reflects the sunlight. In the evening, as in the morning, one also wants to stretch and relieve stress. Chandra Namaskar - a complex of evening exercises, meaning “Salutation to the Moon”. Chandra Namaskar, like the Moon reflecting the sunlight, reflects the complex of asanas Surya Namaskar, adding only one asana – the half-moon pose. Performing Chandra Namaskar prolongs youth and beauty. Lunar practice is characterized by slowness, calmness, helps to balance energy.