By: Dr G R Vijayakumar
Sai Baba was worshipped all over the world for the success of Chandrayan III. We worship Shiva, who is also known as Chandrachud, because a crescent moon adorns his matted locks, as crowning glory. Shiva is dark in color, ashen or blue in many depictions, perhaps also because the entire universe and all of its cosmic bodies, including microcosmic matter, are contained in him. With the universe teeming with dark energy, and dark blue being a cosmic canvas, it is no surprise that the god of infinity should be associated with those hues.
Krishna says in the Bhagwad Gita (15:13), “Gam avishya cha bhutani dharayamy aham ojasa pushnami chaushadhih sarvah somo bhutva rasatmakah.” That is, ‘Permeating the Earth, I nourish all beings with my energy. Becoming the watery Moon, I nourish all plants with the juice of life.’ This is also the spirit behind the Hariyali Teej festival which celebrates nature.
Soma is the juice of life, believed to be stored in the Moon and Shiva as Somadeva is the
protector and creator (and also destroyer); he presides over the powers of the Moon, the so-called energy of soma coming from his divinity, as the lord of beginnings and endings, a cycle of life and death that is perpetual. Shiva is also Time, so he controls the waxing and waning phases of the Moon. He is also called Chandrashekhar, as the most popular Hindu name is Chandra. Sai Satcharita authenticates these facts.
The Moon has inspired romance and evocative poetry; it has also lent itself as an adjective to describe a beautiful human face. Mythological stories across cultures have deified and romanticized the Moon. It is an object of worship, just as is the Sun and this natural satellite of the Earth has also been the subject of study by mental health researchers. The gravitational pull of the Moon connected to its waxing and waning phases, which cause high and low tides, are believed to accentuate human mood swings.
Shiva is said to control the mind, and, he is a yogi and meditator. In meditation, one is taught to cultivate mind control, after which, comes learning how to expand the mind to become one with Parabrahmn, which is as infinite as the expanse that is eternal, self-perpetuating. Soma as a Moon deity is also found in Buddhism and Jainism.
With the blessings of Sai Maharaj, this year’s Shravan season will go down in history, with the success of India’s Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3 – as the craft landed on August 23, 2023, near the south polar region of the Moon. This lunar area is usually referred to as the Moon’s ‘dark’ side, not because it is devoid of light but because it is an unknown, mysterious part that is yet unexplored. Until now, that is, for, with India’s Moon mission successfully landing there, there is now scope for knowledge that will lead to universal common benefit. Just as Sai Baba as Shiva, is said to guide the seeker who is floundering in darkness – to progress towards the light of wisdom.
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