The moon was very beautiful. Her beauty was discussed everywhere. Fascinated by the beauty of the moon, twenty-seven daughters of Daksh Prajapati married her. A few days were spent happily, then Chandrama started getting angry with the remaining wives except Rohini. One day he crossed the limit. Except Rohini, he expelled all the other wives from the palace. The insulted Daksh daughters went to their parents’ home and tearfully narrated their plight to their father Daksh Prajapati. Daksh called Chandrama and explained to him but Chandrama did not agree. He spoke very good and bad about Daksh Prajapati. Daksh Prajapati got angry at this. He cursed the moon – ‘You are very proud of your beauty, you will get tuberculosis. You will become lustrous. To get rid of the curse of Daksh, Chandrama performed rigorous penance to innocent Shankar Lord Shiva. Shiva was pleased and asked the moon to ask for a boon. Chandrama told the whole incident to Shiva and asked for a boon to be free from the curse.
Shiva said – Vatsa, I will not end Daksh’s curse, but I will reduce it and make it almost ineffective. Now for the first fifteen days of the month you will be suffering from tuberculosis due to the curse of Daksh, it will keep decreasing every day. But for the remaining 15 days, you will be free from the curse of Daksh and you will continue to grow radiant. Due to the curse of Daksh, you will be completely afflicted with tuberculosis on the new moon day, whereas on the full moon day, you will be completely free and will fascinate the world. The names of your 27 wives will now become immortal by being associated with you. All these will be in the constellation. Since then, Moon suffered from tuberculosis. Due to the curse of Daksh, it gradually decreases due to tuberculosis in the first fortnight of every month and disappears on Amavasya. This is called Krishna Paksha.
Due to the boon of Shiva, after Amavasya, the moon gradually becomes free from tuberculosis and becomes completely free on Purnima. This is called Shukla Paksha. The beauty of the full moon has been compared by humans for centuries. It is said that in the Prabhash Patan area of Gujarat, where Chandrama had worshiped Lord Shiva, he had built a grand temple of Mahadev Shiva there, which became famous by the name of Somnath Temple. Even today, there is a temple of Somnath in Prabhash area (Gujarat), where lakhs of people go to see Lord Shiva. Pind Daan is also done here and a fair is also organized in the months of Mahashivratri, Bhadau, Kartik and Chaitra.
Shivcharan Chauhan- Writer