Shiva Chandrasekara
    
by Gregorian Bivolaru

It is said that Daksha, the son of Brahma, creator of the universe, had 27 daughters, and all of them looked like stars. All of them were in love with the young, brilliant and beautifulChandra. They all decided to marry Chandra. Nevertheless, of all his wives, Chandra was most attracted to Rohini, whom he loved more then the others.

 The other wives complained to their father Daksha that they were not loved equally and that they were not treated properly by their husband Chandra.

Daksha punished Chandra by condemning him to a gradual weakening, which was going to last for 15 days. In this time, his light would fade more and more everyday. Soon, the moonlight started to wane and in the 15th day disappeared almost completely. Afraid and ashamed, Chandra hid in the ocean.
But many plants needed the light, influence and subtle, vitalizing energy of the moon, in order to grow and develop harmoniously. Without the beneficial influence of the moon, many of them would have been destroyed, therefore their life was already in danger. In the darkness created by the mysterious absence of the Moon, the world started to suffer. In order to solve this problem wisely, the celestial beings advised the Moon to seek refuge immediately in Shiva’s Supreme Being.

Having little left of her last day, Kala, the Moon – Chandra, asked Shiva for refuge. With endless love and grace, the almighty Shiva placed the Moon on his divine forehead, making its brightness increase during the following 15 days.
Full of gratitude, Chandra asked Shiva that from now on the every 28th night would be consecrated entirely to Shiva and it would be called Shivaratri. The night when the Moon – Chandra found divine refuge in Shiva’s being became a holy night. It is the night when Shiva offers to the beings that deserve it the grace to find a divine refuge in his eternal being. Ever since, Chandra continued to increase and decrease his light, cyclically. Ever since, Shiva Chandrasekara is that aspect of Shiva – the protector of the beings which are ready and full of aspiration and pray deeply to him in the night of Shivaratri. Through this aspect, Shiva manifests as a divine supporter of Nature’s mysterious rhythms and as a protector of the cyclic life of any plant or living being in nature.

Published by Natha.net

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