How Lord Shiva became Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar) | Why Shiva has moon on his head | Why Lord Shiva is called as Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar)
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Just before moving towards to know about “How Lord Shiva became Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar) | Why Shiva has moon on his head | Why Lord Shiva is called as Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar)“, let us know few basic information about the beautiful Lord Shiva family.
Lord Shiva is the head of this family. His consort name is Goddess Sri Parvati Devi.
Both Lord Shiva and Goddess Sri Parvati Devi have two sons namely Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.
Lord Ganesha has divine elephant face, while Lord Kartikeya has 6 heads and thus Lord Kartikeya is also known as as ‘Shanmukha’.
(Here Shanmukha = Shan + Mukha. Here Shan = 6 and Mukha = face / head).
Lord Shiva, Goddess Sri Parvati Devi, Lord Ganesha, Lord Karitikeya and other Ganas all stay in a divine place called Kailasha (Kailash).
With all these four of them, there are multiple other divine people living in Kailasha (Kailash). Few of the names are Nandi, Bhringi, many Ganas etc.
Lord Shiva’s mount is Nandi, Goddess Sri Parvati Devi’s mount is divine Lion, Lord Ganesha’s mount is Mushaka (Mushak) (divine Mouse) and Lord Kartikeya’s mount is Mayura (divine Peacock).
In Sanskrit Chandrashekhar is written as चन्द्रशेखर (Chandrashekhara / Candraśēkhara) and Somashekhar (Somshekhar) is written as सोमशेखर (Somashekhara / Sōmaśēkhara).
To understand “How Lord Shiva became Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar)”, we have to understand few points about Lord Sri Chandra Deva [Also called as Soma / Som (Moon God)].
First let us learn what are the greatness of the Lord Sri Chandra Deva / Soma (Moon) are, what are the significances of Lord Sri Chandra Deva / Soma, etc. are as given below:
Lord Chandra / Soma is one of the nava-grahas (celestial bodies of cosmic influence) is the lunar deity also identified with the Lunar deity name known as Soma.
This graha / planet causes nightfall, strengthens the mind, purifies the blood and is considered as the one who radiates nectar.
Worship of the Lord Chandra is said to be beneficial for relief from all sorrows and helps in curing mental afflictions.
Lord Chandra’s cool rays radiate happiness, blissfulness, etc.
Worshipping Lord Chandra on Mondays is said to be very effective in getting one’s prayers answered.
Hinduism propounds the idea that the (nine) Nava-grahas (of which Lord Chandra is one) are ‘markers of influence’ —
Living energies which put out waves which affect our awareness by seizing our consciousness when we come under their influence.
Reports of psychics and seers agree that Grahas / planets cause a direct energy influence upon the energy bodies and minds of all life on earth.
The Navagrahas / nine celestial bodies are transmitters of Universal, archetypal energy and the qualities of each planet helps maintain the overall balance of polarities in the solar system.
We have Shivaratri in every month.
Shivaratri is the fourteenth day of the lunar fortnight, when the moon is waning and the sun is in the sign of Aquarius.
It is a night of consecration and illumination.
Each month there is Shivaratri and once a year Maha Shivaratri.
Lord Chandra, who is the deity of the moon and presiding deity of the mind, loses one sixteenth of his brilliance every day after the full-moon day.
And continues waning until, by Shivaratri (monthly Shivaratri), he is left with just one sixteenth of his power.
It is on this night of the waned moon (Shivaratri) that it is believed the mind is most tractable and can be easily conquered.
Whereas the nights of Lord Shiva are usually associated with mastery of the mind and success of spiritual ambitions.
Purnima (full moon) is more about success of boons, vratas (vrats) and heartfelt prayers.
Doing pradakshina on Monday, (the day of the Moon — Lord Chandra) is particularly helpful.
This happens if one wishes to start a new project, attain a high elevation in life or rid oneself of the fear of death.
In Sanskrit Chandra means, ‘bright and shining‘.
In Vedic Astrology, Chandra represents brain and mind, emotions, sensitivity, softness, imagination, Queen and mother.
The bright moon is considered a benefic.
And for this reason answers to prayers connected with the Purnima (full-moon) aspect, are believed to be more easily attained.
Lord Chandra is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus.
Lord Chandra rides his chariot across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope.
Lord Chandra is connected with dew, and as such, is one of the gods of fertility.
Lord is also called Nishapati (Lord of the Night) and Kshuparaka (one who illuminates the night).
How Lord Shiva became Chandrashekhara (Somashekhara) Story is as given below:
Goddess Sri Parvati Devi once asked Lord Shiva, “Lord, tell me, why do you wear a crescent moon on your forehead? What is the story behind this?”
Lord Shiva told her the story as given below…
During the Samudra Manthana (Samudra Manthan / Amrit Manthan / Churning of Ocean) we have heard that Lord Shiva drinks the halahala pashanam (poison).
And from that day Lord Shiva’s name came to be known as Lord Neelakantha (Neelakanth) (नीलकन्ठ) (Nīlakaṇṭha).
Neelakantha name because, after Lord Shiva drinks the halahala pashanam (A poison) and his throat changes into neela ranga (blue color) and thus from that day Lord Shiva was known as Lord Neelakantha.
But after drinking this halahala pashanam, Lord Shiva gets a bit of headache.
To get a solution for this, Lord Shiva keeps the Lord Sri Chandra Deva (Moon Demigod) on his own head.
This is because, as Lord Sri Chandra Deva is the sheetala pradata, that is, Lord Sri Chandra Deva is someone who provides the soothing effect or calmness because of the ache.
Thus, since Lord Shiva keeps Lord Sri Chandra Deva on his own head, from that Lord Shiva came to be known as Lord Chandrashekhara (चन्द्रशेखर) / Somashekhara (सोमशेखर).
Chandrashekhara = Chandra means Chandra Deva, Shekhara means wearing / keeping something.
Since Lord Shiva wears / keeps the Lord Chandra Deva on his own head and thus Lord Shiva is known as Lord Chandrashekhara.
Few of the other importance points about Lord Chandra is as given below:
A benefic Moon is often found in the charts of doctors, healers or psychologists, as well as good mothers and wives.
A strong Moon can give power and creates a good administrator or leader open to the needs of his people and indicates relationship, interchange, and communication.
A strong Moon also shows sensitivity, receptivity, caring for others and a nurturing attitude in life.
It gives emotional maturity, responsibility and the capacity to have a beneficial effect upon society.
Lord Shiva has three roopas (forms) as given below:
Vaikaarika roopa, Taijasa roopa and Taamasa roopa
Vaikarika roopa is Lord Sri Brahma Deva’s son (putra)
Taijasa roopa is Lord Sri Vayu Deva’s son (putra) (please remember in the next life Lord Sri Rudra Deva / Shiva will be son of the present day’s Lord Sri Vayu Deva, and
Taamasa roopa is Ananta’s son (putra).
{Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya Adhyaya 3 (17)}.
Another story of “How Lord Shiva became Chandrashekhar (Somashekhar)”
Daksha Prajapati got married his 27 daughters to Lord Chandra:
Daksha Prajapati 27 daughters names are as given below:
Ashvinī (Aswathy), Bharanī, Kṛttikā (the Pleiades) (Karthika), Rohinī, Mrigashīra (Makayiram), Ārdrā (Thiruvathira), Punarvasu (Punartham),
Pushya (Pooyam), Ashlesha (Ayilyam), Maghā (Makam), Pūrvaphalgunī (Pooram), Uttaraphalgunī (Uthram), Hasta (Atham),
Chitrā (Spica) (Chithira), Svātī (Arcturus) (Chothi), Vishākhā (Visakham), Anurādhā or Rādha (Anizham), Jyeshtha (Thrikketta),
Mūla (Moolam), Purbashādha or Pūrvashādhā (Pooradam), Uttarashara (Uthradam), Shravana (Abhijit) (Thiruvonam),
Dhanistha (Avittam), Shatabhisha (Chathayam), Pūrva Bhādrapadā (Pooruruttathi), Uttarbhadrapada (Uthruttathi), Revatī (Revathi).
But Lord Sri Chandra Deva showed special care to Rohini Devi amongst 27 wives.
Why Lord Chandra showed special love and care towards his wife Rohini:
Lord Chandra did so because in this Nakshatra (Star) Lord Sri Krishna will be born in Dvapara Yuga.
For this reason, Lord Sri Chandra Deva showed special affection to Rohini nakshatra abhimani Devata (Controlling Demigod) Rohini.
On seeing this, other wives complained to his father Daksha Prajapati, that Lord Sri Chandra Deva is not looking after all his wives equally.
For this Daksha Prajapati got angry, and cursed Lord Sri Chandra Deva to have ”kshaya” / tuberculosis disease.
Thus, Lord Sri Chandra Deva was affected by this disease and started losing his quality, and also started to deteriorate to a very very tiny size.
Lord Sri Chandra Deva went to Lord Shiva and sought his assistance and thus Lord Shiva kept him on his head.
For this reason, Lord Shiva became “Chandrashekara” / “Somashekhara” and told him never to go out of his head.
Lord Sri Chandra Deva’s wives not finding Lord Sri Chandra Deva anywhere, again pleaded his father, to search for their husband.
Not able to trace Lord Sri Chandra Deva, Daksha Prajapati came to know that Lord Sri Chandra Deva was given refuge in Lord Shiva’s head.
Daksha Prajapati asked Lord Shiva to leave Lord Sri Chandra Deva.
But Lord Shiva refused saying that once he gives protection, he can’t leave anyone (Here Lord Sri Chandra Deva).
Both Daksha Prajapati and Lord Shiva went to Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu (Hari / Narayana).
Lord Sri Vishnu came in the disguise of a brahmachari and gave the pratibimba (mirror image) of Lord Sri Chandra Deva to his wives.
The original Lord Sri Chandra Deva was there on the head of Lord Shiva.
And the Lord Sri Chandra Deva which we are seeing on the sky, is the pratibimba (amsha / mirror image of Lord Sri Chandra Deva) which Lord Sri Vishnu gave to Daksha Prajapati taking out from Lord Shiva.
Devatas (Demigods) have amshamshibhava and not like ordinary humans.
So, one amsha (part) of Lord Sri Chandra Deva was taken out from Lord Shiva and given to Daksha Prajapati.
Thus Lord Sri Chandra Deva decided to do samsara (sansar) with his 27 wives equally. That is why we have one month called as Nakshatra Maasa.
(Source Brahma Vaivarthya Purana by Sri Vedavyasa Deva Ji)
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