Human Values and Astrology
Value: Dharma Sub-value: Perseverance
Planet (graha) Moon (Chandra)
Asya Sri Chandra Kavacha stotra Maha Manthrasya
What follows is the great prayer called “Armour of the moon.”
Gowthama Rishi
Anushtup Chanda,
Chandro Devatha
Chandra preethyartham jape viniyoga.
Sage for this prayer is Gowthama,
meter is Anushtup,
Moon is the Deity, God
And this is being chanted to please the Moon.
Samam, chathurbhujam vande, keyura makutojjwalam,
Vasudevasya nayanam, Shankarasya cha bhooshanam.
I salute the four armed Moon god who is calm,
Who shines in a gem studded great crown,
Who is the eye of Lord Vishnu,
And the ornament of Lord Shiva.
Yevam dhyathwa japen nithyam shasina kavacham shubham,
Shasi pathu shiro desam, phalam pathu kala nidhi.
Thus praying, this holy armour of the Moon
should be chanted daily.
Let my head be protected by the Moon,
and hairs be protected by the treasure of arts.
Chakshushi chandrama pathu , shruthi pathu nisha pathi,
Pranam krupakara pathu ,mukham kumuda bhandhava.
Let my eyes be protected by he who has moon light,
Let my ears be protected by the Lord of the night,
Let my soul be protected by he who is merciful,
And my face be protected by the relative of Lotus.
Pathu kantam cha may soma, skande jaivathrukasthadha,
Karou sudhakara pathu, vaksha pathu nisakara.
Let Soma protect my neck,
Let my shoulder be protected by one who is long lived,
Let the maker of nectar protect my hands,
And the maker of night protect my chest.
Hrudayam pathu may chandro, nabhim shankara bhooshana,
Madhyam pathu sura sreshta, katim pathu sudhakara.
Let my heart be protected by the Moon,
Let my belly be protected by the ornament of Shiva,
Let my middle be protected by the Chief of the Devas,
And my hip be protected by he who makes nectar.
Ooru tharapathi pathu, mrugango januni sada,
Abdhija padhu may jange, padhu, padou vidhu sada.
Let my thighs be protected by the Lord of the stars,
Let he who has a deer protect my knees,
Let the maker of time protect my calves,
Let my feet be protected by the Moon.
Sarvan anyani changaani pathu, chandro akhilam vapu,
Ethdhi kavacham punyam bhukthi mukthi pradayakam.
Let all my other organs be protected by Chandra who is everywhere
And this armour would give one devotion and salvation.
Ya padeth srunyadhvapi sarvathra vijayi bbhaveth.
If one reads or hears this, he would win in everything.
Ithi Sri Chandra kavacham sampoornam.
Thus ends the armour of the Moon.
The Moon
Chandra, (lit. “shining one”) The Moon is one of the Gods and a most important planet in Vedic Astrology. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and having in his hands a club and a lotus. He rides his chariot (the moon) across the sky every night, pulled by ten white horses or an antelope. Although the antelope is the animal most commonly depicted with Him in iconography, the rabbit is also particularly sacred to him and all rabbits are under his protection. He is connected with dew, and as such, is one of the gods of fertility. As Soma, presides over Somvar or Monday.
The Moon rules Mother and maternal matters, contentment in the home, emotions and bodily fluids, as the Moon is kapha dosha. Kapha dosha signifies water, fluids, fluids in the body and it is of an earthy nature. It has dimensions of loyalty, faithfulness, love and attachment. The Moon waxes and wanes monthly and as it is the fastest moving planet, it is easily afflicted in transits. The Moon is strongest when it is 180° from the Sun; the closer the Moon comes to the Sun, the lesser its energy and strength.
Moon signifies responsiveness, loyalty, dependence. It is traditional, conservative, conventional in attitudes. It delivers the energy of belonging, seldom rebels, and, when cool, has high frustration tolerance. Moon gives friendly attitudes, life-long associations and doesn’t like to hurt other people. It can accept feedback from others but does not like confrontations, particularly when they are personally hurtful. The Moon gives good parents who are good providers.
Human Values
Our values are our principles, our guides to action. Values are our internal codes of conduct, the principles upon which we run our lives and make our decisions. Our values are first given to us by our parents. These values develop, expand and are tested in experience. Other people impress their values upon us. We may take on the values of people we admire, such as our peers, our teachers, or elders in the Community. Our moral values are often sourced from our faith. The practice of human values also includes self-knowledge. This points to an important principle – that of self-inquiry. Up to 70% of our time should be spent in self-inquiry. Without knowing the self, one cannot reach the goal of life.
Our values often include universal principles such as truthfulness, peace, love, right conduct and non-violence. These principles are often essential for our personal and social survival. In our observation, when we reverse the order of perception, we can often work out what values are active and guiding a situation or an event or a reaction (our own)(someone else’s) when we analyse the motives of either ourselves or others. We keep in mind that behaviour reveals choices – choices are based on our values. Our values guide our actions.
Dharma is the eternal order, the basis of the Universe, for everything in the universe follows its proper dharma, its order, its righteousness, its right action. It is the dharma of an orange to taste as an orange and give Vitamin C; it is not the dharma of oranges to taste like watermelons and give so many seeds. It is the dharma of rain to fall on everything alike and to provide moisture and water for growth. It is the dharma or right conduct of birds to fly, nest and feed their young. It is the dharma of fish to live in water and to spawn its eggs into water; few (if any) fish can survive on land. An individual’s dharma must be fulfilled by adherence to the duties and obligations relating to each person’s inherent nature, profession, status and stage of life as laid down by the ancient lawgivers. Dharma sustains the world. It is not only divinely ordained but part of divinity itself: ‘Dharayati iti dharma‘ – that which sustains is dharma.
The Moon and Human Values
In Vedic Astrology if we look to the higher energies that come from the Moon, the we find that it rules the mother and her welfare; it is the presiding deity of the mind, rules the emotions, tenderness, bodily health, and beauty. The Moon also rules intelligence, places where water is found, liquids in the body, and has a central role in the development of the family. It is in the family where we experience closeness to others, children, love, warmth, compassion and bonding to others. It is in the family, where The Moon signifies the Mother, that we learn to live and let live. We learn perseverance in our tasks and duties, through our Mothers, in the family. Mother is the first teacher in the life of the child.
The Moon and Perseverance:
The Moon, rotating in its orbit presents us with 16 parts. The moon as signifier of faithfulness has perseverance: constancy, steadiness; singleness of purpose, tenacity of purpose. The moon has one function, to reflect the light of the sun in the nights. Due the orbits of Sun and moon, we have no-moon nights (amavasya) and eclipses. These are simply the functions of the Moon in its orbit.
The moon is unwavering, unfaltering, unswerving, unflinching, unsleeping; it performs its tasks and has effect on the tides with full rigour of its duty. The Moon does not shirk its task as the Earth’s satellite. The sun and the moon carry on their routine tasks; wind and fire have to perform their duties without demur. If the moon and the sun refuse to do the allotted duties what is to happen to the Earth?
That which is based (on maya) is subject to change; growth, decline and modification. But the base (or adhara) should not therefore be taken as subject to change. For example, consider the moon and its reflection in water. The image of the moon in the water is not steady; it shakes and quivers. It is the water that shakes and quivers, not the moon above. Ignorant people, who are like children, infer that the moon is itself shaking.
While we see the phases of the moon, new moon – full moon, crescent moon, etc, the moon itself is dauntless and example of perseverance in its task. The moon is solid, sturdy, staunch, and unchangeable. As presiding deity of the mind, the moon is the giver of perseverance when we follow dharma, right conduct, for right conduct is the foundation, the base, the adhara of the visible Universe and the subtle universe.
Example of Perseverance: Krishna to Arjuna
“A petty small question, that !” said Krishna, with a smile. “Perhaps, you felt that you can easily understand the answer, if given! Right. Since the question has been put, I shall melt a little and give the answer. Listen carefully. I am the inner Atma (soul, spirit) in the lotus heart of each and every being. So, if you believe and direct your life on the basis of the belief that the inner Atma in every being is My Paramatma, that is enough meditation for you. See that this belief is not shaken or overthrown. Stick to it steadily, practise that belief, apply it in your deeds, words and thoughts. Then the experience of oneness, of your being Me and I being you, can be achieved. (Gita Vahini)
