108 Names of the Moon: Chandra Ashtottara Shatanamavali #26

Moon - a royal planet

Om dyucaraya namaha, Salutations to the One who is moving in the heavens.


glossary
ācaryya To be gone to or approached āṅ before cara to go
chara moving or changing
charāchara (chara+achara) San. n. ‘the moving and the non-moving’ – i.e. everything created: the world
dyu (dyuḥ) A name of AGNI or fire. n. (dyu)
dyu A day.
dyu Heaven, sky, æther.
dyu Heaven, paradise.
dyu to go to or towards
dyubhiḥ by the effulgence SB 4.24.52
dyautra Light, splendor; dyu for diva to shine
dyuṣad dyu heaven, ṣada to go, it is also written dyuṣad.
dyuniśa Day and night. dyu a day, niśā night.
dyunivāsa Heavenly abode, heaven, A deity, dyu, and nivāsa abiding.


We speak of the Moon moving through the skies, in the heavens. The Moon is one of the royal planets, one of the two luminaries of the Earth. Moon moving through the skies is a form of dividing time into regular periods, and creating auspicious and not-auspicious times for taking up activity, engaging in new actions, spending money, buying gold, first-footing in a new home, buying a car, like this. Moon is important for understanding time.

Months are called masam (or masa). (This is also one of the names of the Moon.) The lunar month is the most important kind of month for the classical calendar, called Panchang. The lunar month is divided into two halves: the bright half and the dark half. The bright half begins with the new moon, the dark half begins at the full moon. Keep in mind that when the Moon is within 60° of the Sun, it is malefic.

Paksha means the side or half of something. In astrology, Paksha refers to half of a lunar month. There are two Pakshas: Shukla Paksha
and Krishna Paksha. Shukla Paksha is the active half of the month, more favourable for productive acts and for those things that are expected to grow, increase and prosper. Krishna Paksha is the receptive half of the month, more favourable for acts of completion, releasing and letting go.

There is a strong intimation that the Moon – moving through the heavens as it does – takes us to the light, to the effulgence which is Brahman. The Moon is the presiding deity of the mind, and the mind has to be tamed and mastered. We should become a Mastermind and master the mind, else it leads us around; it is outwards-going in nature and seeks to grasp, to acquire, to accumulate, to put up barriers and walls in the personality in order that fear is not experienced. The mind is simply a bundle of thoughts – mostly brought across from the previous life.

The mind has a key. Turn the key towards the Soul and the inherent divinity within, and you will have peace, you will (soon) see the effulgence of the Soul. Turn the key towards the world, there will be no peace, only pieces. There will be desire, lack of satisfaction and unhappiness at not having all our wants fulfilled.

Moon as presiding deity of the Mind can lead us through the heavens to the light, if we but follow the path of the moon: cool, silent, forever following and embodying dharma, right conduct. Follow dharma and the Moon will take you to the light.

Om dyucaraya namaha, Salutations to the One who is moving in the heavens.

 

 

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