Om bhuvanapratipalakaya namaha: Salutations to the One who is protecting mankind and the earth.
Glossary
bhuvana: San. m., n. the world, a world, the universe; the cosmic sphere, level of existence; a living creature, man, mankind.
bhuvanadhara: (bhuvana+adhara) San. m. the support, foundation of the world
bhuvanavana: (bhuvana+avana) San. n. the protection and preservation of the world; taking satisfaction or pleasure in the world.
pala: San. m. (from pal – to guard) a protector, guardian; herdsman, keeper.
pala: Hin. m. protection; maintenance.
palaka: San. adj. protecting, supporting, rearing, fostering; cherishing m. a protector, guardian; keeper, ruler.
prati: toward SB 1.19.7,
prati: to SB 3.1.5, Madhya 6.210
prati: each and every SB 3.1.23, Madhya 17.204
prati: in regard to SB 7.1.32
For many animals, particularly birds, the Moon is essential to migration and navigation. Other will time their reproduction to coincide with the specific phases of the lunar cycle.’ Tides are caused by the gravitational tug from the Moon and Sun. The biggest tide in the world is in the Bay of Fundy in Canada. The difference between low and high tide there can be as much as 16.3 metres. Coral and certain species of crabs, worms and fish can sense the moonlight from particular phases of the Moon. They use this as a trigger to start species-wide reproduction.
The Moon creates tides
The moon has its own gravitational force that acts upon Earth as it orbits. As Earth spins on its own axis, gravity and centrifugal force keeps ocean waters at equal levels. However, the moon’s gravitational force is strong enough to disrupt this balance, causing water to accelerate towards the moon and “bulge.”
This bulge moves as the moon orbits and Earth rotates, causing “high tide” in places experiencing the bulge. Without the moon, our oceans would still bulge (due to the gravitational pull of the sun), but bulges would be much smaller compared to those created by the moon.
The Moon lengthens days
We know that due to tidal friction caused by the moon, Earth’s rotation slows down (very slightly) over time. As it slows, our days get longer (because Earth is spinning more slowly, we experience longer periods of light from the sun).
When we extrapolate this backwards, we see that our 24-hour day today is a product of a slowing rotation over time (it used to spin much faster!). Without the Moon to slow the rotation, the day would be only 6 – 8 hours long!
The Moon illuminates nights
The Sun’s brightness causes our daylight, and at only 1/400,000th of the Sun’s brightness, the Moon’s brightness doesn’t really compare. However, the next brightest object in the sky, Venus, is only 1/14,000th as bright as the full Moon!
This suggests that without it, our experience at nighttime would be a very different one (much, much darker) and our night vision would never have evolved to what it is today.
The Moon has love and friendliness for all. Such a benefic Moon is found in the charts of doctors, healers or psychologists, as well as good mothers and wives. It gives the ability to focus our attention on the needs of of others.
As protector of Mankind and the Earth, the Moon has several influences on the Earth as show above. The Earth is Devi, Mother Goddess and is also a protector of Mankind. Yet, the Mother Goddess will follow dharma and always take steps to uphold and preserve right order on the Earth.
Have you heard the story of the rabbit that had borrowed from Mother Earth four pennies? She thought that if she moved into a new region she would be free from the obligation. So one day she ran as fast as her legs could carry her and went far far away from the place where the amount was originally received. At last, she sat down in great relief and said to herself, “Now no one will ask me to repay”. What was her surprise when from the ground underneath she heard a voice, “Mother Earth is right under your feet, here. You cannot escape from me, however far you run!” 11-2-1964
Om bhuvanapratipalakaya namaha: Salutations to the One who is protecting mankind and the earth.
Download 108 Names of Chandra, The Moon
