Moon ( Chandra ):
In the images , he is never portrayed as a complete person . Only his upper body with two hands holding a lotus each , riding a chariot pulled by 10 horses is shown . He is also known as Soma .
The Mantras and meanings : Dadhi Shankha Tusha Raabham Kshiiro Dhaarnava Sambhavam Namaami Shashinam Somam Shambor Mukuta Bhushanam
Meaning : The one who has the hue of curd and icebergs , who rose from Ksheasagar and who adorns the head of Lord Siva . I prostrate to the Moon , the ruling deity of the soma juice . Gemstone is Pearl .
The planets , their representations and favorable days to chant : Moon ( Chandra ) – Mind , queen , mother . — Tuesday
Literature : The origin of Soma is traced back to the Hindu Vedic texts , where is he is the personification of a drink made from a plant with the same name . Scholars state that the plant had an important role in Vedic civilization and thus , the deity was one of the most important gods of the pantheon . In these Vedic texts , Soma is praised as the lord of plants and forests ; the king of rivers and earth ; and the father of the gods . The entire Mandala 9 of the Rigveda is dedicated to Soma , both the plant and the deity . The identification of Soma as a lunar deity in the Vedic texts is a controversial topic among scholars .
In post Vedic texts like the Ramayana , the Mahabharata and the Puranas , Soma is mentioned as a lunar deity and has many epithets including Chandra . According to most of these texts , Chandra , along with his brothers Dattatreya and Durvasa , were the sons of the sage Atri and his wife Anasuya . The Devi Bhagvata Purana states Chandra to be the avatar of the creator god Brahma . Some texts contain varying accounts regarding Chandra ' s birth . According to one text , he is the son of Dharma ; while another mention Prabhakar as his father . Many legends about Chandra are told in the scriptures .
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