Deities & devotionNavagraha: the Moon
Chandra
The moon, lord of the mind and the lunar calendar.
Try it at home
On Purnima, look at the full moon for a minute and chant Om Somaya Namah.
Optional, as always. Adapt it to your family, region and health.
The wisdom
Chandra, also called Soma, is the moon as a god, crowning Shiva's hair. Monday (Somavara) is his day, and his phases set the tithis of the Hindu calendar.
The moon's waxing and waning is a monthly reminder that every state passes.
What the evidence says
Evidence: TraditionalThe value rests on lived tradition and reasoning, not on tests.Astrology's claims that the grahas shape people's lives are not supported by research. Worship of the grahas is a matter of faith and tradition. The moon's phases do shape the Hindu calendar of Purnima, Amavasya and Ekadashi.
How we rate evidenceSignificance
What it means to the people who keep it. Faith-based meaning is described as belief, not as proven fact.
Chandra is linked with the mind and emotions. Karva Chauth and Sankashti Chaturthi fasts end at moonrise.