Why is Chandra Darshan Important?

The term Chandra Darshan refers to sighting of the moon. This takes place once a month when it can be seen for the first time after Amavasya or new moon. Hindus associate a lot of religious significance to this day and the moon is sighted immediately after sunset. The moon can be seen only for a short time of about an hour on this day.

As the name implies, the day is dedicated to Lord Chandra or the Moon God. Hindus render special prayers to the god and observe a fast in His honour. They consider it lucky to see the moon on this day as it is said that doing so helps them to be bestowed with happiness and prosperity.

Chandra Darshan Rituals

Devotees make it a point to wake up in the early morning hours on the day of Chandra Darshan and take a bath. They offer their sincere prayers to the deity and undertake a fast for the whole day without eating or drinking anything. The fast is broken only in the evening after sighting the moon and offering Him arghya as prasad. Women undertake a fast with the belief that the lord will help them get relief from problems in their marital lives. It is also said that the god will bless their life partners with a healthy and long life.

Donating alms to brahmins and the needy is yet another important ritual observed by worshippers on Chandra Darshan. The alms can be in the form of goods and eatables. Some common choices of offerings on this day are rice, clothes and sugar.

There is a belief that if the rituals with a devout mind on each Chandra Darshan day, the Moon God will bestow His devotees with good fortune in their lives.

Importance of Chandra Worship

Chandra Dev is represented as one of the most esteemed deities in Hindu mythology. He is also considered as the important graha among the Navagrahas and has a profound impact in the life of an individual. The Moon God is related to wisdom, good intentions and purity. The deity is associated with silver metal and pearl gemstone. Monday is the day deity dedicated to the lord and white is believed to be His favourite colour.

A person with the Moon favourably positioned in his/her horoscope will lead a prosperous and successful life. This is generally the fourth position. If the moon is wrongly placed in one’s horoscope, it is recommended that he/she performs the Grah Shanti Chandra pooja to overcome the malefic or ill-effects of the positioning of the Moon.

In Hindu mythology, the moon is believed to have a great influence on earth. In other words, Moon God is represented as the nurturer of plant and animal life on earth. Hindu legends also make references of His wedding to the 27 Hindu nakshatras. He is also addressed as the father of the planet Mercury.

Hindus pay their obeisance to their forefathers and perform a pitra pooja on Chandra Darshan day to seek their blessings for a happy and successful life. Devotees who pray wholeheartedly to Chandra Dev and undertake a fast in His honour along with chanting of powerful and sacred mantras on Chandra Darshan are blessed with a purified mind. They get rid of evil intentions and negative thoughts that tend to clout their mind.

Followers of the Moon God engage themselves actively in full moon meditation. This meditation helps to heal troubled minds. Meditating on the banks of River Ganges on Chandra Darshan day helps in increasing the spiritual growth of devotees. The fast undertaken on this day helps in balancing the three key elements of vata, pitta and kapha in the human body. This will, in turn, promote their sound health and cure them of diseases like jaundice, skin and nerve problems, fluid accumulation and mental retardation.

Devotees give great importance to worshipping the Moon God and performing Chandra pooja because the moon is believed to control the five senses of an individual. The five senses are under the control of the mind and the mind is in turn ruled by the Moon.

The devotees must sit facing the north-western direction when worshipping the deity and chanting His mantra. Chandra worship should be started on the bright fortnight from any Monday. One of the most popular mantras recited is the Chandra Gayatri Mantra - Amrit Tatvaay Dheemahi Tanno Chandra Prachodayat. Another popular Chandra mantra is Om Sheetamshu Vibhamshu Amritashu Namah.

Benefits of Chandra Pooja  

 There are various benefits of performing a Chandra Pooja. The benefits are said to increase multifold when it is done on Shivaratri. The pooja assists those who perform it wholeheartedly get relief from psychological problems like depression, anxiety and stress. It also helps an individual develop a cordial relationship and strengthen ties with his/her mother.

The pooja paves way for developing a control over one’s wavering mind and puts an end to his/her illusions and confusions. Individuals are blessed by the Moon God with increased memory power and the ability to focus or concentrate in what he/she plans to do. Doing a Chandra Pooja helps to resolve conflicts encountered in daily life as well as find a solution for debt related issues and regain lost wealth.

Written by - Deepthi K