Moon – The Mind and Prana
Represents: Manas (mind), emotions, and prana
(life-breath).
Physical sense: Bodily fluids, rhythmic cycles, and
psychological regulation.
Operational role: Governs perception, emotional
balance, and adaptability.
Medical link: Sleep, hydration, hormonal rhythms, and
mental health.
Sun – Bones and
Soul
Represents: Ātman (soul), ego, and inner vitality.
Physical sense: Skeletal system, bone strength, and
vitality of the heart.
Operational role: The central authority—providing
direction, willpower, and identity.
Medical link: Bone density, vitality, and disorders
linked to heat or the cardiovascular system.
Comparative Table
|
Factor |
Ascendant (Lagna) |
Moon (Chandra) |
Sun (Surya) |
|
Domain |
Physical body |
Mind & Prana |
Soul & Bones |
|
Focus |
Form & health |
Emotion & breath |
Identity & vitality |
|
Medical |
General health |
Fluids, sleep, hormones |
Bones, heart, vitality |
|
Symbolic |
Vehicle |
Mirror |
Source |
The Ascendant is the body’s doorway, the Moon its breath
and mind, and the Sun its eternal flame.
Philosophically, the story of Tara’s seduction by Chandra
(Moon) while she was the wife of Brihaspati (Jupiter, the Guru of the Devas) symbolizes
the eternal tension between wisdom and desire, discipline and beauty, restraint
and attraction. It teaches that even divine beings are not immune to the pull
of passion, and that cosmic order itself is shaped by the interplay of
knowledge, temptation, and consequence.
The Myth in Brief
Tara was the wife of Brihaspati, the Guru of the gods
(symbol of wisdom, discipline, and dharma).
- Chandra,
the Moon god, captivated by her beauty, seduced her. Tara reciprocated,
feeling neglected by her husband.
- Their
union produced Budha (Mercury), who later became a planetary deity
and progenitor of the lunar dynasty.
1. Moon vs. Jupiter – Desire vs. Wisdom
Jupiter (Brihaspati) represents spiritual wisdom,
restraint, and dharmic order.
Moon (Chandra)
represents beauty, charm, emotional pull, and desire.
The conflict shows
how even wisdom can be challenged by the allure of desire, and how unchecked
attraction can destabilize order.
2. Tara – The Human Condition
Tara symbolizes the mind and heart caught between duty
and passion.
Her choice reflects the vulnerability of human nature: even
when bound to wisdom, the heart may be swayed by beauty and emotional
fulfillment.
3. Birth of Mercury (Budha)
Mercury, born of this union, represents intellect,
communication, and analytical ability.
Philosophically, Mercury is the reconciliation of wisdom
(Jupiter) and desire (Moon)—a child of conflict who becomes the planet of
reason.
This suggests that intellect arises from the tension
between discipline and emotion.
4. Cosmic Lesson
The story warns that no force—wisdom, beauty, or
desire—is absolute. Each must be balanced.
It also shows that transgression leads to new creation:
Budha’s birth is both a scandal and a gift, symbolizing how disorder can give
rise to new order.
The seduction of Tara by the Moon is not merely a tale of
passion—it is the cosmic reminder that intellect (Mercury) is born when wisdom and
desire collide, and that even gods must wrestle with the frailty of choice.
