The Lunar Dynasty
Chandra or Soma was th son of the sage Atri. Atri was a very powerful sage. He was always busy meditating. For three thousand years he performed tapasya, with his arms raised up into the air. He stood there, immobile like a tree-trunk. As a result of this wonderful tapasya, energy issued out of his body. The goddesses who preside over the ten directions assimilated this energy and produced Chandra. It was in this sense that Chandra was the sage Atri‘s son.
Brahma gave Chandra a divine chariot to ride on. This chariot was drawn by one thousand white horses. Chandra ascended the chariot and rode around the earth twenty-one times. While he was doing so, some energy from his body fell down on the earth. This was the origin of the herbs. Brahma appointed Chandra ruler over herbs, seeds, brahmanas and the water.
Chandra performed a royal sacrifice (rajasuya yajna). The success of this ceremony however served to turn Chandra‘s head. The preceptor of the gods was Brihaspati and Brihaspati‘s wife was named Tara. Although Chandra had already been married to twenty-seven of Daksha‘s daughters, he abducted Tara. The gods and the sages requested Chandra to return Tara, but he would not listen. A terrible fight then raged between the gods and the demons, the gods fighting on Brihaspati‘s side and the demons on Chandra‘s. After Tara‘s name, this samgrama (war). Finally, Brahma intervened and sorted the matter out. Chandra returned Tara to Brihaspati.
But Chandra and Tara had a son named Budha. You will remember Ila, Vaivasvata Manu‘s daughter. Budha married Ila and their son was called Pururava. Pururava was the originator of the lunar line.
Story of Pururava and Urvashi
Pururava was a good king who performed many yajnas. He ruled the earth well. Urvashi was a beautiful apsara. Pururava met Urvashi and fell in love with her.
―Please marry me,‖ he requested.
―I will,‖ replied Urvashi, ―But there is a condition. I love these two sheep and they will always have to stay by bedside. If I ever lose them, I will remain your wife no longer and will return to heaven. Moreover, I shall live only on clarified butter.‖
Pururava agreed to these rather strange conditions and the two were married. They lived happily for sixty-four years.
But the gandharvas who were in heaven felt despondent. Heaven seemed to be a dismal place in Urvashi‘s absence. They therefore hatched a conspiracy to get her back. On an appropriate occasion, a gandharva named Vishvavasu stole the two sheep. As soon as this happened, Urvashi vanished and returned to heaven.
Pururava pursued Vishvavasu and managed to retrieve the sheep, but by then, Urvashi ahd disappeared. The miserable king searched throughout the world for her. But in vain. Eventually, Pururava came across Urvashi near a pond in Kurukshetra.
―Why have you forsaken me?‖ asked Pururava. ―You are my wife. Come and live with me.‖
―I was your wife,‖ replied Urvashi. ―I no longer am, since the condition was violated. However, I agree to spend a day with you.‖
When one year had passed, Urvashi returned to Pururava and presented him with the son she had borne him. She spent a day with him and vanished again. This happened several times and, in this fashion, Urvashi bore Pururava six sons. They were named Ayu, Amavasu, Vishvayu, Shatayu, Gatayu and Dridayu.
Chandra or Soma was th son of the sage Atri. Atri was a very powerful sage. He was always busy meditating. For three thousand years he performed tapasya, with his arms raised up into the air. He stood there, immobile like a tree-trunk. As a result of this wonderful tapasya, energy issued out of his body. The goddesses who preside over the ten directions assimilated this energy and produced Chandra. It was in this sense that Chandra was the sage Atri‘s son.
Brahma gave Chandra a divine chariot to ride on. This chariot was drawn by one thousand white horses. Chandra ascended the chariot and rode around the earth twenty-one times. While he was doing so, some energy from his body fell down on the earth. This was the origin of the herbs. Brahma appointed Chandra ruler over herbs, seeds, brahmanas and the water.
Chandra performed a royal sacrifice (rajasuya yajna). The success of this ceremony however served to turn Chandra‘s head. The preceptor of the gods was Brihaspati and Brihaspati‘s wife was named Tara. Although Chandra had already been married to twenty-seven of Daksha‘s daughters, he abducted Tara. The gods and the sages requested Chandra to return Tara, but he would not listen. A terrible fight then raged between the gods and the demons, the gods fighting on Brihaspati‘s side and the demons on Chandra‘s. After Tara‘s name, this samgrama (war). Finally, Brahma intervened and sorted the matter out. Chandra returned Tara to Brihaspati.
But Chandra and Tara had a son named Budha. You will remember Ila, Vaivasvata Manu‘s daughter. Budha married Ila and their son was called Pururava. Pururava was the originator of the lunar line.
Story of Pururava and Urvashi
Pururava was a good king who performed many yajnas. He ruled the earth well. Urvashi was a beautiful apsara. Pururava met Urvashi and fell in love with her.
―Please marry me,‖ he requested.
―I will,‖ replied Urvashi, ―But there is a condition. I love these two sheep and they will always have to stay by bedside. If I ever lose them, I will remain your wife no longer and will return to heaven. Moreover, I shall live only on clarified butter.‖
Pururava agreed to these rather strange conditions and the two were married. They lived happily for sixty-four years.
But the gandharvas who were in heaven felt despondent. Heaven seemed to be a dismal place in Urvashi‘s absence. They therefore hatched a conspiracy to get her back. On an appropriate occasion, a gandharva named Vishvavasu stole the two sheep. As soon as this happened, Urvashi vanished and returned to heaven.
Pururava pursued Vishvavasu and managed to retrieve the sheep, but by then, Urvashi ahd disappeared. The miserable king searched throughout the world for her. But in vain. Eventually, Pururava came across Urvashi near a pond in Kurukshetra.
―Why have you forsaken me?‖ asked Pururava. ―You are my wife. Come and live with me.‖
―I was your wife,‖ replied Urvashi. ―I no longer am, since the condition was violated. However, I agree to spend a day with you.‖
When one year had passed, Urvashi returned to Pururava and presented him with the son she had borne him. She spent a day with him and vanished again. This happened several times and, in this fashion, Urvashi bore Pururava six sons. They were named Ayu, Amavasu, Vishvayu, Shatayu, Gatayu and Dridayu.
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