Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.14.3
Visarga· Brahmā's creationUnderstand Soma’s Birth in Its Context
“From Atri’s tears of jubilation was born a son named Soma, the moon, who was full of soothing rays. Lord Brahmā appointed him the director of the brāhmaṇas, drugs and luminaries.”
What the purport teaches
- Soma was born from Atri’s tears of jubilation and was full of soothing rays. Lord Brahmā appointed him director of the brāhmaṇas, drugs and luminaries.
- The Vedic description says that the moon-god was born from the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The account of his birth from Atri’s tears is not contradictory, because it concerns another millennium.
- Tears arising from jubilation are soothing, explaining why Soma is described as full of soothing rays. The purport also explains that Anasūyā was impregnated by Atri’s tears.
Try this today
Write one sentence explaining why the two accounts of Soma’s birth do not contradict each other.
Ask yourself
How does the explanation about different millenniums help me approach an apparent contradiction?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.