Chandra (Candra) is the Hindu deity of the Moon, closely associated with Soma, the mysterious divine nectar celebrated throughout the Vedas. As the Moon, Chandra governs cycles, fertility, vegetation, emotion, memory, and life’s subtle rhythms. His waxing and waning make him a natural symbol of change, renewal, and the mind’s fluctuating nature.
Purāṇic tradition describes Chandra as the husband of the twenty-seven daughters of Dakṣa, who personify the nakṣatras, or lunar constellations through which the Moon travels. His special affection for Rohiṇī leads to one of the traditional explanations for the Moon’s periodic decline and recovery.
In Hindu astrology, Chandra is one of the Navagrahas and is especially connected with the mind, emotional disposition, receptivity, and maternal qualities. Whereas Surya signifies the radiant self and authority, Chandra represents reflected light—the inner world of feeling, imagination, memory, and perception.
