Originally posted by: mnx12
http://devdutt.com/the-waxing-of-the-waning-employee/Chandra, the moon-god, disobeyed his father-in-law, Daksha Prajapati. Daksha had given him 27 wives and told him that he should love all wives equally. Chandra, however, preferred only one of them. An angry Daksha, therefore cursed Chandra, that he would suffer from the wasting disease. Each day, his luster would wane and eventually he would disappear forever. As a result, the moon started to wane. A terrified Chandra did not know what to do. Being a Deva, a sky-god, he turned to his king, Indra, and begged him for help. "The only person you can turn to is Shiva," said Indra, "because he is not a Deva. He is a Maha-Deva, greater than all gods put together."
Chandra went to Shiva but Shiva was a silent god, with eyes shut, deep in meditation. Chandra sat before him, trembling, afraid, desperate for help. Shiva opened his eyes, looked at the miserable moon-god. Without speaking a word, Shiva picked Chandra up and gently placed him on his forehead. Instantly, the moon began to wax once again. Daksha had caused Chandra to degenerate; Shiva had helped him regenerate. Chandra realized why Indra had addressed Shiva as Maha-deva; he was not just god (spelt without capitals). He was God (spelt in capitals). Chandra established the festival of Shiva-ratri each month, at the tail end of the waning half of the lunar month. And once a year, he established the Maha-Shiva-ratri, to mark the end of the winter months and the waxing of the summer seasons.
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