Shloka 112
Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies
सोमस्य भगवान् वर्चा वर्चस्वी येन जायते
somasya bhagavān varcā varcasvī yena jāyate
Soma, the Moon, bears a divine radiance; by that sacred splendour he becomes resplendent, a very source of luminous vitality.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Continuation of the listing of progeny and qualities of cosmic beings/deities.
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: revealing
Concept: Luminous efficacy (varcas) is treated as a divine potency that makes Soma shine and sustain vitality.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate sattva through disciplined living so that one’s ‘varcas’—clarity and steadiness—naturally increases.
Vishishtadvaita: Divine qualities/potencies are real and participate in the ordered cosmos, resonating with a world that is meaningful as the Lord’s body (śarīra).
Key Kings: Soma, Varcā
Bhakti Type: shanta
FAQs
This verse treats the Moon’s splendour as a divine endowment that makes Soma “radiant,” indicating that cosmic brilliance is a bestowed power within universal order, not a random physical accident.
Parāśara describes the luminaries through their operative qualities—such as radiance and vitality—showing how the universe is upheld by specific powers assigned to the Sun and Moon within a governed cosmology.
Even when Vishnu is not named in the line, the Purana’s framework implies that the Moon’s splendour is ultimately dependent on the Supreme Lord’s sovereignty—celestial “divinity” functions as delegated power under Vishnu’s cosmic rule.