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ANTIQUITY
The
story begins with the solemnization of marriage of Soma with 27
lovely daughters of Daksha Prajapati. Rohini the buxom beauty of the
charming bevy held greater hold on Soma. Smitten by savati matsara,
the sorrowing 26 complained to the father about their miserable lot.
Daksha in the capacity of father-in-law chastised him. Soma assured
equal attention to all and would give no occasion for future
discontentment, but only to break it the next moment. Thereupon,
Daksha cursed him to lose his luster and be like a block of dull
black stone. Though Soma lost his lusture, it did not diminish
infatuation for Rohini. This was too much for Daksha; upset by this,
he bade the deadly Rajyakshma disease enter his body and reduce his
vigor and vitality. It worked. Caught in its grip, he grew thinner
and paler day by day; and it had disastrous affect on vegetation. It
started withering, bringing in its wake slow death to plants, birds,
beasts and people. Finding the calamity, the compassionate Rishis
prayed to Daksha for immediate solution. Soma too implored for
forgiveness, but he regretted saying that he was incapable of
undoing the done. He then advised Soma to worship Maheswar at a
spot, where the river Saraswati meets the sea.
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