Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind | Chapter 4: The Hamsa-guhya Prayers |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.4.6
rājovāca mahān somo
SYNONYMS
tābhyām — by the wind and fire; nirdahyamānān — being burned; tān — them (the trees); upalabhya — seeing; kurūdvaha — O Mahārāja Parīkshit; rājā — the king of the forest; uvāca — said; mahān — the great; somah — predominating deity of the moon, Somadeva; manyum — the anger; praśamayan — pacifying; iva — like.
TRANSLATION
My dear King Parīkshit, when Soma, the king of the trees and predominating deity of the moon, saw the fire and wind burning all the trees to ashes, he felt great sympathy because he is the maintainer of all herbs and trees. To appease the anger of the Pracetās, Soma spoke as follows.
PURPORT
It is understood from this verse that the predominating deity of the moon is the maintainer of all the trees and plants throughout the universe. It is due to the moonshine that trees and plants grow very luxuriantly. Therefore how can we accept the so-called scientists whose moon expeditions have informed us that there are no trees or vegetation on the moon? Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura says, somo vrikshādhishthātā sa eva vrikshānām rājā: Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the king of all vegetation. How can we believe that the maintainer of vegetation has no vegetation on his own planet?
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness