Dewi Ratih, also known as ''Sang Hyang Ratih'' or ''Sang Hyang Semara Ratih'', is a Hindu lunar goddess worshipped in Java and Bali. She is well known for her beauty and grace, thus she was also known as the Goddess of Beauty. Her myth is linked to
lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. Such alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six months, during the full moon phase, when the Moon's orbital plane is closest to the plane of the Earth ...
s.
Lunar eclipses
Due to Dewi Ratih rejecting him, Kala Rau the giant planned to attack
Vishnuloka. When Kala Rau reached heaven on the form of Kuwera, a leading
rakshasa
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma whe ...
who served the Gods, Ratih warned
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
that Kuwera was actually Kala Rau. Vishnu beheaded Kala Rau without knowing he had consumed the ''
tirta amerta'', a drink of gods that could make him immortal.
Because only his throat touched the ''tirta amerta'', Kala Rau survived with his floating head. When the Moon came, Kala Rau would chase the goddess, and swallow Dewi Ratih in whole. But because he does not have his body, Dewi Ratih would soon emerge from his neck. In Bali and Java, this story is believed to be the origin of lunar eclipses.
[Made Taro. ''Cerita Rakyat Dari Bali 3 (Indonesian).'' 13-16.]
Ceremony
In Bali, a ceremony is held every ''
purnama
Pūrṇimā () is the word for full moon in Sanskrit. The day of Purnima is the day (''Tithi'') in each month when the full moon occurs, and marks the division in each month between the two lunar fortnights ( paksha), and the Moon is aligned exact ...
'', or full moon, to celebrate the beauty of the Moon. This ceremony also honours
Chandra
Chandra ( sa, चन्द्र, Candra, shining' or 'moon), also known as Soma ( sa, सोम), is the Hindu god of the Moon, and is associated with the night, plants and vegetation. He is one of the Navagraha (nine planets of Hinduism) and ...
, another lunar god.
See also
*
List of lunar deities
A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of lunar deities:
African
American Aztec mythology
* ...
*
Ratri
Ratri () also referred to as Nisha, is a Vedic goddess in Hinduism. She is the personification of the night. The majority of references to Ratri are found in Rigveda and she is described as the sister of Ushas, the personification of dawn. Tog ...
References
Hindu goddesses
Balinese mythology
Lunar eclipses
Regional Hindu goddesses
Javanese mythology
Lunar goddesses
Indonesian goddesses
Beauty goddesses
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