Why does Lord Shiva have a moon on his head

Popular Belief

In mythological tales, it's widely known that Lord Shiva holds a special regard for offerings like Belpatra, Bhang Dhatura, and Dudh Abhishek, among others. Each of these items carries its own narrative intertwined with the Lord. Additionally, it's noteworthy that every depiction of Bholenath showcases a crescent moon adorning his crown, with a legend behind this association, according to mythology.

A well-known story recounts the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean between the devatas and rakshasas. This event yielded a deadly poison known as Halahal. In a selfless act to safeguard the world from its pernicious effects, Lord Shiva ingested the poison. Its accumulation in his throat turned it blue, earning him the epithet Neelkanth.

According to legend, the poison caused Lord Shiva to develop a fever. To alleviate his condition, deities like Chandra suggested placing the moon atop his head to regulate his body temperature, given the moon's inherently cooling nature. Eventually, at the behest of all, Lord Shiva adorned the moon on his crown.

Another story goes as

In ancient times, Prajapati Daksha had 62 daughters, of whom he married 27 to the Moon deity, Chandra. However, Chandra favored only one wife, Rohini, neglecting the other 26. Hurt by this neglect, the 26 wives complained to their father, Daksha.

Enraged by the unfair treatment of his daughters, Daksha cursed Chandra, causing him to gradually lose his brightness. Distressed, Chandra sought the sage Narada’s advice. Narada suggested that Chandra first secure a promise of protection from Lord Shiva before revealing the curse.

Following Narada’s advice, Chandra approached Shiva and implored for protection without disclosing the curse. Shiva, moved by Chandra’s plea, agreed to protect him. Only then did Chandra explain the situation.

When Daksha learned of this, he confronted Shiva, reminding him of his vow not to interfere in Daksha’s affairs. Shiva argued that the world needed the moon’s light and requested Daksha to lift the curse. The heated exchange between Shiva and Daksha was interrupted by Lord Vishnu, who proposed a solution.

Vishnu suggested that the moon’s cycle be divided into two halves: one part, protected by Shiva, would remain bright, while the other part, affected by Daksha’s curse, would wane. This compromise would result in the moon’s phases: the waxing and waning cycle that we observe as new moon and full moon, known respectively as Amavasya and Purnima, forming the Krishna Paksha and Shukla Paksha.

Shiva and Daksha agreed to Lord Vishnu's proposal. Consequently, Shiva gave a permanent place to one half of the moon (the crescent moon) in his hair, earning him the name Chandrashekhara.