This sacred narrative is revered as holy, purifying, and life-giving, capable of destroying all sins. In ancient times on Malaya, the recounting of the sacred rites and offerings at the holy places was not revealed. Whoever hears or recites this tale, even once, is blessed with prosperity and fortune. It is especially spoken during ancestral rites by those dwelling at holy places, for the removal of all sins and the utter destruction of misfortune. This account is pure, a treasure of fame, and the destroyer of even the greatest sins; Brahma, the Sun, and Rudra themselves honor it, and the wise declare it the glory of the ancestral rites. A question arose: How did Soma become lord of the ancestors, and which kings of his lineage became renowned? Long ago, at the dawn of creation, Atri was instructed by Brahma and undertook the supreme austerity called Anuttama, for the purpose of creation. This austerity brought joy to Brahma and destroyed the suffering of the world, embodying the inner, transcendent essence of Brahma, Vishnu, the Sun, and Rudra. It brought peace, established in the tranquil mind and inner vision, and by its greatness and austerity, bestowed supreme bliss upon the sages. The Lord of Uma, together with Uma herself, presided over this austerity. From a portion of himself, Soma was born as their child. From the Lord’s eyes flowed a radiance born of water, which illuminated the entire world, both moving and unmoving, with its moonlight. Desiring a son, the directions took up that radiance in the form of women; it became an embryo in their wombs and remained there for three hundred years. Unable to bear the embryo, the directions released it, and Brahma took up that embryo, united it, and fashioned it into a young man—a warrior bearing all weapons. Brahma placed him on a chariot with a thousand horses, endowed him with the power of the Vedas, and led him to his own world. There, the Brahmarshis declared, “Let this one be our lord.” The sages, gods, Gandharvas, and herbs all praised him. The deities of Soma, Brahma, and others extolled him with collections of hymns. As he was being praised, a greater radiance arose from him, and from that brilliance, a host of divine herbs appeared on earth. Thus, his radiance is always greater at night; Soma became lord of the herbs and is also called lord of the twice-born. The essence of the Vedas and the radiance that is the lunar orb wax and wane always, during the bright and dark fortnights. Daksha, the son of Prachetas, gave twenty-seven daughters to Soma, each endowed with beauty, charm, and splendid radiance. Soma, wholly devoted to meditation on Vishnu, performed austerities equal to ten thousand times a thousand lotuses. Pleased, the blessed Narayana Hari spoke to him, “Choose a boon,” said Janardana, the Supreme Self. Soma chose these boons: to conquer Indra’s world, to have the enjoyers in his abode manifest before him, and at his Rajasuya sacrifice, to have the hosts of gods, Brahma and others, as his priests, with Shiva, the trident-bearer, as protector. Granted these wishes, Soma performed the Rajasuya sacrifice with Vishnu. Atri was the Hotṛ priest, Bhrigu the Adhvaryu, and the Four-faced One the Udgātṛ. Soma attained the status of Brahma; Hari himself was the overseer, and Sanaka and others were remembered as participants in the Rajasuya rite. The ten Vishvedevas served as Camas and Adhvaryu priests, and the three worlds were given as sacrificial fees to the officiating priests. At the conclusion of the ablution, nine goddesses, inflamed by the arrows of desire and wishing to behold Soma’s form, attended upon him. Lakshmi abandoned Narayana, Sinivali left Kardama, Dyuti left Vibhavasu, Tushti left the imperishable Dhata. Prabha left Prabhakara, Kuhū left Havishmat, Kirti left Jayanta, Vasu left Marichi Kashyapa, and Dhriti abandoned Pita and Nandi to devote herself to Soma. Soma, in turn, desired them as his own. Though their husbands had been wronged, they were unable to retaliate against the offense, neither with curses nor with weapons. Soma continued to rule, fostering the ten directions. Through austerity, he attained rare sovereignty sanctified by sages and became the sole lord of the seven worlds. Once, as he wandered in a garden, Soma saw Tara, adorned with many flowers. Her limbs were weakened by the weight of her broad hips and breasts, so delicate that even the breaking of a flower wearied her. Tara, the wife of Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, had enchanting eyes and was struck by the arrows of love. Smitten with passion, Soma seized Tara by the hair in a secluded place. Overcome by love, Tara delighted in his company; her mind captivated by his beauty and radiance, she spent a long time with him, and Soma took Tara to his own house. Even in his own house, Soma was not satisfied, attached to Tara and the pleasures she brought. Brihaspati, consumed by the fire of separation, became absorbed solely in meditation upon her. He was unable to curse Soma, nor could he remove the transgression by any means—mantras, weapons, fire, poison, or even spells of sorcery. Stricken with distress and burning with passion for his wife, Brihaspati begged Soma to return Tara. But Soma, bound by the bonds of pleasure, did not give her back. When the great Lord, the Four-faced One, the Sādhyas, the Maruts, and the guardians of the worlds all together requested Soma to return Tara, he still refused. At this, Shiva became exceedingly angry. The one famed on earth as Vāmadeva, whose lotus feet are worshipped by countless Rudras—the mountain-dweller, the wielder of the bow—together with his disciples, was restrained by affection for Brihaspati. Thus unfolds the story of Soma, his birth, his rise to sovereignty, and the passions and conflicts that arose in his reign, all honored and remembered in the sacred rites and offerings at holy places.