Puranic Stories · Shiva Purana
Chandra's curse for his arrogant laughter was severe, but as is characteristic of Shree Ganesh's justice throughout his stories, it was tempered by mercy once genuine remorse was shown, and it is this resolution that gave rise to the moon's waxing and waning phases still observed today.
A Curse Softened by Sincere Regret
Recognizing the depth of his fault and pleading for forgiveness, Chandra received not the removal of his curse but its moderation: rather than losing his light forever, he was condemned to wax and wane in a repeating cycle, diminishing and returning again and again rather than vanishing entirely.
A Custom That Endures
Alongside this cycle, tradition holds that anyone who looks upon the moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi risks facing false accusation, a lasting echo of Chandra's own original offense, and one many devotees still take care to avoid each year.
What This Resolution Reveals
The moon's continuing cycle of waxing and waning stands as a permanent, visible reminder of this story: proof that consequences, even lasting ones, can still carry within them the mercy of a curse tempered rather than left absolute.