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  Sri Krishna Hari Das August 26, 2009 at 10:28pm

  Eclipses
  If we go 80,000 miles above the region of the Siddhas, Caranas, and Vidyadharas, we come to the level of the planet called Rahu. Some 80,000 miles above Rahu we reach the level of the sun, which is said to lie between Bhurloka and Bhuvarloka in the middle of antariksa (SB 5.20.43, 5.24.1). We note that these measurements account for only part of the distance from Bhu-mandala to the sun, since this is given as 100,000 yojanas (or 800,000 miles) in SB 5.23.9p.
  
  In the Vedic literature it is often mentioned that Rahu causes solar and lunar eclipses by passing in front of the sun or moon. To many people, this seems to blatantly contradict the modern explanation of eclipses, which holds that a solar eclipse is caused by the passage of the moon in front of the sun and a lunar eclipse is caused by the moon's passage through the earth's shadow. However, the actual situation is somewhat more complicated than this simple analysis assumes.
  
  The reason for this is that the Surya-siddhanta presents an explanation of eclipses that agrees with the modern explanation but also brings Rahu into the picture. This work explicitly assumes that eclipses are caused by the passage of the moon in front of the sun or into the earth's shadow. It describes calculations based on this model that make it possible to predict the occurrence of both lunar and solar eclipses and compute the degree to which the disc of the sun or moon will be obscured. At the same time, rules are also given for calculating the position of Rahu and another, similar planet named Ketu. It turns out that either Rahu or Ketu will always be lined up in the direction of any solar or lunar eclipse.
  
  In Chapter 1 we have already described how the astronomical siddhantas define the orbit of Rahu, and a similar definition is given for Ketu.. The positions assigned to Rahu and Ketu correspond to the ascending and descending nodes of the moon-the points where the orbit of the moon (projected onto the celestial sphere) intersects the ecliptic, or the orbit of the sun. These nodal points rotate around the ecliptic from east to west, with a period of about 18.6 years. One of them must always point in the direction of an eclipse, since the moon can pass in front of the sun or into the earth's shadow only if the sun, moon, and earth lie on a straight line. Thus, by placing Rahu and Ketu at the nodal points of the moon, the Surya-siddhanta conforms both with the modern theory of eclipses and the Vedic explanation involving Rahu and Ketu.
  
  One objection that may be raised to the explanation given in the Surya-siddhanta is that it contradicts the Vedic statement that the moon is higher than the sun. However, we have seen that this statement refers to the height of the moon above the plane of Bhu-mandala, and not the distance along the line of sight from the earth globe to the moon.
  
  Another objection one might raise is that the explanation in the Surya-siddhanta seems to be a cheap compromise between the Vedic account of eclipses (which many will regard as mythological) and the modern account (which many will regard as an import into India from the Greeks). It is true that Rahu and Ketu seem to play a rather superfluous role in the eclipse calculations given in the Surya-siddhanta. However, there are reasons for supposing that these planets do not appear in these calculations as a mere decoration.
  
  The principal reason for this is that the positions of Rahu and Ketu play an important role in astrology. This means that astrologers need some system of calculation that will tell them where Rahu and Ketu are at any given time. We have argued in Chapter 1 that astrology has traditionally played an important role in Vedic culture. From this it follows that some methods for calculating the positions of Rahu and Ketu have traditionally been required in Vedic society. Since we have no evidence that any other method of calculating these positions has ever been used, this can be taken as an indirect indication that the method used in the Surya-siddhanta has co-existed with the Vedic sastras for a very long time.
  
  Of course, by this argument we cannot conclude definitely that this particular method of calculation has always been used. But we can at least be sure that the Vedic society, with its emphasis on astrology and the astronomical timing of religious ceremonies, has always needed more than a mere qualitative story to account for eclipses and other astronomical phenomena.
  
  In the West there is also a long tradition ascribing solar and lunar eclipses to the action of some celestial beings of a demonic nature. There these beings have also been associated with the nodes of the moon, and they are known as the head and tail of the dragon. The story of this eclipse-dragon may help give us some indication of how little we really know about history. Figure 16 is a medieval Islamic picture showing an angel severing the head of the eclipse-dragon. (This is reminiscent of the story of the decapitation of Rahu by Lord Visnu.) Figure 17 is a strikingly similar picture showing St. George, the patron saint of England, slaying a dragon. Unless this is a complete coincidence, it would seem that the story of the eclipse-dragon was somehow woven into the iconography of early Christianity without any indication of its significance being preserved. (St. George is said to have been born in Asia Minor in about A.D. 300, but there is apparently no information indicating how he came to be connected with a dragon (BD, p. 539).) Unfortunately, our knowledge of the ancient history of this story is practically nonexistent.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => VCA 4.E. Eclipses
  
  Knowing of this eclipse in advance, O King, many people went to the holy place known as Samanta-pancaka in order to earn pious credit.
  
  PURPORT
  Vedic astronomers of five thousand years ago could predict eclipses of the sun and moon just as well as our modern astronomers can. The knowledge of the ancient astronomers went much further, however, since they understood the karmic influences of such events. Solar and lunar eclipses are generally very inauspicious, with certain rare exceptions. But just as the otherwise inauspicious Ekadasi day becomes beneficial when used for the glorification of Lord Hari, so the time of an eclipse is also advantageous for fasting and worship.
  
  The holy pilgrimage site known as Samanta-pancaka is located at Kuruksetra, the "sacred ground of the Kurus," where the Kuru kings' predecessors performed many Vedic sacrifices. The Kurus were thus advised by learned brahmanas that this would be the best place for them to observe vows during the eclipse. Long before their time, Lord Parasurama had done penance at Kuruksetra to atone for his killings. Samanta-pancaka, the five ponds he dug there, were still present at the end of Dvapara-yuga, as they are even today.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.82.2
  
  In India all the followers of the Vedic scriptures customarily bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. Strict followers of the Vedic religion stand in the water throughout the eclipse and chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. At the time of Lord Caitanya's birth such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => The Appearance of Lord Caitanya
  
  During the solar or lunar eclipse the Shastra enjoins to give in charity cows and other valuable things. Such act of charity during the eclipses by giving away millions of cows or by the act of Kalpa vasa at Prayag during the months of January and February, or by sacrificing a millions other yajnas or by giving away a golden hill -- nobody can compare with the performance of Nama Yajna. That is the verdict of all authoritative scriptures.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => EA 2: Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 3 [Handwritten]
  
  Q: The Bhagavatam says that Rahu causes the eclipses of the sun and moon. How can this be reconciled with modern science?
  
  A: The jyotisa sastras, such as Surya-siddhanta, give the same explanation of solar and lunar eclipses as modern science. These sastras also describe the orbit of Rahu (and Ketu) and point out that eclipses occur only when one of these two planets is aligned with either the sun and the moon or the earth's shadow and the moon (see Section 4.e). Some will maintain that this account was devised centuries ago to reconcile Vedic sastras with Greek astronomy. But this is sheer speculation.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => VCA 8: Questions and Answers
  
  Therefore charity is recommended to be given at a place of pilgrimage and at lunar or solar eclipses or at the end of the month or to a qualified brahmana or a Vaisnava (devotee) or in temples. Such charities should be given without any consideration of return. Charity to the poor is sometimes given out of compassion, but if a poor man is not worth giving charity to, then there is no spiritual advancement. In other words, indiscriminate charity is not recommended in the Vedic literature.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 17.20
  
  It appears from these verses that aside from the sun and moon, there is an invisible planet called Rahu. The movements of Rahu cause both solar and lunar eclipses. We suggest that the modern expeditions attempting to reach the moon are mistakenly going to Rahu.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 5.16.8
  
  For example, on certain occasions, such as a solar eclipse or just after childbirth, one must restrict the intake of food according to ritualistic injunctions. One who is physically weak, however, may eat without being considered impious.
  >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 11.21.11
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  Sri Krishna Hari Das August 26, 2009 at 10:26pm

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