Solar Eclipse - July 2009

Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha! Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha! Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya! Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

SOLAR ECLIPSE - JULY 2009 A total Solar Eclipse is going to take place on 22nd July 2009 which is visible all over India and in some other countries. It is said to be the longest Solar Eclipse of the century. Total of the Solar Eclipse will be visible in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and North Eastern States and some parts of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh while in other parts of the country it will be visible as partial one. In my previous post on Solar Eclipse I had given full details and hence, I am providing now only the information relating to the current Solar Eclipse. •

Date of Eclipse: 22nd July 2009

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Type of Eclipse: Solar Eclipse

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Visibility: Visible across the country (in some places as partial and in some places as total eclipse)

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Time: 05.28 hrs IST

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Duration of eclipse as visible in India: 02 .03 hrs (approx)

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Vedha (inauspicious period): Starts from the time of Sun set on 21.07.2009

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Parva Kala: 02.03 hrs

For exact timings of the Eclipse please check with your local calendars. Food restrictions for those who can afford starts from Sunset time on 21 st till the ending time of Eclipse on 22nd. Pregnant women, children, old people and medically unfit have exemption in food restrictions. As far as possible avoid taking food during eclipse time.

Astrological details of Eclipse Eclipse is occurring in Dakshinayana in the Lunar month of Aashada on the new Moon day (Amavasya). It is called Grasthodaya (eclipse at the time of Sunrise), Kethu Grastha Surya Grahana (Moon's descending node Kethu involved) •

Star Constellation: Pushyami (Star Lord Saturn)

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Zodiac sign: Karkataka Raasi (Cancer) – Sign Lord Moon

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Stars in the zodiac sign: Punarvasu-4, Pushyami, and Aslesha

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Planets in the Eclipse sign: Sun, Moon, Mercury and Kethu

Implications:

Saturn star Lord of Pushyami star is inimical to Sun and is currently is in his inimical sign Leo (Simha Raasi) that will become maraka sthana to the Eclipse sign. Karkataka (Cancer) sign is currently under the last leg of Sade Sath effect (Saturn's 7 ½ yrs sojourn). At the time of eclipse all the planets involved (Sun, Moon, Mercury and Kethu) will be in the star constellation of Pushyami (Saturn). Based on the planetary

positioning at the time of Eclipse adverse effect will be more on people belonging to Pushyami Star and the zodiac sign Cancer (Karkataka). Effect of Solar Eclipse on the other signs would be as follows Kanya, Thula, Vrushabha, Kumbha (Virgo, Taurus, Libra, Aquarius) - Good results are indicated Vrischika, Makara, Meena & Mithuna (Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces, Gemini) – Mixed results Karkataka, Simha, Dhanus, Mesha (Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius, Aries) - Negative results

Suggested Remedies: Those belonging to Karkataka Raasi and Pushyami star in particular should donate one Copper plate (filled with ghee) + Surya Bimba & Naga Bimba (silver) after prayer along with Wheat, Black Thil Seeds, and Horse Gram (1 ¼ kg each quantity) and perform Rudrabhishekam to Lord Shiva before and after the Eclipse. Others (Leo, Sagittarius, and Aries) should donate Wheat, Black Thil Seeds, and Horse Gram as said above. Those belonging to Pushyami star please, avoid looking/getting exposed to the Eclipse. Prayers during Eclipse time: Specific prayers to Lord Ganesha (For Kethu), Lord Sri Rama, Lord Hanuman for (Sun), Sun God, Kethu, and Saturn are required.

Suggested prayers: Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthothram, Sri Venkatesa Vajra Kavacha Sthothram, Sri Vishnu Panjara Sthothram, Sri Nrusimha Kavacham, Aaditya Hridayam, Sri Rama Raksha Sthothram, Vayu Sthuthi, Hanuman Chaleesa, Sri Raghavendra Sthothram. Those who cannot recite these can at least resort to Narayana Astakshari or Shiva Panchakshari or Sri Rama Nama or Sri Raghavendra Astakshari (Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namah). One can choose any one of the above or any other useful Divine prayer based on their individual faith and belief while the list is only indicative and not exhaustive.

What is to be done during the Eclipse time? Any Eclipse time is said to be very sacred and celestial and entire period of Eclipse is called as Parva Kala (most sacred time). Any sacred rituals/rites performed during a parva kala will derive more merits than the one performed during ordinary times. Hence, please don’t waste the Eclipse time with materialistic pursuits and activities. Eclipse is the most opportune time to perform Snana (sacred bath), Prayer, Punascharana of Upadesa Manthra, Pitru Tharpana, and Charity. Chanting of Vedic manthras/sacred Sthothram will ward off the negative energy that gets activated during eclipse andprotects from all negativity.

Sarva Pithru Tarpana should be performed with proper sankalpa during eclipse time (by those who have lost their parents) with black Thil (sesame) seeds.

ANNEXURE For ready reference I am providing the dos and don’ts of Eclipse and also some of the queries answered in this regard. SOLAR ECLIPSE – DOS AND DONTS (in a nut-shell) DOS •

Watch Eclipse with proper protection preferably a reflected image or projection of the Sun

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Take bath at the beginning and end of the Eclipse

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Keep Dharbha on all the stored items like Water, Pickles, Milk, Curd, etc.,

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Do religious rituals like prayer, Tharpana, Dana during Eclipse

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Post pone all auspicious functions on this day DONTS

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Avoid looking at the Sun directly with naked eyes

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Avoid eating /cooking food during eclipse

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Pregnant women avoid getting exposed to Eclipse

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Avoid sleeping during eclipse

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Desist from sensual pleasures on the day of Eclipse

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Don’t take any important decision on this day.

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Avoid performing auspicious ceremonies and do not plan important functions

Queries Answered Q. Why the temples are remain closed in Grahanas. Is there any logic behind that one? A. I have not come across any reasoning behind closing of temples during the eclipse especially solar eclipse. Probably what I presume could be as follows. Eclipse is not an auspicious moment. It is a Vedha/suffering to the celestial body. Just like we do not perform or celebrate any auspicious rituals at home during mourning time, similarly during the time of eclipse also it is our Hindu sampradaya that we do not perform any rituals inside the temple. However, shanti homa/yagna is performed outside the temples. As an exception I find in the temple of Sri Kalahasthi (near Tirupathi) abhishekam and archana are performed to Lord Shiva and Goddess Gnana Prasunamba inside the temple even during the eclipse time. Q. I was wondering about the following points that you have mentioned as "DONTS" avoid eating/cooking food during eclipse, pregnant women avoid getting exposed to

Eclipse, avoid sleeping during eclipse. Have you ever come across any scientific study which supports these claims? Are you aware of any ongoing research on the same? I am really curious about this, because if this is true, and it really causes deformities in the child of the pregnant women getting exposed to the eclipse, we need to inform the rest of the world immediately and warn them of the dangers. Just think of how many deformed babies can be saved across the globe. A. It is believed and said that an eclipse has a definite effect on the digestive system. Even Ayurvedic science accepts this. Basic level of vulnerability is high due to harmful rays getting absorbed that affect the digestive process and thereby food gets contaminated. It is also believed that bacteria are more active during eclipse period that results in water getting contaminated. In this regard I have come across one of the regional language magazine making a reference about a research that was conducted during one of the recent eclipse occasions on the usage of Dharbha (Kusa grass). This I have mentioned in my post on Solar Eclipse. More information and results are yet to come out. This connects to our age old tradition of using Dharbha during eclipse times on all the food items and also water. People also avoid eating or cooking food during eclipse times. Like one cannot or does not feel like eating in the event of mishappening, similarly one should not eat during this hour of universal repositioning. However, exemptions in timings are given to pregnant women, children, old people, and medically-unfit. Regarding pregnant women avoiding getting exposed to eclipse, it is an age old belief among Hindus to follow this myth. I have not come across any research findings in this regard. While medical science is yet to come out with any reality findings, it has proved that getting exposed to solar eclipse is harmful to the eyes and warns people in this regard to take precautions which I believe, is applicable even to the expectant mothers. Probably this could be one of the logical reasons for restricting pregnant women getting exposed to the eclipse to avoid a possible contact to the foetus from the harmful eclipse rays and a possible impact on the eyes of expectant child. More research in this regard is awaited. Similarly lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon day. It is said that during eclipse times there will be lot of imbalances in the emotional status and mental equilibrium. Moon is also called a Mano Karaka who influences the mind. It is believed that people suffer from mood swings during a full moon day which even medical psychologists accept. Emotional element probably could be one of the logical reasons behind restricting pregnant women from getting exposed to Lunar Eclipse. Avoiding sleep during eclipse, while I have not come across any scientific reasoning, it is more I believe from spiritual angle which Hindus strongly believe and follow. All our actions and thoughts come under the purview of subtle basic components viz. sattvik, rajasik, and tamasik or a combination of them. It is believed that during eclipse time lot of rajo-tamo frequencies are transmitted. Entire eclipse period is said to be a parva kala during which time we are supposed to reduce rajo-tamo activities like sleeping, eating

food, attending nature calls, sensual pleasures which will add to the negative energies. Instead utilize the opportunity spiritually to ward off the negative energies that gets activated during eclipse times. In today’s age of science and technology it may be difficult to believe the traditions and myths of eclipse. More than scientific rationale it is the strong faith we have in our Hindu religion and its traditions that keep us away from taking a chance during eclipse times. But down the line at the end of the day every one believe it is better to be safe than feel sorry later while more scientific findings are awaited. Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu Bhargavasarma You may like to read the earlier article on Solar Eclipse at http://www.pdfcoke.com/doc/11034547/Solar-Ecllipse