ECLIPSE (Grahana) - A Celestial Splendour

Eclipse is a natural phenomenon that we come across regularly at least twice in a year. Occurrence of eclipse is always fascinating and the spectacular event leads to never ending thirst for scientific, spiritual, astrological and sociological research. Whenever there is an eclipse generally we come across certain terminology being used and one will always get perplexed with these jargons. To alleviate confusion an attempt is made through this post bringing together commonly used eclipse related terms and their meaning in a codified manner.  

Eclipse

Eclipses are caused by the powerful alignment of Sun, the Moon and Earth. Best known are the Lunar Eclipse when the Earth blocks the Sun’s light from the Moon and Solar Eclipse when the Moon blocks the Sun’s light from small portion of the Earth. During a Lunar eclipse Moon enters the shadow of the earth and at Solar eclipse Moon enters the Sun’s disc. 

Literally speaking Eclipse is a Latin/Greek word; Eclipsis-Ekleipsis-Ekleipein meaning abandonment, fail to appear, obscuring (covering) of one celestial body (star) by another, a temporary or permanent dimming or cutting off of light, a disgraceful or humiliating end or downfall, to overshadow or surpass, to hide from view, to block passage of all or a part of one celestial body into the shadow of another. Scientifically, it is the disappearance of the whole or a part of the Sun when the Moon comes between it and the Earth or disappearance of the Moon when the Earth’s shadow falls across it.

Grahana

In Sanskrit Eclipse is known as Grahana meaning, held forcibly or to seize or afflicted because of being captured. It also means to absorb or swallow. In general grahana means acceptance.  An eclipse is also known as Uparaaga in Sanskrit. If it is solar eclipse it is known as Suryoparaaga and if it is lunar eclipse it is known as Chandroparaaga.

  

Solar Eclipse (Surya Grahana)

A Solar Eclipse or Surya Grahana can occur only on the day of Amaavaasya (on a new Moon day),when the Moon is in its new phase, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. In a solar eclipse Moon is the eclipsing body, passing between Earth and Sun while casting a travelling shadow across Earth’s lighted surface so that the Sun is wholly or partially obscured (covered). 

Lunar Eclipse (Chandra Grahana)

Lunar eclipse is caused by the entering of the Moon into the earth-shadow. When the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, the shadow of the Earth covers the Moon producing a Lunar Eclipse. The light of the Moon is darkened temporarily. Chandra Grahana or a Lunar eclipse can occur only on a full moon day (Pournami) when the Moon is directly opposite to the Sun.

Types of Eclipses

There are four types of eclipses, total, annular, hybrid and partial. A total eclipse when Sun/Moon is completely obscured. Total eclipse (Sampoorna Grahana) is a rare event though it occurs. An Annular Eclipse when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but size of the Moon is apparently smaller than that of the Sun. A Hybrid eclipse that is intermediate between total and annular eclipse. A partial eclipse, when the Sun and Moon are not exactly in line and the celestial body is only partially obscured.

Grasthodaya

Grastha means possessed, seized, captured, or swallowed and Udaya means rising time. Grasthodaya means, rising of Sun (sunrise) or Moon (Moonrise) when the eclipse is in progress (solar/lunar) as the case may be. Precisely Grahana (eclipse) would have started already before Sunrise/Moonrise and Sparsha is not visible while Moksha alone is visible.

Grasthaastha

Astha means disappear, setting time, vanished. Grasthaastha means an eclipse (solar/lunar) which is in progress at the time of Sunset or Moonset as the case may be. Precisely Grahana (eclipse) would not have ended before Sunset or Moonset. In this case Sparsha is visible while the Moksha is not visible.

Khagraasa means total eclipse (solar/lunar)

Khandagraasa means partial eclipse (solar/lunar)

Eclipse Phases

There will be three phases during an eclipse. They are Sparsha, Madhya and Moksha. Sparsha means to touch. It is the phase when the eclipse begins and obscuring of one celestial body over the other becomes visible. Madhya is the phase when the eclipse is at its peak when the disk is completely covered depending on the totality of the eclipse. Moksha is the phase when the eclipse starts receding and the shadow moves away from the celestial body that marks the end of the eclipse. Visibility of all the three phases generally depends on climatic conditions at the time of eclipse. In case of total eclipse (sampoorna grahana) both Sparsha and Moksha are visible.

Parvakala...

Entire period of eclipse is said to be a parvakala. Hence during this period offering prayer, punascharana of upadesa mantra, Pithru tarpana (thila) and dana (charity) are prescribed and considered to be highly sacred and celestial. It is said that bath at the beginning of eclipse, prayer, punascharana of upadesa mantra, tarpana during the mid time, charity (dana) during the closing time and bath again after the eclipse are very sacred and celestial and will have multiple effect. Chanting of Vedic manthras/sacred Sthothram will ward off the negative energy that gets activated during eclipse and protects from all negativity.

 

Vedha Vichaara...

Eclipse is not an auspicious moment. Vedha means an affliction (pain or grief) to the celestial body Sun/Moon as the case may be. This period of pain or grief to the celestial body is spiritually known as Vedha which is not an auspicious period. It is considered as a mourning period. Just like one cannot or does not feel like eating or drinking in the event of a calamity or mishappening at home, similarly it is prescribed to abstain from eating or drinking during the hour of grief (Vedha) to the celestial body while the universal repositioning is taking place.

 

According to the sacred texts like Dharma Shastras, duration of Vedha during Eclipse is based on the concept of Prahara or Yaama which indicates the time element. A Prahara is a unit of time equivalent to 1/8^th of a day and similarly a Yaama is also a unit of time which is equivalent to three hours.

Inauspicious period otherwise known as Vedha begins about four Praharas/Yaamaas before solar eclipse and three praharas/Yaamaas before lunar eclipse. That means Vedha begins 12 hours (30 ghatis) before the commencement of a solar eclipse and 9 hours (22½ ghatis) before a lunar eclipse begins in general. 

In case it is Lunar eclipse and Grasthodaya (eclipse already in progress at the time of Moonrise) Vedha will be for four Praharaas/Yaamaas. That means it begins 12 hours before the commencement of lunar eclipse.

 

Dharbha (Kusa Grass)

We find in Hindu philosophy people use Dharbha (Kusa Grass) during eclipse time for protection of water and food items from getting contaminated. Dharbha Grass is identified with Lord Vishnu and is believed to possess the power to purify anything. It is an age old tradition in Hindu families to cover the food items with Dharbha during eclipse to protect them from harmful ultra violet radiation.

Eclipse (Grahana) from a Hindu perspective... 

(Significance of Rahu/Kethu during Eclipse)

Pouranic reference to eclipse can be found in Srimad Bhagavatha; Mahabharatha and other Vishnu related puranas. According to Hindu philosophy it is believed that eclipses are caused by Rahu and Kethu. In Bhagavatha purana a sizeable reference as to why Rahu and Kethu are responsible for solar and lunar eclipses is made in the context of churning of the sea, origin of the pot of Amruta, and Lord Maha Vishnu taking the form of a Mohini (Mohini Avathara) to help the devathas. In Navagraha Sthothram composed by sage Sri Vedavyasa description of Rahu is well suited to the reference of an eclipse.

Ardha Kaayam Mahaa Veeram

Chandraaditya Vimardhanam

Simhikagarbha-sambhootham

Tham Raahum Pranamaamyaham

Astronomically Rahu and Kethu denote two points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and Moon as they move on the celestial sphere responsible for creating shadow effect on Sun and Moon during eclipse.  They are called north and south lunar nodes (ascending and descending nodes).  The fact that eclipses occur when Sun and Moon are at one of these points gives rise to an impression of swallowing of the Sun/Moon. An eclipse (solar/lunar) could be Rahugrastha where ascending node Rahu is involved or could be Kethugrastha where the descending node Kethu is involved. 

Related Posts you may like to read....

http://bhargavasarma.blogspot.com/2014/10/eclipse-customs-traditions.html

http://bhargavasarma.blogspot.com/search/label/Eclipse

Understanding Rahu-Kethu (The Mysterious Nodes)

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu