“It appears from these verses that aside from the sun and moon,
there is an invisible planet called Rāhu. The movements of Rāhu
cause both solar and lunar eclipses“
Solar Eclipses are NOT Caused by the Moon
On solar/ lunar eclipses what people usuly do, including the so called scientists, is look up in the sky and see what is happening there, but they have no idea how the things are actually working. What they do is they make a speculative theory and test the theory with what they observe and if the theory predicts what they observe they accept that theory and gradually they forget it is just a theory and start stating it as a fact.
That solar eclipses are caused by the moon (or shadow) coming in front of the sun is nothing but a speculative theory only. So called scientists do not know this for a fact. They just presume this is what is happening. And in this case their speculative theory does seem to be be a good possible explanation of what is happening.
But they have no actual information. All they can see is something like a dark planet coming in front of the sun, they presume it is the moon or the shadow. But it can not be the moon if it is dark since the moon has light and illumination. If it is the moon it will be like in a spotlight of reflection from the earth, so it will be illuminated and all the features of the moon will be clearly visible at the time of the eclipse.
So you can test it yourself on the 21st. Observe the eclipse, if during totality all the features of the moon are clearly visible then this is compatible with the theory that the moon is coming in front of the sun, however if the sun just goes dark then it can not be the moon coming in front of the sun. So observe yourself, if the moon is dark during the eclipse then you have proved that all the scientists in the world are totally wrong about the cause of solar eclipses. This is the scientific process, test the theory and if it fails reject the theory and find a new theory.
In USA (from my location in the Pacific Northwest of USA) millions of foolish people will gaze thru their “special glasses” at the solar eclipse. In some towns people are driving in from thouands of miles away just to view this “event”. They want to have a party while the sun is eclipsed by Rahu the demon who had his head cut off by Lord Vishnu.
Even with ordinary common sense, if the suns rays, which gives life to the entire solar system is being blocked, one should think-how can this be good?? But because these foolish people are being guided by equally or more ignorant people (the so called scientists) their misfortune only increases. And worse still here in the USA President Trump has his ascendent (rising degree) fall on the solar eclipse date. Here below is what one professional devotee astrologer has to say:
“…Yes, the August 20-21 date coincides with the total solar eclipse that falls exactly on the ascendant (rising degree) of Trump’s chart. Already his entire administration is unraveling, yet the impact of the eclipse will be severe on him and he may have some kind of health crisis, or at least a complete and thorough meltdown of his presidency. This isn’t something that happens very often, and in fact this is the only time it will ever happen in Trump’s life. By the end of the year, he may not be president anymore. It is said that the chart of the President, is a proxy for all the people of the country. So whatever happens to him, will have far-reaching negative outcomes on people in general. I see this happening anytime from Monday the 21st, and up to the following 6 months. ..”
PURPORT–According to the Jyotir-veda,(vedic astrology) the Rāhu planet comes in front of the full moon, and thus a lunar eclipse takes place. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (CC/adi/13/92)
According to Vedic Astronomy, the most ancient and accurate system of astronomy on the planet, solar eclipses are not caused by the Moon coming in front of the Sun as astronomers believe. Rather the Moon is described as being further away than the Sun and what happens at the time of a solar eclipse is the Moon goes behind the Sun and a dark planet called Rahu comes between the Sun and the Earth. Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.
RAHU – KETU
Srila Prabhupada presents the Vedic explanation of eclipses
sattvaika-niṣṭhe manasi / bhagavat-pārśva-vartini
tamaś candramasīvedam / uparajyāvabhāsate
SYNONYMS
sattva-eka-niṣṭhe—in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness; manasi—in a mind; bhagavat—with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pārśva-vartini—being constantly associated; tamaḥ—the dark planet; candramasi—in the moon; iva—like; idam—this cosmic manifestation; uparajya—being connected; avabhāsate—becomes manifest.
TRANSLATION
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means constantly associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in such a mental state that the devotee can observe the cosmic manifestation exactly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead does. Such observation is not always possible, but it becomes manifest exactly like the dark planet known as Rāhu, which is observed in the presence of the full moon.
PURPORT
It has been explained in the previous verse that all desires on the mental platform become visible one after another. Sometimes, however, by the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the whole stockpile can be visible all at one time. In Brahma-saṁhitā (5.54) it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām. When a person is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his stockpile of material desires is minimized. Indeed, the desires no longer fructify in the form of gross bodies. Instead, the stockpile of desires becomes visible on the mental platform by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this connection, the darkness occurring before the full moon, the lunar eclipse, can be explained as being another planet, known as Rāhu.
According to Vedic astronomy, the Rāhu planet, which is not visible, is accepted. Sometimes the Rāhu planet is visible in the presence of full moonlight. It then appears that this Rāhu planet exists somewhere near the orbit of the moon. The failure of modern moon excursionists may be due to the Rāhu planet. In other words, those who are supposed to be going to the moon may actually be going to this invisible planet Rāhu. Actually, they are not going to the moon but to the planet Rāhu, and after reaching this planet, they come back. Apart from this discussion, the point is that a living entity has immense and unlimited desires for material enjoyment, and he has to transmigrate from one gross body to another until these desires are exhausted.
No living entity is free from the cycle of birth and death unless he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore in this verse it is clearly stated (sattvaika-niṣṭhe) that when one is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in one stroke he is freed of past and future mental desires. Then, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, everything becomes simultaneously manifest within the mind. In this regard, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura cites the example of mother Yaśodā’s seeing the whole cosmic manifestation within the mouth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, mother Yaśodā saw all the universes and planets within the mouth of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can see all his dormant desires at one time and finish all his future transmigrations. This facility is especially given to the devotee to make his path clear for returning home, back to Godhead.
Why we see things not experienced in this life is explained herein. That which we see is the future expression of a gross body or is already stocked in our mental stockpile. Because a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not have to accept a future gross body, his recorded desires are fulfilled in a dream. We therefore sometimes find things in a dream never experienced in our present life. (SB/4/29/69)
uttarottareṇelāvṛtaṁ nīlaḥ śvetaḥ śṛṅgavān iti trayo ramyaka-hiraṇmaya-kurūṇāṁ varṣāṇāṁ maryādā-girayaḥ prāg-āyatā ubhayataḥ kṣārodāvadhayo dvi-sahasra-pṛthava ekaikaśaḥ pūrvasmāt pūrvasmād uttara uttaro daśāṁśādhikāṁśena dairghya eva hrasanti.
SYNONYMS
uttara-uttareṇa ilāvṛtam—further and further north of Ilāvṛta-varṣa; nīlaḥ—Nīla; śvetaḥ—Śveta; śṛṅgavān—Śṛṅgavān; iti—thus; trayaḥ—three mountains; ramyaka—Ramyaka; hiraṇmaya—Hiraṇmaya; kurūṇām—of the Kuru division; varṣāṇām—of the varṣas; maryādā-girayaḥ—the mountains marking the borders; prāk-āyatāḥ—extended on the eastern side; ubhayataḥ—to the east and the west; kṣāroda—the ocean of salt water; avadhayaḥ—extending to; dvi-sahasra-pṛthavaḥ—which are two thousand yojanas wide; eka-ekaśaḥ—one after another; pūrvasmāt—than the former; pūrvasmāt—than the former; uttaraḥ—further north; uttaraḥ—further north; daśa-aṁśa-adhika-aṁśena—by one tenth of the former; dairghyaḥ—in length; eva—indeed; hrasanti—become shorter.
TRANSLATION
Just north of Ilāvṛta-varṣa—and going further northward, one after another—are three mountains named Nīla, Śveta and Śṛṅgavān. These mark the borders of the three varṣas named Ramyaka, Hiraṇmaya and Kuru and separate them from one another. The width of these mountains is 2,000 yojanas [16,000 miles]. Lengthwise, they extend east and west to the beaches of the ocean of salt water. Going from south to north, the length of each mountain is one tenth that of the previous mountain, but the height of them all is the same.
PURPORT
In this regard, Madhvācārya quotes the following verses from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:
yathā bhāgavate tūktaṁ / bhauvanaṁ kośa-lakṣaṇam
tasyāvirodhato yojyam / anya-granthāntare sthitam
maṇḍode puraṇaṁ caiva /vyatyāsaṁ kṣīra-sāgare
rāhu-soma-ravīṇāṁ ca / maṇḍalād dvi-guṇoktitām
vinaiva sarvam unneyaṁ / yojanābhedato ’tra tu
It appears from these verses that aside from the sun and moon, there is an invisible planet called Rāhu. The movements of Rāhu cause both solar and lunar eclipses. We suggest that the modern expeditions attempting to reach the moon are mistakenly going to Rāhu. (SB 5.16.8)
This chapter describes the planet Rāhu, which is 10,000 yojanas (80,000 miles) below the sun, and it also describes Atala and the other lower planetary systems. Rāhu is situated below the sun and moon. It is between these two planets and the earth. When Rāhu conceals the sun and moon, eclipses occur, either total or partial, depending on whether Rāhu moves in a straight or curving way.
Below Rāhu by another 1,000,000 yojanas are the planets of the Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Vidyādharas, and below these are planets such as Yakṣaloka and Rakṣaloka. Below these planets is the earth, and 70,000 yojanas below the earth are the lower planetary systems—Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talātala, Mahātala, Rasātala and Pātāla. Demons and Rakṣasas live in these lower planetary systems with their wives and children, always engaged in sense gratification and not fearing their next births. The sunshine does not reach these planets, but they are illuminated by jewels fixed upon the hoods of snakes. Because of these shining gems there is practically no darkness. Those living in these planets do not become old or diseased, and they are not afraid of death from any cause but the time factor, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Link to this page)
śrī-śuka uvāca
adhastāt savitur yojanāyute svarbhānur nakṣatravac caratīty eke yo ’sāv amaratvaṁ grahatvaṁ cālabhata bhagavad-anukampayā svayam asurāpasadaḥ saiṁhikeyo hy atad-arhas tasya tāta janma karmāṇi copariṣṭād vakṣyāmaḥ.
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; adhastāt—below; savituḥ—the sun globe; yojana—a measurement equal to eight miles; ayute—ten thousand; svarbhānuḥ—the planet known as Rāhu; nakṣatra-vat—like one of the stars; carati—is rotating; iti—thus; eke—some who are learned in the Purāṇas; yaḥ—which; asau—that; amaratvam—a lifetime like those of the demigods; grahatvam—a position as one of the chief planets; ca—and; alabhata—obtained; bhagavat-anukampayā—by the compassion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; svayam—personally; asura-apasadaḥ—the lowest of the asuras; saiṁhikeyaḥ—being the son of Siṁhikā; hi—indeed; a-tat-arhaḥ—not qualified for that position; tasya—his; tāta—O my dear King; janma—birth; karmāṇi—activities; ca—also; upariṣṭāt—later; vakṣyāmaḥ—I shall explain.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, some historians, the speakers of the Purāṇas, say that 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles] below the sun is the planet known as Rāhu, which moves like one of the stars. The presiding deity of that planet, who is the son of Siṁhikā, is the most abominable of all asuras, but although he is completely unfit to assume the position of a demigod or planetary deity, he has achieved that position by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Later I shall speak further about him. (SB 5.24.1)
yad adas taraṇer maṇḍalaṁ pratapatas tad vistarato yojanāyutam ācakṣate dvādaśa-sahasraṁ somasya trayodaśa-sahasraṁ rāhor yaḥ parvaṇi tad-vyavadhāna-kṛd vairānubandhaḥ sūryā-candramasāv abhidhāvati.
SYNONYMS
yat—which; adaḥ—that; taraṇeḥ—of the sun; maṇḍalam—globe; pratapataḥ—which is always distributing heat; tat—that; vistarataḥ—in terms of width; yojana—a distance of eight miles; ayutam—ten thousand; ācakṣate—they estimate; dvādaśa-sahasram—20,000 yojanas (160,000 miles); somasya—of the moon; trayodaśa—thirty; sahasram—one thousand; rāhoḥ—of the planet Rāhu; yaḥ—which; parvaṇi—on occasion; tat-vyavadhāna-kṛt—who created an obstruction to the sun and moon at the time of the distribution of nectar; vaira-anubandhaḥ—whose intentions are inimical; sūryā—the sun; candramasau—and the moon; abhidhāvati—runs after them on the full-moon night and the dark-moon day.
TRANSLATION
The sun globe, which is a source of heat, extends for 10,000 yojanas [80,000 miles]. The moon extends for 20,000 yojanas [160,000 miles], and Rāhu extends for 30,000 yojanas [240,000 miles]. Formerly, when nectar was being distributed, Rāhu tried to create dissension between the sun and moon by interposing himself between them. Rāhu is inimical toward both the sun and the moon, and therefore he always tries to cover the sunshine and moonshine on the dark-moon day and full-moon night.
PURPORT
As stated herein, the sun extends for 10,000 yojanas, and the moon extends for twice that, or 20,000 yojanas. The word dvādaśa should be understood to mean twice as much as ten, or twenty. In the opinion of Vijayadhvaja, the extent of Rāhu should be twice that of the moon, or text of the Bhāgavatam, Vijayadhvaja cites the following quotation concerning Rāhu; rāhu-soma-ravīṇāṁ tu maṇḍalā dvi-guṇoktitām. This means that Rāhu is twice as large as the moon, which is twice as large as the sun. This is the conclusion of the commentator Vijayadhvaja. (SB 5.24.2)
tan niśamyobhayatrāpi bhagavatā rakṣaṇāya prayuktaṁ sudarśanaṁ nāma bhāgavataṁ dayitam astraṁ tat tejasā durviṣahaṁ muhuḥ parivartamānam abhyavasthito muhūrtam udvijamānaś cakita-hṛdaya ārād eva nivartate tad uparāgam iti vadanti lokāḥ.
SYNONYMS
tat—that situation; niśamya—hearing; ubhayatra—around both the sun and moon; api—indeed; bhagavatā—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rakṣaṇāya—for their protection; prayuktam—engaged; sudarśanam—the wheel of Kṛṣṇa; nāma—named; bhāgavatam—the most confidential devotee; dayitam—the most favorite; astram—weapon; tat—that; tejasā—by its effulgence; durviṣaham—unbearable heat; muhuḥ—repeatedly; parivartamānam—moving around the sun and moon; abhyavasthitaḥ—situated; muhūrtam—for a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes); udvijamānaḥ—whose mind was full of anxieties; cakita—frightened; hṛdayaḥ—the core of whose heart; ārāt—to a distant place; eva—certainly; nivartate—flees; tat—that situation; uparāgam—an eclipse; iti—thus; vadanti—they say; lokāḥ—the people.
TRANSLATION
After hearing from the sun and moon demigods about Rāhu’s attack, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, engages His disc, known as the Sudarśana cakra, to protect them. The Sudarśana cakra is the Lord’s most beloved devotee and is favored by the Lord. The intense heat of its effulgence, meant for killing non-Vaiṣṇavas, is unbearable to Rāhu, and he therefore flees in fear of it. During the time Rāhu disturbs the sun or moon, there occurs what people commonly know as an eclipse.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is always the protector of His devotees, who are also known as demigods. The controlling demigods are most obedient to Lord Viṣṇu, although they also want material sense enjoyment, and that is why they are called demigods, or almost godly. Although Rāhu attempts to attack both the sun and the moon, they are protected by Lord Viṣṇu. Being very afraid of Lord Viṣṇu’s cakra, Rāhu cannot stay in front of the sun or moon for more than a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes). The phenomenon that occurs when Rāhu blocks the light of the sun or moon is called an eclipse. The attempt of the scientists of this earth to go to the moon is as demoniac as Rāhu’s attack. Of course. their attempts will be failures because no one can enter the moon or sun so easily. Like the attack of Rāhu, such attempts will certainly be failures. (SB 5.24.3)
śiro ’harad yasya hariś / cakreṇa pibato ’mṛtam
saṁhrādasya kṛtir bhāryā- / sūta pañcajanaṁ tataḥ
SYNONYMS
śiraḥ—the head; aharat—cut off; yasya—of whom; hariḥ—Hari; cakreṇa—with the disc; pibataḥ—drinking; amṛtam—nectar; saṁhrādasya—of Saṁhlāda; kṛtiḥ—Kṛti; bhāryā—the wife; asūta—gave birth to; pañcajanam—Pañcajana; tataḥ—from him.
TRANSLATION
While Rāhu, in disguise, was drinking nectar among the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead severed his head. The wife of Saṁhlāda was named Kṛti. By union with Saṁhlāda, Kṛti gave birth to a son named Pañcajana. (SB 618.14)
This chapter describes how the demons, being enchanted by the beauty of the Mohinī form, agreed to hand over the container of nectar to Mohinīdevī, who tactfully delivered it to the demigods.
When the demons got possession of the container of nectar, an extraordinarily beautiful young woman appeared before them. All the demons became captivated by the young woman’s beauty and became attached to Her. Now, because the demons were fighting among themselves to possess the nectar, they selected this beautiful woman as a mediator to settle their quarrel. Taking advantage of their weakness in this regard, Mohinī, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, got the demons to promise that whatever decision She might give, they would not refuse to accept it. When the demons made this promise, the beautiful woman, Mohinī-mūrti, had the demigods and demons sit in different lines so that She could distribute the nectar. She knew that the demons were quite unfit to drink the nectar. Therefore, by cheating them She distributed all the nectar to the demigods. When the demons saw this cheating of Mohinī-mūrti, they remained silent. But one demon, named Rāhu, dressed himself like a demigod and sat down in the line of the demigods. He sat beside the sun and the moon. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead understood how Rāhu was cheating, He immediately cut off the demon’s head. Rāhu, however, had already tasted the nectar, and therefore although his head was severed, he remained alive. After the demigods finished drinking the nectar, the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed His own form. Śukadeva Gosvāmī ends this chapter by describing how powerful is the chanting of the holy names, pastimes and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (SB 8.9 Summary)
deva-liṅga-praticchannaḥ / svarbhānur deva-saṁsadi
praviṣṭaḥ somam apibac / candrārkābhyāṁ ca sūcitaḥ
SYNONYMS
deva-liṅga-praticchannaḥ—covering himself with the dress of a demigod; svarbhānuḥ—Rāhu (who attacks and eclipses the sun and moon); deva-saṁsadi—in the group of the demigods; praviṣṭaḥ—having entered; somam—the nectar; apibat—drank; candra-arkābhyām—by both the moon and the sun; ca—and; sūcitaḥ—was pointed out.
TRANSLATION
Rāhu, the demon who causes eclipses of the sun and moon, covered himself with the dress of a demigod and thus entered the assembly of the demigods and drank nectar without being detected by anyone, even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon and the sun, however, because of permanent animosity toward Rāhu, understood the situation. Thus Rāhu was detected.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mohinī-mūrti, was able to bewilder all the demons, but Rāhu was so clever that he was not bewildered. Rāhu could understand that Mohinī-mūrti was cheating the demons, and therefore he changed his dress, disguised himself as a demigod, and sat down in the assembly of the demigods. Here one may ask why the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not detect Rāhu. The reason is that the Lord wanted to show the effects of drinking nectar. This will be revealed in the following verses. The moon and sun, however, were always alert in regard to Rāhu. Thus when Rāhu entered the assembly of the demigods, the moon and sun immediately detected him, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead also became aware of him. (SB 8.9.24)
cakreṇa kṣura-dhāreṇa / jahāra pibataḥ śiraḥ
haris tasya kabandhas tu /sudhayāplāvito ’patat
SYNONYMS
cakreṇa—by the disc; kṣura-dhāreṇa—which was sharp like a razor; jahāra—cut off; pibataḥ—while drinking nectar; śiraḥ—the head; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasya—of that Rāhu; kabandhaḥ tu—but the headless body; sudhayā—by the nectar; aplāvitaḥ—without being touched; apatat—immediately fell dead.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, using His disc, which was sharp like a razor, at once cut off Rāhu’s head. When Rāhu’s head was severed from his body, the body, being untouched by the nectar, could not survive.
PURPORT
When the Personality of Godhead, Mohinī-mūrti, severed Rāhu’s head from his body, the head remained alive although the body died. Rāhu had been drinking nectar through his mouth, and before the nectar entered his body, his head was cut off. Thus Rāhu’s head remained alive whereas the body died. This wonderful act performed by the Lord was meant to show that nectar is miraculous ambrosia. (SB 8.9.25)
eta jāni’ rāhu kaila candrera grahaṇa
‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘hari’ nāme bhāse tri-bhuvana
SYNONYMS
eta jāni‘-knowing all this; rāhu—the zodiac figure Rāhu; kaila—attempted; candrera—of the moon; grahaṇa—eclipse; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa—the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; hari—the holy name of Hari; nāme—the names; bhāse—inundated; tri-bhuvana—the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.
PURPORT
According to the Jyotir-veda, the Rāhu planet comes in front of the full moon, and thus a lunar eclipse takes place. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (CC/adi/13/92)
Prabhupāda: Oh. [break] …modern, that the earth comes in front of the moon or the sun and then there is eclipse. Do they not?
Dr. Patel: They, all the scientists also say the same thing, sir. When it comes in the straight line the eclipse…
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. I am saying, repeating their word. But why, then, eclipse takes place irregularly?
Dr. Patel: This is a question of simple harmonic motions according to the scientists here who explain it. The simple harmonic motion principle is that several motions are, I mean, going, gathered at a time. Then all of them come together. Then you see that thing occurs.
Prabhupāda: No…
Dr. Patel: So that motions are different. The different timings come.
Prabhupāda: But that means they do not know actually the motions.
Dr. Patel: And the old astrologers and scientists of India, they have planned it perfectly, when it comes out.
Prabhupāda: Our śāstra says that it is Rahu’s attack. So attack does not come regularly.
Dr. Patel: That you may call allegorically.
Prabhupāda: One… Suppose you have got enemy. You are not going to attack regularly, but when there is some opportunity you go to attack. Harer nāma [Cc. Ādi 17.21].
Dr. Patel: Are we not observing this eclipse rituals, that, during the eclipse we stop aratis and all of this…
Prabhupāda: Why?
Dr. Patel: And after the eclipse is over, take bath and then do the arati?
Prabhupāda: Yes, they take bath.
Dr. Patel: Even the other Vaiṣṇava mandirs don’t do arati during that period if it comes within that…
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Dr. Patel: Some sort of cosmic disturbances must be occuring in the cosmos during this period of gṛhana(?) or eclipse. We do not know, the modern science. Some movement must be happening.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Our śāstra says it is attack by Rahu. Rahu…
Dr. Patel: Rahu means…The other side of the earth’s shadow is Rahu, as we say. The modern scientists, the Rahu means other side of the shadow. When the sun shines on the earth, the other side of the earth is, I mean, the night and the shadow of the earth is long, drawn up in the cosmos. And in the view of that shadow, if moon comes, then it is caught by the shadow.
Prabhupāda: No, in the… Rahu, Rahu… Rahu comes in front...
Dr. Patel: That is… The shadow is the Rahu. What else could be? That shadow of earth in the cosmos is the Rahu, most probably to me, because when the moon… Generally moon does not come so very often therein in the purview of that shadow. When it comes, it gets eclipsed.
Prabhupāda: No, no. They give that the earth comes in front of the sun or the moon, therefore the shadow.
Dr. Patel: Earth comes in front of the sun. Then it becomes sun eclipse.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So, but why, if the movement is regular, then the earth come regularly.
Dr. Patel: But there are several movements also. The movement of the earth, sun, and moon.
Prabhupāda: That means again escaping.
Dr. Patel: All harmonic motions…
Devotee (5): Many shooting stars…
Dr. Patel: Things should be thought scientifically.
Prabhupāda: What is the scientifically if you cannot say how many movements are there?
Dr. Patel: All the movements that the heavenly stars and other things are going on in a particular way.
Prabhupāda: No, you do not know what are the movements. You therefore say there are several movements, but you do not know what are these movements. That is not scientific. To avoid the explanation, if the scientist says that there are several movements… But you explain what is that movement? According to our śāstra there is no individual movement. The whole system is moving, making center the polestar. That we can see at night. They have… Star and planet, they have no separate movement. They are fixed up. Just like this tree. There are so many leaves. The tree is moving, so the leaves and twigs, they are moving, not that the leaf is moving.
Dr. Patel: This is a question of relativity, sir.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But that we can see, this…
Dr. Patel: Now, the earth moves round the sun and the moon moves round the earth…
Prabhupāda: No, no...
Dr. Patel: And the rate of movement is different on either side. And the axis or ground on which it moves also differs. So when all of them collide or sort of a thing, then eclipse comes. That is the modern understanding.
Prabhupāda: And the… When Brahmānanda was speaking that word yesterday, I refuted your argument?
Brahmānanda: You were asking, “Why is it Sunday, Monday…” So I explained that the sun is the center of the universe; therefore the sun comes first.
Dr. Patel: No, various suns are there. All the stars are the suns of various universes.
Prabhupāda: No, we don’t accept that. No. Sun is one.
Dr. Patel: That is the fundamental difference of opinion that we don’t go ahead of it, sir.
Prabhupāda: No, why shall I go according to the dictation of the rascals? We are not so rascal.
Dr. Patel: And now we are define who is a rascal.
Prabhupāda: No, rascal is meant, who has no authority. They are changing every day. They are changing. We don’t change. These rascals are changing…
Dr. Patel: These fundamentals, sir, cannot be changed.
Prabhupāda: In nineteenth century one theory and twentieth century another theory and then another theory, another theory. This is going on.
Dr. Patel: The truth is not changed but…
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, they are changing. You see here… You have not seen that, our Svarūpa Dāmodara’s book? He has given: simply changing, simply changing, these rascals. Changing means rascal. He does not know. “It is this. It is this.” Another man, “No, no, it is not this. It is this.” Therefore all of them rascals.
Dr. Patel: About this Kakubh Kapoor Cakra(?), our scientist, Mihila(?), has planned it, and according to the eclipse and sun and the moon eclipse come. That means his science was perfect. Otherwise it would not come at that particular day, time, and…
Prabhupāda: We… Our… Five thousand years ago Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that “As I have heard it, I am explaining.” That means time immemorial, the thing is, same thing is coming. There is no change, not that after few days, “No, no. It was wrong. This is now right.” Again somebody comes.
Dr. Patel: They are explaining the truth in their own way. That is the change of theory. But the truth is the same.
Prabhupāda: That is the truth of rascaldom, as soon as you change your position.
Dr. Patel: Theory is rascal, but the truth is never rascal.
Prabhupāda: No, no, truth you do not know. Therefore rascaldom.
Dr. Patel: They do not know how to explain. Truth is there, sir.
Prabhupāda: No, no. Anyway, he does not know. Therefore he is a rascal, either you say this way or that way.
Dr. Patel: Truth is there.
Prabhupāda: No, no, truth is there, but they cannot present the truth rightly. That is rascaldom. Truth is there; that is certain. But they cannot present the truth in right way.
Dr. Patel: You mean they are groping in the dark.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is rascal. How things are happening—every ten years they are changing their theory. And that has been explained by, not by a layman like me. The Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara, he has explained. He has concluded Darwin’s theory completely wrong. You have read that small booklet?
Dr. Patel: Yes.
Prabhupāda: And he has given reason, quotation, how simply he’s speculator.
Dr. Patel: As a matter of, sir, the whole cosmos is full of, I mean, intelligence. That is God. But then that intelligence is struck in different way to the, what you call the mind, which is embedded in the matter. So, I mean, each one explains it in his own way, as he understands…
Prabhupāda: No, no. You cannot explain truth in your own way. (Morning walk conversation – Bombay, India – November 17, 1975)
The history of Rahu (causing the eclipse):
During the churning process many wonderful things were produced, until finally the “amrita” or nectar of immortality appeared. Immediately there was a fierce struggle and the demons forcefully took possession of the nectar. At that time, to help the demigods, Lord Vishnu, expanded Himself into Mohini-murti, the most enchanting of all beautiful goddesses. The demons, who were completely love-struck, allowed the Goddess to have the nectar, which she began to distribute amongst the demigods.
At that time, the great demon, Rahu, disguised as a demigod, entered the line of eager devas, between the Sun and Moon gods. As soon as the nectar was tasted by Rahu, he was exposed by the Sun & Moon gods, and Lord Vishnu, in His Mohini form, immediately severed Rahu’s head with His Sudarshan Chakra (discus). Because Rahu had tasted the amrita his head became immortal, while his body fell away dead. Seeing this wonderful event, Lord Vishnu, then awarded Rahu the exalted post of Graha (planetary deity) as the malevolent North Node of the Moon.
Rahu still hates the Sun and Moon gods for the destruction of his body from the neck down, and he attacks the Sun and Moon out of revenge, following a schedule of eclipses, which are predicted and recorded to this day by astronomers and astrologers.
The Srimad Bhagavatam describes the history of Rahu as follows:
“Rahu, the demon who causes eclipses of the sun and moon, covered himself with the dress of a demigod and thus entered the assembly of the demigods and drank nectar without being detected by anyone, even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon and the sun, however, because of permanent animosity toward Rahu, understood the situation. Thus Rahu was detected.
Purport: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mohini-murti, was able to bewilder all the demons, but Rahu was so clever that he was not bewildered. Rahu could understand that Mohini-murti was cheating the demons, and therefore he changed his dress, disguised himself as a demigod, and sat down in the assembly of the demigods. Here one may ask why the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not detect Rahu. The reason is that the Lord wanted to show the effects of drinking nectar. This will be revealed in the following verses. The moon and sun, however, were always alert in regard to Rahu. Thus when Rahu entered the assembly of the demigods, the moon and sun immediately detected him, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead also became aware of him.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8:9:24)
“….The demons, being enchanted by the beauty of the Mohini form, agreed to hand over the container of nectar to Mohinidevi, who tactfully delivered it to the demigods.
When the demons got possession of the container of nectar, an extraordinarily beautiful young woman appeared before them. All the demons became captivated by the young woman’s beauty and became attached to Her. Now, because the demons were fighting among themselves to possess the nectar, they selected this beautiful woman as a mediator to settle their quarrel. Taking advantage of their weakness in this regard, Mohini, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, got the demons to promise that whatever decision She might give, they would not refuse to accept it. When the demons made this promise, the beautiful woman, Mohini-murti, had the demigods and demons sit in different lines so that She could distribute the nectar. She knew that the demons were quite unfit to drink the nectar. Therefore, by cheating them She distributed all the nectar to the demigods. When the demons saw this cheating of Mohini-murti, they remained silent. But one demon, named Rahu, dressed himself like a demigod and sat down in the line of the demigods. He sat beside the sun and the moon. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead understood how Rahu was cheating, He immediately cut off the demon’s head. Rahu, however, had already tasted the nectar, and therefore although his head was severed, he remained alive. After the demigods finished drinking the nectar, the Supreme Personality of Godhead assumed His own form.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8:9 Summary)
Rahu – The Lunar Eclipse
In this connection, the darkness occurring before the full moon, the lunar eclipse, can be explained as being another planet, known as Rāhu. According to Vedic astronomy, the Rāhu planet, which is not visible, is accepted. Sometimes the Rāhu planet is visible in the presence of full moonlight. It then appears that this Rāhu planet exists somewhere near the orbit of the moon. The failure of modern moon excursionists may be due to the Rāhu planet. In other words, those who are supposed to be going to the moon may actually be going to this invisible planet Rāhu. Actually, they are not going to the moon but to the planet Rāhu, and after reaching this planet, they come back. Apart from this discussion, the point is that a living entity has immense and unlimited desires for material enjoyment, and he has to transmigrate from one gross body to another until these desires are exhausted. (SB 4.29.69 purport)
śiras tv amaratāṁ nītam / ajo graham acīkḷpat
yas tu parvaṇi candrārkāv / abhidhāvati vaira-dhīḥ
Translation: Rāhu’s head, however, having been touched by the nectar, became immortal. Thus Lord Brahmā accepted Rāhu’s head as one of the planets. Since Rāhu is an eternal enemy of the moon and the sun, he always tries to attack them on the nights of the full moon and the dark moon.
Purport: Since Rāhu had become immortal, Lord Brahmā accepted him as one of the grahas, or planets, like the moon and the sun. Rāhu, however, being an eternal enemy of the moon and sun, attacks them periodically during the nights of the full moon and the dark moon. (SB 8.9.27)
a-kalaṅka gauracandra dilā daraśana / sa-kalaṅka candre āra kon prayojana
eta jāni’ rāhu kaila candrera grahaṇa / ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘kṛṣṇa’ ‘hari’ nāme bhāse tri-bhuvana
Translation: When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body? Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.
Purport: According to the Jyotir-veda, the Rāhu planet comes in front of the full moon, and thus a lunar eclipse takes place. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (CC Adi 13.91-92)
Ketu – Comet – Decapitated Body of Rahu
It is sometimes said that when one is influenced by evil stars like Saturn, Rāhu or Ketu, he cannot make advancement in any prospective activity. (SB 7.4.37)
See also: The Lord Incarnates as Mohinī-Mūrti killing Rāhu
Great article!! Thanks for sharing such a valuable information….
The mainstream scientists (NASA) and their agents (media) are not liberated souls. They are also liable to 4 defects. And cheating is one of them.
During solar eclipse our eyes perceive the sun disc being obscured by a totally dark object. Whether it is the moon or something else we are not able to understand with our imperfect senses, mind or intelligence. If we want to get real knowledge then we must approach not the dog but God or His representative, the spiritual master, who is above 4 defects of conditioned souls.
According to Bhagavad-gita, the dog scientists of this material world are miscreants and rascals, because they do not surrender to the Supreme Scientist, the all-powerful authority, whose knowledge is all-perfect and without mistakes or cheating. One who is intelligent enough should approach Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to get knowledge, and not the dogs, who deride the Supreme Lord and consider Him merely another human being.
These dog scientists will never stop barking, “But because the sun’s corona is so bright, your eyes will not see this earthshine effect [moon illuminated by the earth],” because they are envious of Krsna and His pure devotees. These barking dogs expect that everyone should believe in them and not in Krsna. They think they are above Krsna, and that we should surrender not to Krsna but to them.
One who believes in Krsna should not be scared of the constant barking of insignificant puppets of this material world. The devotee who is surrendered to Krsna will attain Krsna who is above this material sky, but those little puppets will remain perpetually in the cycle of birth and death passing through millions of species of life until they finally realize who is the Supreme Lord, and surrender unto Him.
Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
NASA was created after WW2, using ex *Nazi rocket scientists, many of which were war criminals who murdered hundreds (if not thousands) of prisoners (using horrific ”experiments”) in Nazi death camps. This was known as *”Operation Paper-clip” and was (and still is) controlled, operated and run by the Freemason Illuminati.
A NASA spokesman stated that NASA: “Is not accountable to the public!”, in spite of claiming that the “Moon Landing” was “For All Humanity!” This “Moon Landing Hoax” was simply a publicity campaign, to promote the Illuminati’s goal for The New World Order (in the same way The League of Nations and The United Nations were also part of this plan, which has it’s inception at least centuries ago, if not thousands of years).
Practically all of NASA (in the important roles) are members……
Edwin ”Buzz” Aldrin………………………………33 degree Freemason (”Montclair Lodge”).
Neil Armstrong………………………………………………………Freemason (UR Lodges ”Three Eyes” and ”Janus”).
Edward Mitchell……………………(Apollo 14)………………Freemason (De Molay Lodge).
John Glenn……………………………………………………………Freemason
James Irwin…………………………(Apollo 15)………………Freemason (Tejon Lodge).
Don Eisele…………………………..(Apollo 7)………………..Freemason (Luther B Turner Lodge).
Gordon Cooper……….(Mercury 9, Gemini 5)………….Freemason (Master Mason (Carbondale Lodge).
Virgil Grissom…………(Apollo 1, and 15)………………..Freemason (Master)….(Mitchell Lodge).
Walter Schirra Jnr…….(Apollo 7)…………..33 degree Freemason…(Canaveral Lodge).
Tom Stafford…………….(Apollo 10, and 18)……………..Freemason…..(Western Star Lodge).
Paul Weitz…………………(Skylab 2)…………………………..Freemason…..(Lawrence Lodge).
The Fathers of Armstrong, Sheppard, Pogue, England and Brand were ALL Freemasons too!
This is essential to understand, as Masons “Swear a blood oath” to keep the secrets of fellow Masons and if they do reveal anything then they would be “either ruined, discredited, framed, bankrupted or killed!”.
The “Moon Landing” was in 1969. In 1959 “scientists” calculated that the chances of a “Moon Landing” in the next 10 years were .0014 (of a single percentage point!). In the Apollo 13 mission the “approach” of the landing site (Fra Mauro) was “clearly seen” in the video footage……..How is this possible? as according to their own calculations IT WOULD BE ON THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON!
The name Fra Mauro came from a Cartographer at the Court of Venice in the 16th century (Brother Mauro) who was also a priest, who claimed he could create a World Map. This has always remained a “mystery” as such a map has never been found. This is a trick by the Illuminati as this landing is also ”SOMETHING THAT NEVER HAPPENED!”
The words “We have a problem” were taken from the the Stanley Kubrick movie ”2001 A Space Oddysey”.
If Armstrong was the first man on the Moon, why are all (but 1) of the pics of Aldrin?
13 is a favorite number of occultists such as Freemasons. Apollo 13s (1970) tanks “exploded” on the 13th hour, of the 13th day!……….ANOTHER EVENT THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN! When they we filming this “voyage” supposedly 200,000 miles from earth, out of the triangle-shaped window, there is ”BLUE SKY!”
The Head of NASA at the time of the Apollo Program is now The Sovereign Grand Commander, 33 Degree, Scottish Rite Freemason for The Southern Jurisdiction!
There was another “flag” supposedly ”taken to the Moon” besides the flag of The USA, and that is the FLAG OF THE FREEMASONS, (clearly shown in newspaper and magazine articles, with “astronauts”).
In the wake of Aldrin’s Masonic Space Mission, The Grand Lodge of Texas, formed “Tranquility Lodge no. 2000″, named after ”Tranquility Base” (The landing location for Apollo 11). No doubt as “tranquil” now as it was then! Ha! Ha!
The first “images” of Apollo 11 were first seen through the West Australian town of Honeysuckle Creek, whereas the “audio voices” came from Goldstone, California USA. People in Western Australia (during the evening telecast saw an “astronaut” KICK A COKE-BOTTLE AS HE WAS “RUNNING ALONG THE MOONSCAPE” (This was “edited out” in the next days telecast! AIR-BRUSHED OUT OF EXISTENCE!).
A flood of people wrote to the newspapers about this but WERE IGNORED!
One of the “spacesuits” which were “on the Moon mission” is displayed at The Smithsonian Institute, but doesn’t have any tread on the sole (unlike the ”footprint pattern” left on the moon) The guy who founded the ”Smithsonian Institute” James L M Smithson (a Chemist) was a high ranking member of the Freemason Illuminati…………….no surprises there!
This Moon Hoax is only one of many myths perpetrated on the stupid public through the “Educational Institutions, Media, Politicians, Pseudo-Scientific Establishments, Secret Societies, and Corporations”
Other myths are “CO2 Global Warming Myth” (created by Rothschilds), “Peak Oil Myth” (created by The Rockerfellers), Al Queda (created by Hathor Pentalpha), The Zika Virus Scare, (misinformation coverup of Monsanto!), The Aids Epidemic “caused by monkeys” (fully exposed by Dr Robert Strecker in “The Strecker Memorandum”), Saddam’s WMD’s (Hathor Pentalpha), False Flag 9/11 attack (Hathor Pentalpha) etc etc…..and on and on it goes!
The mainstream Media is 100% lies! 100% run, owned, operated, managed by the same people that created the “Moon Hoax”. They are pushing this “CO2 Global Warming Bullshit” in every corner of the media! They have quashed any debate on this as they are saying that ”This is like debating whether the earth is flat!” THE REAL FACT IS THAT THE VERY FEW TIMES THIS HAS BEEN DEBATED IT HAS BEEN RESOUNDING DEFEAT! The biggest media owners AP and Reuters are owned by Rothschilds!
Daso Smi
Sudarsana
There is much evidence that the Moon Hoax was filmed (and directed) by Stanley Kubrik in the Arizona desert, as he had the expertise (example 2001 a Space Odyssey). Kubrick was a member of a very powerful Ur Lodge (also called ”Superlodges”) called “Three Eyes” which was created by the Zionist Jews Zbigniew Brezinski and Henry Kissinger. These Two very powerful figures were the REAL POWER behind Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Ford, Carter, Clinton and Obama. Clinton (even though a “Democrat”) is also a member of “Three Eyes” Ur Lodge and this is how the ‘Hegelian Dialectic’ works as they are all the puppets of the Rothschilds (who are also members of “Three Eyes” Ur Lodge (and many other lodges also). This Tweedle Dum/Tweedle Dee, Democrat/Republican side-show is just to make the gullible, dumb populace think that it is THEM WHO VOTED THESE GUYS IN. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Other members of “Three Eyes” Ur Lodge are David Rockerfeller (deceased), George Bush Sr, Christine Lagarde, Gerald Ford, Ted Kennedy, MI6 Director Maurice Oldfield, MI5 Director Michael Hanley, CIA Director W Colby, Alec Douglas-Hume, Edward Heath, NEIL ARMSTRONG, Osama Bin Laden (moved to Geburah and Hathor Pentalpha Lodges), Madelaine Albright, and Condoleeza Rice. Yes that is right!, the ”First Man on the Moon Neil Armstrong” Is also a member of “Three Eyes” Ur Lodge (and also “Janus” Ur Lodge). These are some very powerful personalities, no wonder this ”Moon Hoax” has fooled many people, but the real fact is that this is only one of many hoaxes and scams that these Ur Lodges have perpetrated on the dumb populace. Brezinski is the guy (working behind the scenes) that created the scenario that caused the Russians to invade Afghanistan, this was of course to weaken Russia and try to bring Russia ”under control”.
The “First man in Space” Yuri Gagarin, was also faked for political purposes also. They said that he went around the Earth several times but he didn’t go around even once! Putin was trained up by British Intelligence and is a member of the same Ur Lodge as Angela Merkel, ”Golden Eurasia” Ur Lodge. Merkel is also a member of “Parsifal” Ur Lodge (founded by the lesbian, Satanist Helena Blavatsky).
Blavatsky also founded ”The Philosophical Society”. “Parsifal” Ur Lodge’s symbol is a ”swastika” and is “anti democratic and Satanic” (The “Christian Democrat” profile of Merkel is just a front!), she is really a witch that “should be burnt at the stake!” These people are just demons!, pathological liars and criminals, worse than the Mafia but just like the Mafia they profess to be ”honest businessmen”, using a restaurant or cafe as a front, but out the back “they are cutting up dead bodies in the bath-tub!
This has puzzled many people, this ”moon landing hoax”. How could this happen? people would say, how could it be a secret? with so much collusion and wilful intent? Well it’s like EVERYTHING ELSE, it is all a lie because these powerful people control and manipulate the media, TV, the *”Education System”, the *”Pseudo- Scientific Bodies” (* Trilateral Commission, set up by Rockerfeller).
Because Neil Armstrong, Stanley Kubrick, MI6, MI5, Brezinski, Kissinger, The CIA and what to speak of numerous other “Secret Superlodges” and powerful personalities were involved in this “Hoax” then this is the smoking gun! THESE LODGES ACTUALLY RUN THE WORLD WITH “POLITICIANS” JUST ACTING OUT A PART AS IN A PLAY. THE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN SECRET AS PART OF AN OVERALL SATANIC AGENDA AND THEN A SERIES OF STAGED, CONTROLLED, CHOREOGRAPHED SCENARIOS, “CRISIS’S”, THREATS ARE CONSTANTLY PLAYED OUT THROUGH THE MEDIA TO MANIPULATE, BRAINWASH, AND CONTROL THE STUPID POPULACE.
Srila Prabhupada said that “They did not go to the Moon!”, so by understanding the “Political Dynamic”, it is possible to understand why and also understand their true motives and intentions. If we allow ourselves to be constantly fooled by the Satanic Demons who want to enslave us all in their degraded, perverse, wicked, ”liberal”, drug-induced, mass indoctrinated, politically-correct, ”gender-neutral”, LGBT-”friendly”, permissive, ”interfaith”, carbon neutral, cultural genocidal, ”black lives matter”, truth is “hate speech”, sustainable developmental, “chicken little” scare-mongering, political bullshit!, then we cannot really call ourselves ‘Brahmanas’ as we are just being DUPED like every other moron and cretin on the planet!
These morons (and they are NOT an endangered species!) will just say to you ”What! of course they went to the Moon!, I saw it on TV!”
Daso Smi
Sudarsana
The following is reproduced from the article ;
Ketu – Comet – Decapitated Body of Rahu
It is sometimes said that when one is influenced by evil stars like Saturn, Rāhu or Ketu, he cannot make advancement in any prospective activity. (SB 7.4.37)
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Dear Readers, please note that all the Stars are celestial.
The functional nature of each and every STARS in the natal chart does differ and so is their influence owing to their respective placement at each and every Human being taking birth in a certain time and place on this planet earth.
Therefore, the STAR like Saturn is not always considered EVIL.
The functional nature of Rahu and Ketu always play materially disturbance in order to teach the importance of the Religious principles for ALL the Living being a lesson to cultivate Spiritual life going Back Home – Back to Godhead eventually.
By the way reference of (SB 7.4.37) as quoted in the article does not reflect to the Stars as indicated above . Therefore, I do not know why it is there.
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Here below is what one professional devotee astrologer has to say:
“…Yes, the August 20-21 date coincides with the total solar eclipse that falls exactly on the ascendant (rising degree) of Trump’s chart. Already his entire administration is unraveling, yet the impact of the eclipse will be severe on him and he may have some kind of health crisis, or at least a complete and thorough meltdown of his presidency. This isn’t something that happens very often, and in fact this is the only time it will ever happen in Trump’s life. By the end of the year, he may not be president anymore. It is said that the chart of the President, is a proxy for all the people of the country. So whatever happens to him, will have far-reaching negative outcomes on people in general. I see this happening anytime from Monday the 21st, and up to the following 6 months. ..”
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Dear Readers,
The above explanation from a Professional Devotee Astrologer as it says, seems very bold statement simply based on the eclipse in a transit on the natal chart of the US.President, Mr Trump.
No doubt, the transit is indeed stressful not only on the natal chart of the US President,Mr Trump but it is more stressful on the Chart of the USA as a country herself which creates massive problems.
However, the President and his team will handle effectively all types of problems which seems to be creating an havoc in USA. The President will certainly execute his duty without any personal damages to his health and status despite the temporary stressful transit in the astral sky which effects on the both natal chart of the President as well as the USA.
I am simply sharing and writing this in the response to the prediction of the Professional astrologer quoted in the article without any prejudice or any disrespect.
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krsna dear Prabhus,
As being very uninformed in the sciences of astronomy & astrology, I would like to ask that if Rahu is an ‘invisible’ planet, at least to the perception of the denizens on Earth, how is it that the astrologers etc can predict to the exact nano second, when the ‘eclipse’ either partial, full, lunar, solar etc will occur?
If they/we can’t see Rahu, how is it possible to predict when he will cover the Sun in varying degrees!
Yfs,
Balaram das.
751111mw.bom Conversations
Harikesa: One devotee asked me, “If the scientists don’t know anything about the universe, then how is it they can predict exactly when there is going to be an eclipse of the sun or the moon for hundreds of years in advance?”
Prabhupada: That is very preliminary knowledge. That is not… Just like you can predict that after two months there will be winter. That does not mean that you are very advanced scientist. (laughter) Any child can say. The rascal predicted that there is some comet, and it never appeared. He did. So therefore they are rascals. What is already scheduled, everyone knows. He can say that. (break) …story about Kali dasa. Kali dasa was such a fool. It is a long story. It will take time. So he was sitting on a branch of a tree and cutting. So some intelligent man came, was passing: “Oh, you rascal, you’ll fall down.” So he did not care. He would go on. And when he actually fell down, he, “Oh, you are so nice astrologer.” What is astrology? It is a common sense. If I say, “At six o’clock in the evening there will be no sun,” (laughter) is that astrology? Even it is astrology, this astrology is known to everyone. Hare Krsna. (break)
Prabhu, one may not know on account of the lack of knowledge or no knowledge about it.
One can know from some one who knows having the knowledge of knowing it despite the fact that that is ” invisible “.
For an example, we are learning and knowing the knowledge of the Mundane and Non-Mundane from our Jagat Guru Srila Prabhupada’s VANI because He has seen and known the ” invisible ” and ” visible ” TRUTH of both the spheres from the authorized authority of the Shastras, Sadhus and the Guru.
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
@Balaram das “If they/we can’t see Rahu, how is it possible to predict when he will cover the Sun in varying degrees!”
Hare Kṛṣṇa Prabhu, all glories to Srila Prabhupada! _/\ò_
Knowing you to be an intelligent person, I take it your question may be more rhetorical than a moot point. Astrology, as you undoubtedly know, is one of the 64 arts (western scholars label it a pseudo-science and scoff at it) however the science of astronomy is well accredited. I will attempt to provide a mundane explanation for what I think you were getting at.
In western Astronomy terms, the Earth rotates about the Sun on an orbital plane and the Moon rotates about the Earth on a separate orbital plane with a different axial inclination. These two planes intersect twice a year 6 months apart and it is at these two points that eclipses occur.
In astrology these two points are called the Nodes of the Moon and are synonymous with Rahu and Ketu in Vedic Jyotish astrology. Astrology aside, Astronomers both Eastern (Aryabhata c. 500AD) and Western (Copernicus c. 1500AD) have been able to calculate the timing of eclipses using geometry of these two orbital planes with very little error for centuries, if not millenia.
Without getting into the red herring of Vedic Cosmology, Flat Earth, etc it is my opinion that the western approach does not preclude the validity of Rahu and that both Vedic and conventional Astronomy describe the same thing in different ways.
Most of us are familiar with the example of the stationary ant on the potter’s wheel who sees the room spinning around him as he stays in one place on the rotating wheel. As far as he is concerned it is the world that is is moving. On the other hand we consider ourselves stationary, standing in the room observing the wheel spinning – and the ant, although keeping to one spot, appears nevertheless to be spinning the same as the wheel is.
Of course we are also like the ant, unaware we are hurtling around the Sun at 67,000 mph while the Earth we are standing on is simultaneously rotating on its axis at 1,000 mph at the Equator. So in a way both we and the ant are both moving and stationary at the same time.
Perhaps that is why this paradox enables astronomers to arrive at the correct calculation?
Of course, the invisibility of Rahu at no point is used or factored in. Both systems exist side-by-side and in my humble opinion do not preclude each other. From each alternate point of view the Vedic explanation is rather esoteric and likewise the western astronomical is rather mundane. Imho it is not an either/or situation but a case of two different approaches to the same thing. Rahu is synonymous with the Moon’s North Node.
The two views of the one reality must coexist or the astronomers would not be able to arrive at the correct calculation of eclipses by mundane methods.
I hope that helps everyone interested.
Ys, Samsbanned (Sam Treloar)
Hare Kṛṣṇa Prabhus
The mundane sciences cannot be readily dismissed as irrelevant to spiritual life. We use them every day. They are used in different latitudes and longitudes to calculate the timing of brahma muhurta, ekadasi, eclipses, auspicious and inauspicious times, what to speak of appearance and disappearance days of Our Lord’s manifold Avatars, Associates, Gurus and Saints.
Hourglasses, sundials and nocturnal slowly-sinking metal bowls floating in water (with small calculated holes drilled in them so that they take an exact time to submerge wherein they are replaced with a similarly drilled bowl) have been replaced with…. you guessed it…
(incidentally, in the old days, servants were employed “around the clock” with permanent timekeeping duties in one section of the palace of ancient Rajahs. As soon as one bowl sunk it was replaced with a new empty one. In this way they would keep time during the night, very important for observing movements of the celestial bodies necessary for astronomical calculations. This continued for all hours during the night until sunrise.
This may explain why in the past, horoscopes where only cast for Royalty in India- they were the only denizens who could afford to maintain such an exorbitant practise and more importantly, they lived in one place without having to periodically “move house” as most ordinary citizens are subject to. Imagine installing water reservoirs, canals, etc where you live now….
I once questioned a dubious online Hindu “astrologer” about how they determined nighttime births before the invention of the Swiss watch. He replied that they used the shadows of the Moon [a Moondial?].. so I asked, “what if it’s a thunderstorm or a monsoon or something?” I never did get a reply.)
On different places on the globe we observe these at different days and times. Of course you may argue that one size fits all and I suppose that could also be also true – if it is based on the locality of Vrindavan, India. But if you are going to catch a train or a plane to get to an important event – regardless of whether it is a meritorious spiritual observance or just getting to work on time – mundane sciences are indispensible unless you are sitting in one place on kusa grass meditating for months on end in the secluded forest.
Certainly there is a difference between astronomy and astrology. Astronomy deals within definite values, finite measurable distances, mathematical laws and geometric principles – mundane truths, if you like. Astrology is a completely different thing.
As an art, astrology is open to interpretation — why it was nixed by Śrīla Prabhupāda — because it is so speculative. These days, with the knowledge being lost, the chain broken – similar to what has happened to Ayurvedic medicine, there are so many shonky practitioners out there. So often we hear the modern Indian Astrologer say, “uh, I happen to have in my possesion at this very moment a gem of just the perfect weight and flawless character necessary to counteract these negative energies, special price to you, only blah blah blah”.
Anyway, BACK ON TOPIC, my point is that it doesn’t matter what system you employ – Vedic Jyotish or Western Astrology – the timing calculation of eclipses comes out the same because they are both based on the geometry of the physical universe we all live in. As devotees, we pay attention to the calendar without questioning it much because there is little discrepancy in both systems!
That is what I meant by two different systems describing the one reality – an eclipse event – and arriving at the same data. So how can it matter? Truth is Truth no matter which way you look at it.
“Oh but my method is pure and yours is faulty!”
Truth be known, western astronomical geometry owes its roots to ancient Vedic practices. So they’re not really that different.
हरे कृष्णा
Samsbanned (aka “Cigarette Sam” in the old days at the Melbourne Temple)
The modern astronomers, physicians and mathematicians in their terms are still unable to explain the long term stability of the solar system, so how they are able to accurately predict the motion of the sun, moon and earth, and their effects like moon phases or eclipses. No, there is no another view of the same really. The law of gravitation does not work well when more than 2 bodies are involved – the planets are not revolving in eclipses any more, but more chaotically.
The predictions are still being done based on observable data, not by a real understanding of reality. The mathematical models are not optimal. The new measurements are repeatedly being inserted even today, trying to correct the parameters of the model so as to optimally reproduce all the measurements they have. It’s very much like a typical machine learning task. The modern astronomy is about constant fitting the observable with the parameters of the model, so as to make new adjustments, and their predictions more accurate.
If you involve all sorts of data manipulation and mathematical interpolation, you can very accurately predict what is going to happen in ten or hundred years. Longer periods are of not much interest because people are not going to live above 100 years.
If we look at how they are doing calculations today they are not different from the way of calculating in the past. Only the observable data today is more accurate and by using computers you can get the results faster and more accurate.
Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I would like to give little more points on this subject, as we are comparing or equating models with reality, thinking that models are representing the reality.
Most are familiar with the model of the atom as we are thought in the school, but, “first off, in order to have a “look,” things have to reflect light. Since atoms are far tinier than light waves, we can’t see them with light.” And where there is no light, there is no question of seeing anything.
Using the model of atoms much like a solar system, Bohr was able to explain the energy levels of hydrogen atoms in great detail. However, nobody was ever able to describe atoms with multiple electrons in exact detail using a planetary interpretation.
Soon physicists had discovered that matter also has wave-like properties and that it just doesn’t work at the atomic level to regard particles as tiny points with precise locations and energies. Matter is inherently “fuzzy.” They gave up thinking of electrons as tiny planets altogether.
Here is one scientific explanation of this phenomenon:
“In a way, it’s unfortunate that Bohr’s hydrogen atom worked as well as it did. To this day, even advanced physics books use it as a way of introducing quantum mechanics. But it’s just plain wrong. And the terminology that came with Bohr’s atom, of “orbitals” and “spin,” reinforces the image of electrons as tiny planets even though physicists have long since given up the literal imagery. At least the weird terminology that quark physicists use, of “color,” “flavor,” and “charm,” carries no danger of being taken too literally. Nobody is likely to believe that quarks are really red, taste like chocolate, or flirt. So forget that you ever heard of the solar system model of atoms. Abandon all planetary concepts, ye who enter here.”
The whole idea above is that mathematical models which are only the predictive and specific approximations of relationships of reality should not be taken too literally.
Back to astronomy and our solar system. Sir Issac Newton developed a model which used the term ‘body’. Does this term refer to physical objects such as planets, or does it refer to abstract objects? For one, Newton’s bodies are said to be mass points. But no real object can be a mass at a point. It is only a defined idealized abstract object rather than as describing real object. But without this abstraction the Newton’s laws could not be expressed in mathematical formula, and certain predictions could not be possible.
But today, the scientists admit, there is no direct evidence even for the gravitation law. Even for as few as three bodies subject only to their mutual gravitation, the equations of motion are not yet solvable. So they involved certain assumptions and created approximations of the motion of three bodies. And this is again the simplified model of some larger model, and surprisingly it is calculated that the three bodies are orbiting chaotically and not in eclipses as previously assumed.
Now if we go even further, consider a simple linear relationship between two variables, x and y, expressed by the equation
y = ax + b
This equation is a linguistic object, but also a physical object, letters on paper. But this relationship described is some sort of abstract object, which could also use different letters or be written in another form.
The conclusion is that the models do not represent reality, but only describe certain relationships of the objects of reality. We should not confuse those relationships as being physical objects themselves.
So as the model of atom does not describe the reality of protons, neutrons or electrons, similarly the elliptical model of our solar system does not describe the reality of planets, their true sizes, distances and positions. They may be used as good models for doing short-term predictions under limited conditions, but they are unable to give us the real picture of reality.
Therefore Srila Prabhupada did not give much credit to the speculative scientific community, and disregarded all their findings as useless and actually harmful for the real advancement of Krsna consciousness.
Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
It is important to understand that personalities such as Isaac Newton have a secret agenda much the same as the NASA, the phony “space explorers” and other mundane pseudo-scientists and that is SECRET SOCIETIES BASED UPON THE WORSHIP OF DEMONS. Newton was a Freemason and a member of The Priory of Sion and had an extensive library of Rosicrucian Philosophy (Satanic Worship), Judaic and Egyptian Mysticism. This is the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM that nobody ever mentions and this is the real point in understanding where they are coming from.
Jadaic Mysticism is the means by which the demons have become very dangerous, menacing and powerful. Persons such as Kissinger, Brezinski with the backing of CIA, MI5, and MI6 are advancing their Zionist agenda of total power and control, through lies, deceit, media manipulation, social conditioning and moral degradation by the day THIS IS WHO IS REALLY BEHIND THE MOON HOAX. Just “navel gazing” over the “philosophy” of Newton is simply a waste of time if one does not understand that his aims are meant to destroy any worship or understanding of God and practice of Dharma.
The Zionists are the real cause of all the hatred now happening in Americas South. They are using the blacks to destroy the white Christians by financially backing all the leftist, gay “rights”, “black lives matter” “environmental activist” Cultural Marxist (Marx was from a family of Rabbi’s) groups and at the same time financing the Far Right (just like they did in WW2 Both Hitler and Stalin). This is called THE HEGELIAN DIALECTIC and they have been doing this for MILLENNIA but most persons are completely unaware that this is happening. This conflict isn’t about racisim it is about destruction of religious tradition, the Jews hate Christianity and ALL FORMS OF WORSHIP OF GOD BECAUSE THEIR ONLY GOAL IS IN POWER, CONTROL, MONEY, DECEIT, MORAL CORRUPTION AND “REMAINING INVISIBLE” (like Rahu).
The slave trade was operated by the Jews for centuries in the USA (and mostly the Caribbean) but the first slaves were not black they were Irish (so this has nothing to do with racism!). The center of this slave trade was Newport, Rhode Island, where most of the Jews were based. An Irish slave only cost $5 but black slaves cost $30- $50, but you could not buy one on A JEWISH HOLIDAY as it was the Jews that ran the slave trade. This is a fact the Jews have “airbrushed from history.”
The American Civil War was NOT FOUGHT OVER SLAVERY, this is another myth, perpetrated by the Jews, as there were more slaves in the North than the South. More than 80% of Jews had slaves, but less than 10% of Christians owned them. The Jewish Spielberg movie ”Amistad” (the name of a slave ship) was typical Hollywood Zionist propaganda which portrayed the Christians as being the ”sole perpetrators of black enslavement and cruelty” throughout the whole movie with constant imagery of Churches. bibles. rosaries, priests, crucifixes etc etc AND NOT ONE SINGLE JEW TO BE SEEN! Yes! conspicuous by their absence!, just as they always are plotting, and scheming behind the scenes, counting their money! The blacks in America are all thinking that it is the white Christians that are responsible for their situation but this is just a myth constantly perpetrated by the Zionists who are financing these ”activist” groups of ”cultural Marxists.
The American Civil War was a Jewish Rothschild operation. The ‘Paris Rothschild Bank’ financed the South and the ‘London Rothschild Bank’ bankrolled the North this is THE HEGELIAN DIALECTIC at work and it is playing out all over the world. THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT NOBODY NOTICES!
In Sampradaya Sun there are endless references to “pseudo-scientists” and “bogus Philosophers” in the articles “DIALECTICAL SPIRITUALISM” like Freud, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Bacon, Locke, Spinoza, Comte, Voltaire, Jung, Hume, Leibnitz, Duns-Scotus, James, Marx, but NO MENTION WHATSOEVER, THAT ALL THESE PERSONS WERE FREEMASONS! Why is that? This should ring alarm bells! After all this is their real agenda…………… THE DESTRUCTION OF DHARMA AND THE WORSHIP OF THE SATANIC!
Daso Smi
Sudarsana
Dear Sudarsan prabhu,
Thank you and appreciate your work in exposing the ‘under-belly’ of the corrupt material society. Sri Isopanisad informs that we should understand the paths of Transcendence & nescience side by side whilst in this material predicament.
As devotees and Prabhupada-anugas, it is also important to understand how these Kali-yuga demons have a direct & indirect influence on Srila Prabhupada’s society, as he stated many times, and in his famous letter to Hansadutta:
” It is a fact however that the great sinister movement is within our Society.” 2 September, 1970
This is also made very clear in the room conversation Honolulu May 3rd 1976, only a bit over a year before His Divine Grace concluded his vapu pastimes with us!
“If they, the movement goes and becomes very strong, then our business will be lost. Kill him.”
Prabhupada: So this movement should be pushed very vigorously. And so far, we have become successful. And enemies will be always, as soon as there is something good. That is the way of material world. Even Krsna had enemies, what to speak of us. Eh? So many enemies, but He was powerful; He killed all them. Nobody could kill Him, but there was attempt to kill Him from the very beginning of His birth. He had so many enemies. As soon as Kamsa heard that his sister is now newly married, but as soon as there was some foretelling, “Ah, you are taking care of your sister so nicely. The eighth child of this sister will kill you.” “Oh, where is your child? Where is pregnancy?” Nothing. He became angry. “So why wait for eighth child? Kill my sister.” Long, long before taking birth of Krsna, the mother was to be killed. This is the position of this material world. So he became so bad that “My sister…” He did not consider that “She is my sister, and she is just newly married. Where is pregnancy? Where is child? And that is the eighth child, and what will happen after that?” No consideration. Immediately, “Kill him, kill her.” This is the position. So we are instructing: no intoxication. So those who are flourishing by selling cigarettes and wine and liquor, they do not… “Immediately kill him.” Oh, yes, in this way. “If they, the movement goes and becomes very strong, then our business will be lost. Kill him.” So naturally they will be enemies. The same thing, the Kamsa saw that “This my sister, now she is married. So although it will take some long time, but here is the cause.” So they are thinking like that. No meat-eating, then all slaughterhouses will be closed: “They’re enemy.” Although there is no such symptom that slaughterhouse is going to be closed, but they’ll think like that. They’ll think like that, the same way. There is no ex… (break) …pregnancy, first, second, third, then eighth, and the child will go, take birth and… They are thinking like that. So the modern civilization, we are everyone saying. Because you have forbidden: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. The whole Western world living on these four pillars. Just see our position. And the same conscious way, everyone is thinking, “If this movement goes on, then how all these nightclubs will go on? How all breweries will go on? How all slaughterhouse will go on, cigarette factories will go on?” This is all foolish. So you cannot expect that we will get more, many friends. That is not possible, because the world is full of Kamsas, demons. So we have to struggle and… In the face of so many obstacles we have come to this standard that there is one Hare Krsna movement; it is very dangerous to the modern way of life. That much is great, advance. They’re feeling the pulse. Now when they are meeting, state obstacles. Everywhere we are meeting obstacles. In Singapore.
Pusta Krsna: We went to the airport.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Pusta Krsna: And practically they didn’t even want to let us stay in the airport. We had to stay there only for four hours to catch the next flight. They are so much…
Prabhupada: This is our position. Gradually they will show Hare Krsna movement. In India also, although India’s… They will want to crush down this movement. So this will be up to Him. Krsna or Krsna’s movement, the same thing. And Krsna was attempted to be killed by Kamsa class of men and his company, the demons. So it will be there; it is already there. Don’t be disappointed, because that is the meaning that it is successful. Krsna’s favor is there, because Krsna and Krsna’s movement is not different, nondiff…, identical. So as Krsna was attempted to be killed, many, many years before He appeared… At eighth child, if the mother produces child yearly, still ten years, eight years before His birth, the mother was to be attempted to be killed. SO THERE MAY BE AN ATTEMPT LIKE THAT. AND LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS KILLED. SO THEY MAY KILL ME ALSO!
[Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, May 3, 1976, Honolulu]
हरे कृष्ण
Yfs,
Balaram das.
PURPORT from Srimad Bhagavatam 5.16.10 ;
There are so many mountains, even on this planet earth. We do not think that the measurements of all of them have actually been calculated. While passing over the mountainous region from Mexico to Caracas, we actually saw so many mountains that we doubt whether their height, length and breadth have been properly measured. Therefore, as indicated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, we should not try to comprehend the greater mountainous areas of the universe merely by our calculations. Śukadeva Gosvāmī has already stated that such calculations would be very difficult even if one had a duration of life like that of Brahmā. We should simply be satisfied with the statements of authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī and appreciate how the entire cosmic manifestation has been made possible by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The measurements given herein, such as 10,000 yojanas or 100,000 yojanas, should be considered correct because they have been given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Our experimental knowledge can neither verify nor disprove the statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We should simply hear these statements from the authorities. If we can appreciate the extensive energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that will benefit us.
None of the mundane scholars, philosophers and scientists have been able to describe exactly how this whole universe comes into existence except the contradictory theories misleading the massive people.
We should simply hear from the authorities of the Sadhus, Shastras and the Guru.
Since there is no any disciplic succession in the line of the Jyotir Veda in particular, therefore, whatever little knowledge is available through the empirical knowledge coming from the different sages and the philosophers – practitioners of the Jyotir Veda that can be utilized and understood how the functionality of the different STARS in the celestial sky infuse their different influences upon the living entities who are born at particular time and place on this planet earth.
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
WOW – thank you so much, to all of you, for this great info update. Special thanks to Amar Puri Prabhu for the astrological information and special thanks to Sudarsana Das Vanacari Prabhu for exposing these demoniac illuminutty people trying to enslave and controll the world. I am quite impressed by your vast knowlege concerning these matters, or as Balarama Prabhu says: “Sri Isopanisad informs that we should understand the paths of Transcendence & nescience side by side whilst in this material predicament.”
As devotees and Prabhupada-anugas, it is also important to understand how these Kali-yuga demons have a direct & indirect influence on Srila Prabhupada’s society.
Thank you again to all of you for this valuable info. Hare Krishna.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
There is nothing to add हरे कृष्ण
कुशलं Thank you Balarama das for drawing attention for the need to address both the transcendance and the nescience side by side.
I would like to add that not all western science is nescient for it owes its roots in Veda (unacknowledged).
The mundane sciences cannot be readily dismissed as irrelevant to spiritual life. We use them every day. They are used in different latitudes and longitudes to calculate the timing of brahma muhurta, ekadasi, eclipses, auspicious and inauspicious times, what to speak of appearance and disappearance days of Our Lord’s manifold Avatars, Associates, Gurus and Saints.
Hourglasses, sundials and nocturnal slowly-sinking metal bowls floating in water (with small calculated holes drilled in them so that they take an exact time to submerge wherein they are replaced with a similarly drilled bowl) have been replaced with…. you guessed it…
(incidentally, in the old days, servants were employed “around the clock” with permanent timekeeping duties in one section of the palace of ancient Rajahs. As soon as one bowl sunk it was replaced with a new empty one. In this way they would keep time during the night, very important for observing movements of the celestial bodies necessary for astronomical calculations. This continued for all hours during the night until sunrise.
This may explain why in the past, horoscopes where only cast for Royalty in India- they were the only denizens who could afford to maintain such an exorbitant practise and more importantly, they lived in one place without having to periodically “move house” as most ordinary citizens are subject to. Imagine installing water reservoirs, canals, etc where you live now….
I once questioned a dubious online Hindu “astrologer” about how they determined nighttime births before the invention of the Swiss watch. He replied that they used the shadows of the Moon [a Moondial?].. so I asked, “what if it’s a thunderstorm or a monsoon or something?” I never did get a reply.)
On different places on the globe we observe these at different days and times. Of course you may argue that one size fits all and I suppose that could also be also true – if it is based on the locality of Vrindavan, India. But if you are going to catch a train or a plane to get to an important event – regardless of whether it is a meritorious spiritual observance or just getting to work on time – mundane sciences are indispensible unless you are sitting in one place on kusa grass meditating for months on end in the secluded forest.
Certainly there is a difference between astronomy and astrology. Astronomy deals within definite values, finite measurable distances, mathematical laws and geometric principles – mundane truths, if you like. Astrology is a completely different thing.
As an art, astrology is open to interpretation — why it was nixed by Śrīla Prabhupāda — because it is so speculative. These days, with the knowledge being lost, the chain broken – similar to what has happened to Ayurvedic medicine, there are so many shonky practitioners out there. So often we hear the modern Indian Astrologer say, “uh, I happen to have in my possesion at this very moment a gem of just the perfect weight and flawless character necessary to counteract these negative energies, special price to you, only blah blah blah”.
Anyway, BACK ON TOPIC, my point is that it doesn’t matter what system you employ – Vedic Jyotish or Western Astrology – the timing calculation of eclipses comes out the same because they are both based on the geometry of the physical universe we all live in. As devotees, we pay attention to the calendar without questioning it much because there is little discrepancy in regards to the timing of eclipses in both systems!
That is what I meant by two different systems describing the one reality – an eclipse event – and arriving at the same data. So how can it matter? Truth is Truth no matter which way you look at it.
“Oh but my method is pure and yours is faulty!”
Thruth be known, western astronomical geometry owes its roots to ancient Vedic practices. So they’re not really that different.
Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!
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