Bhagavan and the eclipses

[Subramanian.R]

Today is the annual solar eclipse, between about 11 am and 3.15
pm.  It is the longest solar eclipse of the millenium.  TV channels
are showing the Live programmes on the eclipse.  Various questions,
like whether one can watch the sun with naked eyes, whether one
can eat during eclipse, whether one should take bath after the
eclipse are being answered by experts.

During Bhagavan Ramana's time, there was a lunar eclipse, which
should have, I presume, started around 8.00 PM and ended late
at night.  On that evening, Chinnaswami, the Office Administrator
had arranged for early evening meals in the Asramam, say around
6 PM.  Bhagavan Ramana was not aware of this arrangement.
The bell for supper rang around 5.55 PM for the devotees.
Bhagavan looked at the clock and was asking why the bell was
ringing now.  The devotees said about the lunar eclipse and the
early meals arrangement.  Bhagavan Ramana said:  "Why all these?  I am going to take the meals only at the usual time."  The devotees were divided in their opinion.  Anyway a few of them went for the early supper and others joined Bhagavan Ramana at the usual time at 7.30 PM.  However, Bhagavan Ramana did not say anything about a bath after the eclipse and doing rituals for forefathers (dharpanam).  He did not take a bath after the eclipse and the
rituals did not matter to Him since He was an ativarnasrami!

After knowing the Self,
What else is there to know?

                        - Sad Darsanam.

Arunachala Siva.

[SLakshmi]

I remember reading about bhagavan saying that the concept of not eating during the eclipse was because the body would not digest the food had during the eclipse period and people would suffer from indigestion.

I think there is also a concept of 'theetu' or pollution which ive seen my parents and grandparents follow. they would bathe before the eclipse and during it, do some parayana or japam and after the eclipse was over, take a bath again..

Ramanarpamastu

[Subramanian.R]

One will not have the food digested easily, if one takes food
during eclipse is a myth.  No doubt ultraviolet rays are gettting
projected from the sun's orb during the eclipse and this is said
to affect the foetus of a pregnant woman.  Other things are not
true.

But praying to forefathers and taking bath, is more of a Vedic ritual, which might contain some truth.  Bhagavan Ramana did not object
to these.  He was an ativarnasrami and hence nothing affected Him.

Arunachala Siva.   

[Nagaraj]

Dear I,

Several things changed over the ages for worse, for example, this Astrology or Jyothishastra, was only used to find the Muhurtha times for perfomance of Yajnas/Homas alone and not for focasting a Humans past or future. I was never used for such purposes.

Salutations to Sri Ramana

[Subramanian.R]

Dear Nagaraj,

Yes.  In the ancient times, Astrology was used mainly to fix a good
time, "Muhurtam" for starting a fire sacrifice or fixing a yaga sala,
the hall for the Yaga, sacrifice.  Later, it extended to fixing good
times for weddings, bhoomi-puja, the puja for the earth for first
digging before a house is constructed.  The birth and death were
not forecast with astrology.  Whenever someone is in dire problems, he used to go to an astrologer for the reasons for the misery and the way to get out of it.  This is popular in Kerala even today.  As otherwise, no one did special prayers for the transit of Saturn or
Jupiter.  These are all new creations. Today the astrology is taken
to that far, that a pregnant woman fixes a good star to have the
"forced childbirth" at the time of good star!

Arunachala Siva.