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WORLD August 17, 1999 VNN4519 Comment on this story Solar Eclipse In Vrindavan BY SWAMI BV PARIVRAJAK VRINDAVAN, INDIA, Aug 17 (VNN) — A solar eclipse is not a ordinary event. As such it is of interest for all with no exceptions. Scientists, religionists, businessman, saints and laymen, all are involved from their own perspectives. Whatever one's own angle of vision, an eclipse remains an all-attractive and mysterious phenomena. In Vrindavan all kinds of people were talking for a week or so about the upcoming solar eclipse, surya graha, which occurred in Amavasya, the dark moon (August 11th). A sort of excitement was in the air and, even if it was not my first experience of eclipse in the holy dham, I was curious to see how all this was going to affect me this time. The eclipse is generally seen as an inauspicious period of time. The reason for this is given in the Puranas, which report the following story. When the gods and the demons churned the milky ocean in the days of yore, nectar came out of it. Sri Vishnu assumed the form of Mohini, a beautiful girl, deluded the demons and distributed the nectar among the gods. But Rahu disguised himself as a god. The sun and the moon pointed this out to Mohini who immediately slashed off the demon's head. Since the nectar had by then already reached up to the neck, he did not die. Thus the head came to be known as Rahu and the body as Ketu. To avenge this betrayal, Rahu and Ketu periodically eclipse the sun and the moon. This is the Puranic explanation. Astronomically speaking, when the sun, the moon and the earth are all in line, with the moon or the earth at the center, a solar or lunar eclipse takes place respectively. During the eclipse, people stay in their homes and avoid seeing the sun or the moon. It is said that the negative effects of the eclipse start twelve hours before the eclipse itself. As this time the solar eclipse lasted almost three hours, from 4, 22 to 6, 52 p.m., the inauspicious period actually started at around 5 o'clock in the morning. Due to this reason, most of the temples in Vrindavan observed a very unusual schedule of Deity worship. Mangal Arati was at 3 a.m and offering of bhoga at 4, 30 a.m. All temples closed at around 5 a.m. and opened their gates again at 8 p.m. During the eclipse the Deity cannot be worshipped. Chanting of the holy name of the Lord is considered the best way to avert all kinds of undesirable effects. One also is not supposed to take food during the eclipse. This has been followed by most of the people, pilgrims and residents, in Vrindavan. From dawn to sunset, a river of people has streamed along the parikrama of Vrindavan loudly taking the holy names of Radha and Krishna. It was amazing to see how, in spite of the rain, all were determined to go along the holy circumambulatory path. Then as the time of the solar eclipse came close, the crowds flocked on the banks of the Yamuna, especially at the most renown bathing place, Keshi ghat. And while bathing there, some anonymous Brajbasis offered a huge amount of rose petals which began to flow for about twenty minutes or so along the ghats of the Yamuna with the utter astonishment of all of us. When the eclipse was over, everyone took bath again and washed carefully their houses and temples before resuming the normal activities of the days. The temples opened at around 8 p.m. and closed at around 11 due to the eclipse. Many broke their fast only at 9 or 10 p.m.. There was a diffuse sense of satisfaction everywhere. This was, at least, my personal feeling. Was the solar eclipse inauspicious at all? Comment on this story  Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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