Story,Do's Don't, what to do - Surya Grahan

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Om Namo Narayana....Story of Surya Grahan and Chandra Grahanam in Hindu ReligionSurya Grahan, solar eclipse, is widely mentioned

in the Holy Scriptures of Hinduism. There is also an interesting myth

regarding the occurrence of Surya Grahan. It happened during the

Samdura Manthan (churning of ocean) episode in the Puranas. Rahu

(Demon) and Mohini, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, are the main

characters in the incident. The

Amrit (elixir) that was obtained from churning the ocean was cunningly

stolen by Ausras (Demons). Lord Vishnu took the form of Mohini, a

beautiful damsel, to win back the Amrit. She achieved her mission by

enamoring the Asuras, they fell for her beauty and handed over the

Amrit to her.

Mohini

returned to the Devas and started distributing it. Devas sat in a line

and mohini gave a portion to each one of them. Rahu, an Asura, who

found out that they were tricked took the form a Deva and sat in the

line between Chandra (Moon God) and Surya (Sun God). When

Mohini approached Rahu, Chandra and Surya realized that Rahu was not

one among them and soon identified him as an Asura. Mohini soon severed

the head of Rahu which flew into the sky. Rahu’s, depicted in the form

of a Snake head occasionally, continued to live and decided to avenge

Surya and Chandra. Thus

periodically Rahu engages in a war with Surya and Chandra. The Chandra

Grahan (Lunar eclipse) and Surya Grahan (Solar eclipse) takes place

when Rahu gobbles up Moon and Sun respectively. Surya and Chandra then

fights to free themselves. Dos and Don’ts of watching Solar Eclipse – Precautions while viewing Surya GrahanThe most important precaution to be taken during

Solar Eclipse is not to watch the eclipse with naked eye. Watching the

Eclipse with naked eye might cause permanent damage to the eye or

blindness. The safest method of viewing a Total Solar Eclipse is by

projection, in which a small opening is used to cast the image of the

Sun on a screen beyond the opening. Don’ts During Solar Eclipse

Never watch the eclipse with a naked eye.Don’t use Binoculars to view the eclipse.Don’t use Telescope to view the eclipse.Don’t

use any cheap or easily available filters in Telescope or Binoculars to

view the sun. Only specifically designed filters should be used with

Telescope and Binoculars.Don’t watch the eclipse using color film.Don’t watch the eclipse with non-silver black and white film.Don’t watch the eclipse with medical x-ray films with images on them.

Don’t use smoked glass to view the sun.All developed films lack a silver emulsion and therefore it should not be used to view the eclipse.

Do’s During Solar Eclipse You should take the advice of an experienced person or a scientist before planning to view a Total Solar Eclipse

Only use specifically designed spectacles designed with filters to view the eclipse. The

safest method of viewing a Total Solar Eclipse is by projection, in

which a small opening is used to cast the image of the Sun on a screen

beyond the opening.It is safe to view the total phase of an

eclipse (when the moon completely coves the sun) with naked eye. But

one needs to know when to stop and start viewing the total phase. So

this is bit risky. Surya Grahan and Pregnant Women – What should Pregnant Women do during Suryagrahan in Hindu Religion?There is lot of fear among many Hindus regarding Surya Grahan (Solar Eclipse)

and Pregnancy. Most people want to know about precautions to be taken

during Surya Grahanam. The only precaution that you should take is that

you should never look at the Sun directly during the Grahan. As a clear

cut solution, ancient seers in Hinduism recommend pregnant women remain

indoors during Grahan. The mantra chanted during the period is the

Santana Gopala Mantra.Update: Next Surya Grahan is on January 15, 2010

Update: To all our friends and readers in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom - the Grahan on January 15, 2010 is not visible in these areas. So you don't need to worry.

Astrological View Point Now

for those of you believe in astrology, there is a ‘punya kala’ when the

Surya Grahan is visible. And people observe fasting during this period.

If the Grahan is not visible in the particular region, there is no

‘punya kala’ and there are no restrictions. There is no restriction in moving around if there is no Surya Grahan in your region.

Ayurvedic View Point Some

traditions in Hindu religion ask pregnant women to sit or lie down on a

mat containing Darbha grass or Kusha Grass. It is also advised to keep

some Kusha Grass with the pregnant woman. Fasting during Grahan

Now

there are several Hindu communities that fast (Upvaas) during Surya

Grahan. A pregnant woman should take the advice of her doctor before

fasting. If you are so particular about fasting, you can fast just

during the Surya Grahan period and avoid a complete fast. The Use of Metal or Sharp Objects

There

is a popular belief that pregnant women should not use sharp metal

objects like knife, pins etc during the Grahan period. In simple terms

they should not cut anything during the period or should not wear pins

etc. Some people suggest that it will be hard to stop the blood flow if

there is a cut on the body during the period. But this has no proper

scientific backing. Mantra During Surya Grahan

The mantra that is chanted during Surya Grahan by pregnant women is the Santana Gopala Mantra.

Surya Grahan Mantra – Prayers and Mantras Chanted during Solar Eclipse Mantras dedicated to Lord Surya including the Gayatri Mantra and Aditya Stotram are also chanted by Hindus

During Surya Grahan, devout Hindus perform several

rituals and chant different prayers and mantras. Hindu Pregnant women

chant Santana Gopala Mantra during the Suryagrahan. Most devout Hindus chant the Ashtakshara Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna or the Astakshari Mantra dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Ashtakshara mantra dedicated to Lord Krishna is ‘Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.’Astakshari Mantra dedicated to Lord Vishnu is 'Om Namoh Narayan Ya namah.'

Mahamrityunjay Mantra and Shiva Panchakshari Mantra dedicated to Lord Shiva are also chanted during the Surya Grahan period.

Shiva Panchakshari Mantra is Om Namah Shivaya Mahamrityunjay Mantra is

Om Tryambhakam YajamaheSugandhim PushtivardhanamUrvarukamiva BandhananMrityor Mukshiya Maamritat The Santana Gopala Mantra chanted by pregnant women is

Om Devaki Sudha GovindaVasudeva Jagath PatheDehimey ThanayamKrishna ThwamahamSaranam Kadhahaa

Deva Deva JagannathaGothra Vridhi Karap PrabhoDehimey Thanayam SheegramAyushmandham Yashashreenam!

Mantras dedicated to Lord Surya including the Gayatri Mantra and Aditya Stotram are also chanted by Hindus. What to do during Surya Grahan? – Surygrahan or Solar Eclipse in Hinduism

There are numerous recording of Surya Grahan, or

Solar Eclipse, in Hindu scriptures. The most famous being the

Suryagrahan during the famous Mahabharata war. Usually, Hindus do not

perform any work during Surya Grahan and they purify themselves by

taking a bath and by chanting mantras. A complete fast is undertaken by

many Hindus during the period. In Hindu religion, taking a holy dip at

sacred rivers and tirths on the Surya Grahan day is considered highly

auspicious. Update: The next Surya Grahan is on January 15, 2010.

Ancient

sages and texts like Brahman Siddhanta restrict viewing the eclipse –

one should look at an eclipse through a cloth or a reflection of it. A

pregnant woman should never look directly at an eclipse. Mantras Chanted during Surya Grahan

Some of the important mantras that are chanted during the Surya Grahan include: Gayatri Mantra

Ashtakshara

Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna. Ashtakshara mantra is ‘Shri Krishna

ha sharnam mama.’ Astakshari Mantra is also taken as ‘Om Namoh Narayan

Na Yah.’ Mahamrityunjay Mantra is also chanted during eclipse. Other mantras chanted are Surya Kavach Strotra and Aditya Hridaya Strotram

It is important that one chants mantra, or remember god in any form, at this time to keep calm and the aura clean.

Hindu Temples Remain ClosedAll

Hindu Temples remain closed during Surya Grahan. Temples open only

after proper rituals are performed to get rid of the ill effects of the

Surya Grahan. However, some Lord Shiva temples remain open during Surya

Grahan as Lord Shiva is considered as ‘Layakara,’ who Himself is an

embodiment of darkness. Fasting During Surya Grahan

Adult

Hindus stop eating 12 hours before a solar eclipse. Children, old

people and those who are ill stop eating 3 hours before the beginning

of a solar eclipse. If the solar eclipse ends after sunset, then people

fast during night and consume food only next day morning. One

should not take food at the time of Grahan because it is said that at

this time the most harmful rays from the sun can be seen and absorbed. Pregnant Woman and Surya Grahan

Normally

at the time of Surya Grahan, pregnant women are supposed to not come

out of the house, with no sunlight entering either by doors or windows.

This is to avoid harmful raysSurya Grahan in India in January 2010 – Surya Grahanam India Time – partial Solar Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse, Surya Grahan, will be visible in India on

January 15, 2010. According to NASA, the solar eclipse on 2010 January

15 is an Annular Eclipse. In India,

it will be visible from 11:25 hrs to 15:15 hrs (Indian Standard Time)

on January 15, 2010. The Surya grahanam will be visible in most of

Africa, India, Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Sri

Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and parts of China. As per

traditional Hindu calendar, January 15 is an Amavasi Day.

First images of Surya Grahan or Solar Eclipse at January 15, 2010Surya or Sun at 11:19 AM on January 15 at Trivandrum, Kerala

 

Surya or Sun at 11:57 AM on January 15 at Trivandrum

 

Surya or Sun at 12:24 PM on January 15 at Trivandrum, Kerala

 

Surya at 12:50 PM at Trivandrum on January 15, 2010

 

Surya or Sun at 01:05 PM on January 15 at Trivandrum, Kerala

 

Surya or Sun at 01:13 PM at Trivandrum on January 15, 2010

 

Surya or Sun at 01:16 PM at Trivandrum on January 15, 2010

 

Surya or Sun at 01:24 PM at Trivandrum on January 15, 2010

 

You can get detail time of the eclipse in different parts of India in this article - India January 15, 2010 Eclipse Time

What is Annular Eclipse?

An

annular eclipse happens when the sun is visible like a ring of fire,

with the moon darkening the center of the sun. In South India in

Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, the annular eclipse, or the ring of

fire, will be for nearly 8 minutes – from 13:10:35 hrs to 13:18:08 hrs.Longest Annular Eclipse of This Century

This

will be the longest annular solar eclipse of the third millennium.

There won’t be an annular solar eclipse longer than this one till 3043.

The last annular solar eclipse visible from India was in 1976. In

India, the grahan on January 15, 2010 passes between the southern tip

of India and northern Sri Lanka. Both regions lie within the path where

maximum annularity lasts for 10 minutes 15 seconds. Maximum grahan will

be visible in Trivandrum and other regions in south Kerala and in

Tirunellveli, Rameshwaram, Kannyakumari, Dhanushkodi, Nagercoil,

Madurai, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu.

The annular solar eclipse will be visible in places around world in the below map provided by NASA

 

click on the image for a larger view

All

Hindu temples remain closed during Surya Grahan and will reopen only

after the Grahan is over and after conducting special pujas and

rituals. On the day, Hindus also take holy dip in holy rivers like Ganga and also at Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra.

Usually,

religious Hindus do not perform any work during Surya Grahan and they

purify themselves by taking a bath and chant the Ashtakshara Mantra

dedicated to Shri Krishna and Mahamritunjaya mantra dedicated to Lord

Shiva. Ashtakshara mantra is ‘Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.’

Caution:

During Surya Grahan, there are some elements in society who take undue

advantage of innocent Hindus in the name of astrology and various

doshas on horoscope. Ancient Hindu saints only talk about the physical

harm Surya Grahanam can create on human beings. Put the thinking cap

and keep out unwanted elements who try to take undue advantage during

such occasions. The only aim of such people is money.With Love,Ganesh Babahttp://kriyababa.blogspot.com/To get spiritual mails

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