History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.965

v6.c81.965

It appears from the Bṛhat-saṁhitā that the real cause of eclipses was known to Indian astronomers several centuries before Varāhamihira (1st half of 6th century A. D.) who remarks⁶²² 'In a lunar eclipse the moon enters into the shadow of the earth and in a solar eclipse the moon enters the Sun (i. e. comes between the sun and the earth), that this cause of eclipses was found by (former) ācāryas who had a divine insight, that Rāhu is not the cause (of eclipses), this is the true state that the śāstra (of astronomy) declares (or this is the real intent of śāstra)'. In spite of this correct theory of eclipses, common people and even learned men (not astronomers) then believed and do believe up to the present day that Rāhu is the cause of eclipses and regard an eclipse as a special occasion for bath, gifts, *japa*, śrāddha and the like Varāhamihira makes an effort⁶²³ to square Śruti, Smṛti, popular belief and real astronomical doctrine by the remark that there was an Asura on whom a boon was conferred by Brahmā 'You will be gratified by a portion of the gifts and offerings made on an eclipse', that Asura remains present to receive his portion and that therefore it is metaphorically (poetically) said that he is Rāhu Rationalism and popular traditions and superstition cannot go together. Some difference was made between an eclipse of the Sun and that of the moon. Vyāsa says: ⁶²⁴ 'an eclipse of the moon is one hundred thousand times (more meritorious than an ordinary day) and an eclipse of the Sun ten times more so than the preceding and if the waters of the Ganges are near (for a bath) then a moon eclipse is one crore of times (more meritorious) and a sun's eclipse is ten times more so than the preceding'.