Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
यददस्तरणेर्मण्डलं प्रतपतस्तद्विस्तरतो योजनायुतमाचक्षते द्वादशसहस्रं सोमस्य त्रयोदशसहस्रं राहोर्य: पर्वणि तद्व्यवधानकृद्वैरानुबन्ध: सूर्याचन्द्रमसावभिधावति ॥ २ ॥
yad adas taraṇer maṇḍalaṁ pratapatas tad vistarato yojanāyutam ācakṣate dvādaśa-sahasraṁ somasya trayodaśa-sahasraṁ rāhor yaḥ parvaṇi tad-vyavadhāna-kṛd vairānubandhaḥ sūryā-candramasāv abhidhāvati.
On dit que le globe du soleil, source de chaleur, s’étend sur dix mille yojanas; celui de la lune sur douze mille yojanas, et Rāhu sur treize mille yojanas. Depuis la distribution du nectar, Rāhu nourrit une inimitié et, aux jours de parva, s’interpose entre le soleil et la lune pour voiler leur éclat.
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 40,000 yojanas. However to reconcile this apparent contradiction to the 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.
FAQs
This verse explains that at new and full moon, Rahu rushes toward the sun and moon and creates an obstruction, which is described as the cause of eclipses.
Śukadeva states Rahu is driven by continuing enmity (vairānubandhaḥ), and therefore he repeatedly pursues the sun and moon at the lunar junctions.
The verse highlights how unresolved hostility binds one to repetitive harmful actions; cultivating forgiveness and devotion breaks such cycles and steadies the mind during disturbing events.