Shloka 3
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
तन्निशम्योभयत्रापि भगवता रक्षणाय प्रयुक्तं सुदर्शनं नाम भागवतं दयितमस्त्रं तत्तेजसा दुर्विषहं मुहु: परिवर्तमानमभ्यवस्थितो मुहूर्तमुद्विजमानश्चकितहृदय आरादेव निवर्तते तदुपरागमिति वदन्ति लोका: ॥ ३ ॥
tan niśamyobhayatrāpi bhagavatā rakṣaṇāya prayuktaṁ sudarśanaṁ nāma bhāgavataṁ dayitam astraṁ tat tejasā durviṣahaṁ muhuḥ parivartamānam abhyavasthito muhūrtam udvijamānaś cakita-hṛdaya ārād eva nivartate tad uparāgam iti vadanti lokāḥ.
സൂര്യ-ചന്ദ്ര ദേവന്മാരിൽ നിന്ന് രാഹുവിന്റെ ആക്രമണവാർത്ത കേട്ട ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു അവരുടെ രക്ഷയ്ക്കായി ‘സുദർശനചക്രം’ എന്ന പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട ഭാഗവതാസ്ത്രത്തെ നിയോഗിക്കുന്നു. അതിന്റെ ദീപ്തമായ തേജസ് രാഹുവിന് അസഹ്യമായതിനാൽ അവൻ ഭയവിഹ്വലനായി ദൂരത്തേക്ക് പിന്മാറുന്നു. ഇതെയാണ് ലോകം ഗ്രഹണം എന്നു പറയുന്നത്.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, is always the protector of His devotees, who are also known as demigods. The controlling demigods are most obedient to Lord Viṣṇu, although they also want material sense enjoyment, and that is why they are called demigods, or almost godly. Although Rāhu attempts to attack both the sun and the moon, they are protected by Lord Viṣṇu. Being very afraid of Lord Viṣṇu’s cakra, Rāhu cannot stay in front of the sun or moon for more than a muhūrta (forty-eight minutes). The phenomenon that occurs when Rāhu blocks the light of the sun or moon is called an eclipse. The attempt of the scientists of this earth to go to the moon is as demoniac as Rāhu’s attack. Of course. their attempts will be failures because no one can enter the moon or sun so easily. Like the attack of Rāhu, such attempts will certainly be failures.
FAQs
This verse explains that when Rāhu approaches the Sun or Moon, he is driven back by the Lord’s Sudarśana Cakra; the brief obscuration perceived during this encounter is called an eclipse.
Sudarśana is described as the Lord’s beloved weapon employed for protection—here, protecting the Sun and Moon from Rāhu’s attack.
The verse reinforces faith that divine protection operates for the Lord’s order and His dependents; devotees can respond to fear by remembering the Lord’s safeguarding power rather than panicking.