Total Lunar Eclipse 2079

Total Lunar Eclipse. Today, the Full Moon day of Tuesday 22 of Karik 2079, during Bharani Nakcyatatra a Total Lunar Eclipse (Khagras Chandra Grahan)  is taking place. This Total Lunar Eclipse i.e Khagras Chanragrahan Khagras will take place or commence at 2:54 PM according to Nepali Standard time. At 4:01 PM the eclipse will be conjunct (the entire lunar image enters into the shadow) and at 4:44 PM the eclipse will be in its middle phase. As all these will phenomena will happen before the moonrise on the horizon of Kathmandu, there will be a total lunar eclipse (a phenomenon also known as “Grastodaya Eclipse”) in the sky of Kathmandu. A lunar eclipse is seen only after a solar eclipse occurs due to planetary movements and their spacing as well as other scientific factors. 

In Kathmandu, the eclipse shall be visible only after the moon rises at 5:11 P.M  in Kathmandu. According to the classical belief that even when the moon is already in eclipse (waning), the eclipse that cannot be seen will also not be considered as a pure eclipse and so-called different maleficient eclipse effects will not have to be borne by the residents of Kathmandu and the true eclipse will be considered only after the moonrise which is 5:11 NST.  After about 16 minutes of the total lunar eclipse in the sky of Kathmandu, the eclipse will slowly begin to disappear from 5:27 N.S.T. onwards.  At 6:34 PM, the total duration i.e. Sarvaparvakal of the eclipse will be of 1 hour and 23 minutes. Moonrise can occur at different times in different places due to location. When the eclipse has already occurred even before the moon has risen, the eclipse sutak (impurities pertaining to the duration of the eclipse)  is calculated based on the time when the moon rises in that particular place.

The total lunar eclipse can be seen from the entire area as the Pacific Ocean, Australia and the eastern part of Asia, Canada, and the Northwestern region of America and it shall be visible in Central Asia and South America also. However, this lunar eclipse will not be visible from Europe and Africa. 

How does Eclipse take place?

An eclipse occurs when a portion of the Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the Moon which will fully or partially block the sunlight. That is, the act of the sun or moon being blocked by another planet’s image. A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun’s image is blocked by the moon, while a solar eclipse occurs when the moon is between the sun and the earth casting its shadow. The condition where the whole planet’s image is blocked by the other planet is called Khagras and the condition where only the partial part is blocked is called a Partial eclipse. 

In practice, the word eclipse is used only when the shadow is made in the sun and moon, not including those made by other planetary bodies like Mars, Mercury, etc. As the earth orbits, the sun and the moon orbit the earth, sometimes the shadow of the earth falls on the moon and sometimes the shadow of the moon falls on the earth. Hence, a lunar eclipse is seen when the shadow of the earth falls on the moon and a solar eclipse is seen when the shadow of the moon falls on the earth. 

When an eclipse occurs, the sun, the earth, and the moon come together in a single line, or like three points of the same line. This condition is possible only on the new moon (ausi) and full moon. The solar eclipse occurs on the new moon and the lunar eclipse on the full moon according to the conditions of those heavenly bodies. When a solar eclipse occurs, the moon reaches in between the earth and the sun, and the sun’s image appears to be blocked from the earth’s surface. When viewed from the earth, eclipses occur when the moon and sun are in the same line. The fast-moving moon usually starts blocking from the west side of the solar system like a cloud and exits towards the east, so the touch of a solar eclipse is from the west side and finishes from the east side. A solar eclipse is seen differently when viewed from different places. Therefore, while a solar eclipse is taking place in one place, it is not visible from another. 

Total (Khagras) Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday 22nd of Kartik 2079

In all the areas affected by this astronomical phenomenon, the bombardment of harmful and distorted rays from the moon has an adverse effect on all creatures and especially on mankind. Therefore, Eastern sages have had interpreted the eclipse as an impure time. In the scriptures, many activities are prohibited during the eclipse from special work, such as eating, entertainment, sports, sleeping, till makeup, auspicious religious activities, touching gods’ idols, etc.

Eclipse sutak (impurities) starts three praharas (9 hours) before the lunar eclipse and four praharas (12 hours) before the solar eclipse. According to the scriptures, one should not eat after the initiation of Sutak (impure time) of an eclipse. There is also a scriptural instruction that in the case of the moon being in waning condition, foods must be consumed during the sighting of the previous moon. The Nepal Panchang Nirnayak (Jury) Committee has suggested not to consume food except for those differently abled children, small children, the elderly, and those who are impatient after 8:11 am on this day. Children, the elderly, and even the disabled are instructed not to eat at least one prahar (3 hours) before the eclipse by scriptures.

Sleeping during an eclipse will reduce one’s longevity, Similarly, if one eats/consume food, one will get terminal illness and degeneration. Likewise urinating during the eclipse increases poverty, and a person defecating will be reborn in the next life in the form of different kinds of low-life bugs. And finally, intercourse during the eclipse will get the person reincarnated as a pig. Pregnant women should take special precautions as the baby in the womb are likely to be affected during the eclipse, during this time, she should not look at the eclipse or go out of the house without any emergency. Even when by chance a child is born during an eclipse, it is considered as bad luck/omen, so Swastishanti/shantiswasti along with Arishtayoga should be done at the right time. 

It is said that performing spiritual activities such as worship of the different deities, mantra-chanting, chanting of mantra sadhana, homa (fire worship-Yagya), shraddha, etc. during the eclipse will be beneficial. The eclipse period is considered the most useful time to accomplish tantra-mantra. There is also a religious law that states that one should bathe just before the eclipse is about to start, after the start of the eclipse one should perform fire worship, and bathe with clothes on. Bathing and donating during these types of eclipse periods is considered to be particularly very beneficial.

The bathing water must be always pure. It is said that taking a bath in spring water is more meritable than using water from underground wells, lakes, and ponds than springs, which are considered highly meritable or 10 times better than the previous water and so on. In this same way. Gangas’ water is considered to be the holiest of all the great rivers, and seawater that exists in this area of the world which was formerly known as Sindh Ghati also. 

According to the religious scriptures, the water of all places such as the Holy river the Ganges, or other rivers (those not contaminated)and clean bodies as lakes, and waterfalls are very clean and pure during the time of an eclipse. It is said as well as an old age belief from the scriptures that all the characters who take donations/alms are holy brahmins and all the donations performed during this occasion are eternally very fruitful.। It is said that spiritual activities such as deity worship, mantra-Upasana, chanting of Tantra sadhana, homa (fire-worship), shraddha, etc. performed and observed during the eclipse will be highly beneficial. The eclipse period is also taken and considered the most useful time to practice as well as to accomplish tantra-mantra

 Effects of Eclipses on Different Zodiac Signs

An eclipse can bring good fortune to some and misfortune to others. If there is an eclipse in the 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 11th signs from your name sign, then the eclipse is auspicious. Apart from this, if there is an eclipse in other zodiac signs, it is unfavorable. According to classical belief, it is auspicious to watch the eclipse only those with the auspicious zodiac sign. If other signs observe the eclipse, the said adverse results are enhanced. This year the solar eclipse will take place in Swati Nakshatra. Therefore, it is believed that the result of this eclipse will be painful for people born under Swati Nakshatra and Libra.

Adverse Effects of Eclipse-

• Aries:    Suffering to husband or wife

• Taurus: Happiness

• Gemini: Anxiety

• Cancer: Pain

• Leo: Wealth and Popularity. 

• Virgo: Betrayal 

• Libra: Ambush

• Scorpio: Expenditure

• Sagittarius: Gain

• Capricorn: Happiness

• Aquarius: Defamation

• Pisces: Trouble/Hardship

An eclipse is an irregular phenomenon that appears in the sky from time to time. Generally, it provides auspicious results for up to 6 months. It is said that Auspicious work should not be done for 6 months during the eclipsed Nakshatra i.e. during the period during which Nakchyatra the eclipse occurred. 

Although an eclipse is interpreted as an inauspicious time, this time can be very beneficial for those who perform, and follow the spiritual work and meditation as mentioned earlier. As it is said in scripture, “प्रत्यक्षं ज्योतिषं शास्त्रं चन्द्रार्कौ यत्र साक्षिणौ’, meaning, that the eclipse occurring on different times also provides an opportunity to correct errors while preparing calendars (Nepali Patro) which includes testing mathematics in astrology.