Page:Illustrated Astronomy.pdf/89

 ASIA

In ancient Babylon (Iraq today), astrologists achieved an extensive astronomical knowledge and a predictive ability about eclipses. For them, these events came along with misfortune, in particular, the death of the king or his family. In the aim to prevent the Monarch from dying because of this phenomenon, he and his heirs were hidden. In his substitution, other people who would receive the royal treatments took his place, but, in return, they had to sacrifice their lives after the eclipse in order to avoid the destiny of the Monarch and his family. Nowadays, it would not be a work that so many people were willing to do.

In Hinduism, we find two types of demigods, suras and asuras. It is said that in the beginning, suras used to rule the Universe, but they were cursed after Indra (king of the skies) insulted Durvasa, the great sage. This situation caused asuras to take control over the battle “between the good and the evil.” Then, in the attempt to recover their power, suras consulted the god Vishnu, who recommended to obtain the elixir of immortality located in the bottom of the ocean of milk. However, they had to join forces with asuras to get it. They agreed, tempted by the lust of immortality, even though both of them planned to use it for their own benefits. They had to fight against the snake’s king to get the desired nectar, whom they bent together, and the elixir of immortality came along to the surface.

Asuras took the elixir first, and fled, then suras once more asked for help to Vishnu. As a response, the god took the shape of Mohini, a beautiful woman, and fooled the asuras to take the beverage, so then she can divide it. A bit tipsies, asuras gave up and didn’t peep a word while they were aligned in different lines and see Mohini pour the elixir into the mouth of the suras. One of the asuras, called Svarbhanu, realized and moved to the other cue to receive the immortality; the Sun and the Moon noticed about this and warned Mohini, but it was already too late, Mohini had already given him the beverage. Quickly, Vishnu grabbed his sword (chakra) and cut his head off before he had the chance to swallow the drink, but as the head had already had contact with the nectar of immortality, he lived without his body, and was known as Rahu, while his body is known as Ketu. It is believed that Rahu stayed living in the ascendant node of the Moon, and Ketu in the descendant.

That’s why when an eclipse occurs; it is said that Rahu eats or devours the Sun or the Moon, but since he doesn’t have a body, he comes out again. This action would be an act of revenge for advertising Vishnu of his intentions. • • • 89