Eclipses: A Vedic Exploration through Ayurveda, Jyotish & Mantra #152

When an eclipse happens, something shifts. The light changes. The atmosphere feels different. Traditionally, these moments were never treated as ordinary.

In this episode, Dylan is joined by Jyotishi and Ayurvedic practitioner Laura Plumb, Vaidya Dr Krishna Raju, Vaidya and medical astrologer Dr Harsha Raju, and mantra teacher Purnesh. Together they explore eclipses through the lenses of Ayurveda, Jyotish and mantra śāstra.

They speak about Rahu and Ketu, the difference between solar and lunar eclipses, why digestion and prāṇa are considered more sensitive during these periods, and why eclipses have long been used as powerful windows for mantra and inner practice. Specific mantras and simple ritual guidelines are shared, along with practical recommendations around food, rest, meditation and how to orient the mind during these heightened times. The conversation moves between astronomy, subtle physiology and lived experience, offering a steady and grounded way to approach eclipse events.

Rather than sensationalising eclipses, this episode invites a composed perspective. A reminder that moments of shadow can also be moments of alignment.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

🌒 The Vedic understanding of eclipses
🌒 Rahu and Ketu in Vedic mythology
🌒 Solar vs lunar eclipses and their different impacts on mind, prāṇa and physiology
🌒 Agni, digestion and subtle sensitivity during eclipse periods
🌒 Practical Ayurvedic guidance for food, fasting and daily routine
🌒 Mantra practices and specific chants recommended during eclipses
🌒 Moving beyond fear toward steadiness and alignment in times of shadow

RESOURCES:

• Show Notes for this episode (with full resources & mantra spellings)
• Seven Dhatus and Nine Planets - Online Course with Dylan & Vaidya Harsha Raju
• Vital Veda’s Abhanga Courses (2026) in Byron Bay, Australia & London, UK
• All of Vital Veda's online & in-person courses and trainings
• Ayurveda x Astrology: The Cosmic Blueprint For Health - Masterclass with Vaidya Harsha Raju
• Book a Jyotish session with Laura Plumb - Discount Code: LAURA10 for 10% discount 
• Book a Jyotish session with Vaidya Harsha Raju
• Friends of Vital Veda

Transcript

Honoring Light And Defining Eclipses

SPEAKER_03 0:00

This time on the Vital Veda podcast.

SPEAKER_06 0:03

These grahas, as they call it, these heavenly bodies have a great impact on life on this planet, on our life.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Jogis is really just reflecting back to us who we are. There is sun in the heart, moon in the mind, and all the planets within traveling around. So anchor into the light within.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

Some people are more sensitive to the moon, for example, the moon or eclipses, and some people are.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

Actually, astrologically, which rashi it is done and which nakshatra it is done, according to that also, it differs from person to person.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

You also have to appreciate the person being so sensitive to it. That is an ability. It's not a disability.

SPEAKER_03 1:00

I have it in my calendar when they're coming with an alert. So I know when they're coming, so I can prepare and I can utilize that time for maximum spiritual growth. I like to hitchhike on the abundance of cosmic energy that is available then and use it for my spiritual evolution as well as expanding my consciousness. And you're gonna learn about that in today's episode. We have a treat for you today, or do we do we do we do we? We have multiple guests. We have Vedia Hosharaju, a Vedic astrologer and an Auretic doctor. We have his uncle Dr. Krishna Raju, also an Auretic doctor. We have the wonderful Jyotishi Laura Plum, who's based in US, and we have the mantra master Purnesh, based in Holland, Netherlands, who is an incredible teacher of Vedic knowledge. And we're gonna go into the topic of eclipses. My intention for this episode is to get quite a broad guide and applications, actions that you can take to do during an eclipse, and also things to avoid. You may have heard things of like, don't go outside and look at the eclipse according to the Vedic worldview. Well, we're gonna actually unpack that and look at why, and also perhaps some myths around that or some different approaches. We're gonna look into fasting or how to eat around an eclipse. We're gonna look at various rituals during an eclipse, such as bathing, such as certain mantras being chanted, advising you which mantras, sharing different recordings of mantras. This is a very rich podcast episode. I'm so excited for you to listen and tune in. I'm looking forward to it. So we're gonna dive in. Let me know what you think, share this episode, and enjoy. Firstly, let's explore what actually is an eclipse, according to the Vedic worldview, as well as astronomically. And Laura Plum, who is one of my favorite Vedic astrologers, she's also an Ayurvedic practitioner, so has that wonderful integration between the Vedic sciences as well as an incredibly experienced Jyotishi and practitioner seen many clients. She kind of made me consider something else before answering the question, what is an eclipse? What's happening in the sky in this universe at this time?

SPEAKER_00 3:21

I feel like we have to really honor these luminaries of ours. You know, it's think to ask what is an eclipse is like first let's ask what is not the eclipse, what is normal, what is this world we're living in? You know, mostly we're used to light, right? We're used to the light coming up every morning. And we're used to it. It's normal that the sun comes back, but stop and think about it for a minute. Wow, isn't it great that it comes back? And how beautiful that we have this opportunity each day to start afresh, that we have an opportunity each day to have one more day to hopefully evolve our consciousness and hopefully evolve our soul on its journey. As yogis, we honor the light and we're we're reminded that that light of the sun, that is that central force around which we are all spinning, the earth and all the planets, that is also the light within us, right? And everything sort of spins around that that light, that central force within us. The sun reminds us of our own essential nature. And then we say, and make me more like that, please. Let me be more enlightened, let me be more life-giving. How beautiful is that?

SPEAKER_03 4:26

It is beautiful. Now, to address again what actually is an eclipse, let's start with the Vedic mythology of how eclipses manifested.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

And one of the stories that we know of from the Himalayan culture or the Vedic culture is this idea that there was some dragon who is an asura. Like he's he doesn't know about his own inner light, right? And so he's always he has to go outside of himself. He sees people praying to the sun, he sees the Brahmins every morning getting up and doing their rituals to the sun, and he says, Oh, the sun must have something great about it. What happens if I go and eat it? Then I'll become like that, and all the world will pray to me, all the world will honor me. And so he jumps in the sky, according to this story, and he goes and eats the sun. And it's interesting because you almost can see if you ever do look at a solar or a lunar eclipse, it's almost sometimes, not always, it can almost look like a bite was taken out of it, like there's this partial bit. Sure.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

There is another story in Vedic mythology which we've actually done a whole podcast episode on, and that is the churning of the Milky Ocean, and is a story of the demons, the Rakshasas, and the Devas, the divine celestial beings working together to churn the Milky Ocean or the field of pure consciousness, the unified field, because they wanted to get the Amrita, the nectar of immortality from that field, from that great ocean, and they needed to work together to get that, to churn it together, because they needed to kind of jump on each side of a big snake around a big mountain and churn, churn the ocean to get this Amrita. Now, what happened during this churning is one Rakshasa called Rahu, Rahu and Ketu, they ended up eating. They wanted some of that nectar of immortality, and they got some. And that was the head of the dragon, and then uh the body was also separated by the chakra, and that was named Ketu. Now, this is the story of how the dragon split in half at the churning of the Milky Ocean.

Mythic Rahu And Ketu Explained

SPEAKER_00 6:48

And when these Asuras, these unenlightened ones, see what the gods are doing, they say, Oh, we'd like that nectar of immortality too. So they come along and they make a deal, which I love because it's such a reminder that as we do our own spiritual churning, we don't want to spiritually bypass. We have to include our darkness, we have to include our illusions, we have to include the part of ourselves that feels unenlightened, that feels not whole and complete. So beautiful. So they have to come together to churn the ocean because they're seeking to churn that nectar. So, just back to your question, what is an eclipse? Well, some people would tell you it's the day when either the head of the dragon eats either the sun or the moon, depending on if it's a solar or lunar eclipse, or the body of the dragon blocks so we can't see it.

SPEAKER_03 7:40

Let's learn about eclipses from an astronomical point of view. There are two main kinds: solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between the earth and the sun. The moon gets right in front of the sun and blocks its light. That's why for a few minutes or so during the day the sky can go dark even though it's not nighttime. Now, what's incredible is the moon is tiny compared to a sun. You could fit 64 million moons inside the sun. So how does a moon get in front of us and manage to block the sun so perfectly? Well, it's all about distance and sight. And here's the magic number: 108. The distance from Earth to the moon is about 108 times the diameter of the moon. And the distance from the earth to the sun, which is much further away, obviously, the distance from the earth to the sun is about 108 times the diameter of the sun. So even though the sun is huge and far away, and the moon is much smaller and closer, they appear the same size, almost the same size in the sky. That is why when they line up just right, the moon can completely cover the sun, and that is called a total solar eclipse. Now, a lunar eclipse is the opposite. It happens when the earth moves between the sun and the moon. This blocks sunlight from reaching the moon because the earth is in the middle of it. The earth is casting its shadow onto the moon, and you'll see the moon darken, sometimes turning a coppery red. That's a total lunar eclipse, and obviously a partial lunar eclipse is when just a part of the earth is blocking the light from the sun onto the moon. So, in summary, a total eclipse is when the moon blocks the sun, so the earth is in a shadow. And a lunar eclipse is when the earth blocks the sun, so the moon is in a shadow. And the number 108, it's not just mathematical, it is significant in the Vedic tradition because it's deeply interconnected with the intelligence of nature. 108 represents the wholeness of existence, the link between the individual and the infinite. In the number itself, number one stands for the absolute, pure consciousness. Zero represents the silent field of pure potential, the void. And eight turned sideways is the symbol of infinity, the endless unfolding of creation. It's the infinite expression of shape. So this sacred number appears astronomically, as we just discovered, how 108 makes perfect solar and lunar eclipses possible, but it's as if the proportions of the universe are tuned to an inner harmony that echoes the same intelligence that underlines mantra, vibration, meditation, and the subtle structures of creation itself. So when an eclipse happens, you're not just seeing a shadow, you are witnessing a moment of celestial precision, a divine enlightenment that's been playing out for almost eternity. Punesh, who is a globally respected teacher of Vedic wisdom meditation and one of my favorite teachers of mantra, he's a former monk and disciple of Sri Shu Rava Shankaji, has taught in over 30 countries and authored the best-selling international book, Looking Inward. He talks about how impactful and influential these planets or grahas are.

SPEAKER_06 11:32

These grahas, as they call it, these heavenly bodies have a great impact on life on this planet, on our life. When we look at the tides, you know, how the moon is connected to the water, also in our body, on our mind. It's the direct connection between the moon and the mind and the phases of the moon. That's why we see during new moon or full moon, people, for example, with I mean, you know this also, with some psychological um weaknesses, you can say, uh, usually feel it even more. That's why in old days they used to call them lunatics. No, the word lunar comes from moon. So then the crazy people will get more crazy. And the sun, of course, without the sun, life would not be possible here.

Astronomy, The Number 108, And Precision

SPEAKER_03 12:12

So as planets influence us on Earth, when shadows or eclipses get involved, things get stirred up.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

It is an alteration of that which is normal. It's a disruption, and it does disrupt. It disrupts the eyes. We know it's dangerous to the eyes, it disrupts the optic nerve. How do we read the sun? We read it through the eyes and through our skin. And through the skin, it can disrupt, it can be a hormonal disruptor. And many people complain of sleep issues, anxiety, flu-like symptoms, balance issues, dizziness during times of eclipses. So that's not to say that that's scientific or that's scientifically studied, but I hope one day there will be more science to study the effect of the eclipse.

SPEAKER_06 12:58

We can call it a disturbance in nature. Of course, it's part of nature, but you see, even the nature gets a little confused because what happens suddenly during the day, it gets dark. So it's like a small portal opens up where you can peep through, where where you get access to a cosmic energy that otherwise is not available to you.

SPEAKER_03 13:25

This cosmic portal of energy that is created can have positive impacts or even negative and slightly overwhelming implications, but ultimately this cosmic portal is created by two shadows.

SPEAKER_06 13:40

And this in Jyotish they call the the Chayagrahas or the notes, the shadow planets, which are Rahu and Ketu. So these are not physical planets, but they're the point where the eclipse happens. So they are the eclipse, you can say they are the shadow. And they bring a lot of spirituality, but that is also because they bring chaos. So they disturb the status quo. It's like when in life, yeah, in life, most of the spirituality comes when we face challenges. That is the reality. If everything is good, is nice, who really thinks about God or going inward or finding something that is eternal? But when we are shaken, then you look for some support outside the world.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

So for this reputation that eclipses have within the Vedic tradition of shaking things up, it is technically classified as quote unquote inauspicious. We we asked our audience what questions they had on eclipses, and basically by far the most common question was, why do we stay inside? So we I think before that we have to elaborate. I would like to elaborate more if you have anything more to say on why eclipses are generally considered quote unquote inauspicious. You said they disrupt the circadian rhythm. I kind of see it as this powerful energies that are interchanging in the environment, and thus it's considered for us to be inward and not interfere with them because they're too powerful for us. It's kind of like menstruation, you know. One might say it's it's inauspicious to go to the temple while menstruating, and not that it's bad, but it's like I see the menstrual cycle similar to a lunar, you know. We're talking about the moon, a lunar cycle, is that the the flow of fluids and the flow of shakti of creative energy that's happening at the shedding of the lining is just powerful beyond human comprehension. Therefore, better just you know, don't be intimate with the menstruating woman. Ideally, let them be fully within themselves rather than with other people to that will kind of take away from that powerful energy. So that's kind of how I see eclipses and and I've felt on multiple occasions personally.

How Eclipses Affect Body And Mind

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Well, I think what you said is so beautiful, yeah, and so brilliant and so perfect. You've said it so beautifully. And I like the comparison to the lunar cycle in women. That reminds me of the red tent, and I think a lot of women, a lot of women that I know have been very intrigued by that idea that you know, women generally tend to, if they're living again in rhythm and close to one another, their cycles will entrain with the cycle of the moon and with one another. And then that idea of going to the red tent and all being together where you can journal and sing and sew and do all the things that are just relaxing and restorative, so healthy and so healing. And maybe if we thought of it that way, that this is a time when the forces are quite strong. Because I think nowadays we're so used to us humans thinking that we've we've overcome nature, so to speak, and we control it now. And so I think it's beautiful to take a time like an eclipse and say, wow, nature is really powerful. And it is still more powerful than we are. And there's there are certain times, huge monsoons, huge snowstorms, huge landslides. I mean, there are still times when nature roars, and she's a mother, right? She's our mother nature, and there are times where she's like collie and she's slain. And you know, what do you do in those times? You get on your knees and you bow and you say, Thank you, I love you, thank you, I love you, thank you. I just want to work with you, I just want to be one with you, I just want to be part of you. And so I think if we think of it again, like in a little bit like the red tent idea, that these are beautiful times for ritual, beautiful times for being devotional, beautiful times for being more humble, right? And like you said, it's like and and the awe that it can also bring, like wow, nature is ferocious, powerful. Aren't I lucky to be here, to be on this planet Earth, and to even to be able to witness this? So it's not to hide from it, it's not to miss the awe of it, because it is an awesome event, but it's actually to be humble, right? And to and really to do what the yogis invited us to do, to turn to the uneclipsible light, where your meditation is amplified by about a thousand times. If that isn't an invitation, I don't know what is.

SPEAKER_06 18:22

So the thing is that these notes, the Grahu and Ketu, they bring a lot of spirituality. Um, and that's why they say the time of the eclipse is a time very good for spiritual practices, so for mantras, for meditation, not for worldly things. So they say that time, if you can avoid doing especially important things, like starting any new endeavor, you know, whether it's in your work or any relationship thing or any um like anything of your sansaic life, you can say, your worldly life. For that time, they say it's better to sit and do your sadhana, your meditation, your mantras. Um, it's not advised to sleep, also, but that time you can say the mind is more vulnerable because it gets shaken because of these energies, but because of that, uh, you can say imbalance in nature to put it like that, you get access to like much more spiritual energy. So anything you any spiritual practice you do, the effect is multiplied manifold. It's uh what they call a punyakala for or a very good time, blessed time for any spiritual practices, and then especially the meditation and the mantras. Not the not the pujas or the homas, they say we don't do offerings to the to the devitas, to the energies, but the chanting and the the meditation is very nice.

SPEAKER_03 19:48

Vedya Dr. A. V. Krishna Rajya is a renowned Ayurvedic physician, a renowned pulse diagnostic master, and my very beloved dear teacher, who shares about how the energy is generated during the eclipse itself, and then after the eclipse, what happens after that energy unleashes and gushes out.

SPEAKER_01 20:12

When the shadow is covered, it is like completely you are closing with something. And when you open it, like if there is a tap flowing water, you have completely closed it, and when you open it, the pressure will be too much. So, similarly, when something is shadowed, and again that shadow is gone, that rays are very strong. It's very new to that. So it differs. Actually, astrologically, which uh rashi it is done and which nakshatra it is done according to that, also it differs from person to person. But if we see as a universal thing, definitely after the eclipse, we have to be uh taking the shower and all these things because of that thing.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

So, like we come into the earth, we we birth, and then it's like a big overwhelm, it's a whole new world. And also when the tap comes out, it's like a big flush and gush. So once the eclipse finishes, that shadow has been removed, it's a big wave of energy. So the energy comes more so after the eclipse than during the eclipse, or it's generating during the eclipse, it's building up, and then when it finishes, it's like yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Right. Even in some villages, they put a stick in the water, watered um plate, or even just like that, also. During the eclipse, it will be completely straight. Just balancing. In the water. Yeah, it balances. Wow. And after the eclipse, it will follow. You can you can search in the YouTube. You will see.

SPEAKER_03 22:10

So this is like the gravitational or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

So that force.

SPEAKER_03 22:15

Vedya Harsha Raju, also from the Raju family of Ayurvedic doctors and particularly renowned for his ability to blend Ayurveda and Jyotish, himself being a Jyotishi as well as an Ayurvedic doctor, also talks about how sensitivity differs according to person, according to their birth chart, particularly where their moon is placed.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

In the profession of being Vaitya, where we meet an extremely sensitive person to eclipses. So advising, helping, guiding, but it suddenly gives curiosity that am I not sensitive? And they're feeling so much. So then also you'll appreciate that oh your moon is strong. But then you also have to appreciate the person being so sensitive to it. That means they're able to sense the subtleties, but that is an ability. It's not a disability because the minute you take it as disability, you are afraid of eclipse. Ability, you will do all the right things and utilize the eclipse for mantra sadhana. Eclipses are like looked forward, like on that day I will do. In tantra, it's like highly used, but in a good way. The negative way is rare. So that way, eclipses can be, if you know the knowledge and you are sensitive, actually useful.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Laura shares which characteristics from birth charts are specifically sensitive to eclipses, as well as how the nakshatras or the constellations can also become sensitive to certain eclipses and other astrological events.

SPEAKER_00 24:10

If you even think about how the moon passing in front of the nakshatras, which are the stars within the signs, and how distinct and unique each nakshatra is, and there's that moon balancing the light of those stars in such a way that you're making a completely different personality. Like that's how much how impactful they are and how powerful they are. And also for people listening, just think about the time, if ever, in your life, where it was a full moon and you had trouble falling asleep, speaking of circadian rhythms. And there are a lot of studies that show that there's higher crime rates when the moon is full, there's higher accidents when the moon is full, and they think it's because there's actually more light, because the full moon is reflecting the light of the sun, and with that more light, we have a harder time falling asleep. We have a harder time calming down. So now it's nighttime, but we're ready to roar, we're ready to rock, we're ready to roll, right? We're ready to, and so people are staying up later, maybe they're drinking more, then they're getting into accidents and fights, and there's more crime. And if that's true, and you're talking about just a simple full moon that happens every month, and we should be used to it by now. Imagine what eclipses do.

SPEAKER_03 25:16

I love how you mentioned the nakshatras giving a flavor to each moon, like because there's 27 constellations, so it can have its own flavor. And that brings me into a question about which I'm sure is on a lot of people's minds, like, well, some people are more sensitive to others, like, oh, okay, Dylan, because you thought you knew it was the eclipse, that's why you felt that. And if someone didn't know, which to extent is true, to extent, but I also would like to speak about some people are more sensitive to the moon, for example, the moon or or eclipses, and some people aren't.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

It's a great question. So there are certain sensitivity markers in the chart, and anybody whose moon is in a water sign, right? Because the moon relates to the water element in the body, and water relates to many things. Actually, water in Geotih relates to moksha, relates to spiritual uh evolution, and and so that's an interesting piece of that.

SPEAKER_03 26:08

What are the water signs?

SPEAKER_00 26:10

Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. So if you have moon in Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces, you have a water sign moon, and water sign moon people are generally sensitive, not in a bad way. They can be sensitive, they can pick up on other people's feelings, they can have a great deal of empathy, they can be intuitive, they can even have sort of ESP, right? They're just tuned in. And again, that water element is sort of feeling the tides, right? So the moon governs the tides, and they're almost feeling the tides as they're moving. And that it's interesting what you say. Like somebody said to you, well, Dylan, you knew it was gonna happen, so therefore maybe that's why. But I think in the best sense, knowing something can happen is going to happen, or knowing about a thing can help us be more aware, and then we pay attention, and then we notice. It doesn't, I mean, sure, placebo effect, it can make us just say something, but I think the more aware and awake we are, the more we're just saying, well, let me see what that feels like. Let me be an observer of that. Now that I know this might happen, let me experience it for my own self. Sensitivity markers, you know, we often say that people with a Leo, sun in Leo, or moon in Leo, might really feel the solar eclipse because the planet that rules their sun or their moon is now being eclipsed. And so that's another one. So now we've got four out of the 12 signs. The other people who might really feel it are people who have strong moons, like if the moon is in the rising sign, or if the moon is maybe even in the tenth house, then they could really feel it. Um, could be if somebody's moon or even sun is yeah, I mean, even somebody who has sun or moon in the rising sign, so I should say that for the sun too. And then if somebody has an afflicted moon or sun, that could give a sensitivity where it's important for them, anyways, to do practices that help cultivate the sun or cultivate the moon within. And that those would be meditation practices, mantra practices, various rituals. And so when the sun or moon is eclipsed, all the more they want to do those sorts of practices. So those kinds of afflictions would be if Saturn is conjunct or aspecting the sun or moon, if Rahu especially is conjunct, the moon, but also the sun. Same with Ketu, conjunct or aspecting, moon or sun. And then Mars. Mars can be, especially the with the moon, Mars can be a fire that can burn up the moon, sort of thing. And so, well, that's a lot of people by the end of it, by the time you count all that up. But I would say the people who are most powerfully moved by the new and full moon, I would say most mainly by the full moon, would be the water sign moon people, right?

SPEAKER_03 29:11

I once experienced a very powerful eclipse, and we recorded a podcast on it. We mentioned we talked about eclipses, and that was after an eclipse that I had an exceptionally powerful experience. And you looked at my chart and you saw, I think it was my the eclipse was in the same nakshatra as my moon. So would that also be something is when depending on the nakshatra that eclipse is in?

SPEAKER_00 29:37

Ah, great question. So if the well, I think people who are starting to pay attention will feel, for instance, when the moon is full in their sign or their nakshatra.

SPEAKER_04 29:49

Right.

SPEAKER_00 29:50

I've really noticed that with people, but you have to have an awareness of it, right? But then you start paying attention. It's really beautiful to follow the moon and its nakshatras, because when the moon, for instance, is in Taurus, I've really noticed everything feels calm, right? When the moon is in Scorpio, I notice people feel a little bit more wobbly, a little bit more fragile. Uh so it's interesting to see that. And yes, when if the moon were either full or eclipsed, and it's in the nakshatra where the moon was when you were born, you're probably gonna feel it. But again, a lot of people, Dylan, it depends who the person is. I mean, a lot of people will work through it, right? Or they'll sleep through it, or they'll keep busy and they won't really be paying attention. But somebody who just stops, pauses, pays attention to what they're feeling, yeah, it's definitely something that you can notice.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

I noticed that, by the way, after like I did I just was saying how powerful it was in your like, actually, you're nakshatra. That's it was your nakshatra. Side note, you may be wondering, well, where is your moon and what's your birth chart like, and what's your nakshatra? Well, if you would like a Vedic consultation, a Vedic astrology consultation, you can book with Laura or with Vedia Hasharaju with other Vedic astrologers that we truly can vouch for in their authenticity and their effecacy. You can check out the show notes where we share links to book Vedic astrology consultations with these wonderful Jotishis.

Solar Versus Lunar: Society-Level Effects

SPEAKER_00 31:20

If I could just say to be really clear, lunar eclipses, because it's the moon, and that's the mind and humans and Sita, right? And the sun is Rom and the creator, right? And so the mind reflecting the light of the sun, that's what we're always focused on. Let's have a full moon, let's fully reflect as humans the light of the sun, Rom and Sita, right? Entwined and living together and working together. So lunar eclipses generally affect the humans, the everyday people, the mind, the emotions. Whereas a solar eclipse will more likely affect the leaders, the government, the heads of government. And so something will happen there. It could happen to a particular leader, but it or it could happen that the leader itself will do something that seems a bit, you know, disrupting. So that's one thing to remember. And which one comes first, right? So this recently we had the lunar eclipse. So it was more the mental, emotional level and the human level, humans getting stressed and having problems. Next, you know, we're gonna have in September, October, we're gonna have the solar eclipse first and then the lunar eclipse. So it'll be driven by led by the solar eclipse. We'll look for heads of government or government rulings kind of doing something very eclipsing, uh eclipsing light. That's one thing to remember. Another thing is that this kind of intensity, this kind of, as you said, cosmic event isn't gonna happen to everyone every time there's an eclipse. It's like you said earlier. If it's happening across the nakshatra of your moon, then it's likely to have a powerful effect. It could also happen across your rising sign. It could also happen across your sun sign. So it depends really, your chart is is really gonna matter.

SPEAKER_03 33:11

Pune shares similar views on how eclipses can have very specific effects and specific impacts, including specific societies and specific economies, according to what type of eclipse it is and also when it occurs.

SPEAKER_06 33:25

And it's interesting because they say in the scriptures that for example, if the eclipse happens during the Uttaraina, which is the first half of the year, it it roughly comes to like the middle of Jan to the middle of in the northern hemisphere when the sun is moving up. Yeah, so for people, you can say middle of Jan till middle of July more or less. Right. Um that time if the eclipse happens, they say, the ones, the especially solar eclipse, when we talk about, then who gets affected is the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, um, which are you can say the teachers, the priests, the learned ones, but also the administration, so all the politicians and government. So during that time, if a solar eclipse happens, it has more of an impact on the political situation where you can see there may be some disturbances or or issues related to governments, um wars, you know, that kind of thing, where the army and government is involved, some governments may change, may face a difficult time, and when it happens in the second part of the year, the Dakshinaina, then mostly the Shudras and the Vaishas get affected, which are the traders, the businessmen, and the laborers. So that has more of an economic impact. So you see, when a solar eclipse happens during that time, it has more of an impact on the economic situation where the economy may suffer, or and then there are so many factors that you have to see from the Jyotish perspective what exactly and how it gets affected. But like that, there are very interesting things in interesting general kind of pattern.

SPEAKER_03 34:58

I wonder what it is when the sun moves north in with the rhina that it is affecting the Brahmins and and even the order.

SPEAKER_06 35:06

They say if the if the lunar eclipse comes first, right and then is followed by a solar eclipse, because you have this, you know, uh usually they come together, yes, then it is good for samsara, so it's good for the comfort of the people, but not so much for the spirituality. Because if everybody is enjoying making merry, then who's going to? So you have more of you know the people so tend to become a little bit more untruthful or they think more about themselves, about enjoying. If the solar eclipse comes first and then the lunar eclipse, they say it's very good for spirituality because it is more difficult. It gives so it's good for for adyatma for the spirituality, but not for samsada. That means there will be some problems that will make people go inward.

Should You Look At An Eclipse

SPEAKER_03 35:49

Now the topic on everyone's minds do we or do we not look at an eclipse? Because I've heard these Vedic people saying, don't look at it, but come on, isn't it fun? Well, let's see what these experts have to say. Something about looking, like let's get, I guess, be very relative now and looking at the eclipse. Of course, there's an invitation to go inward, definitely, but it's it's considered don't look at it. And some people will say, yeah, that just is a metaphor for you know, go inward, close your senses. But there are, and I personally felt the intensity of looking. For example, the not long ago, this was I think a month or two ago, a recent eclipse in early 2025, and I forgot it was eclipse because I went to I had had to family gathering that I couldn't miss. Usually I I wouldn't go out on such a night, but I went there and I just got kind of forgot about the eclipse. And they said, Oh, let's go for a walk to the beach. And we walked to the beach, and there was I saw literally the the chunk, the the dragon bite out of the eclipse. So it was a lunar eclipse. It was it was um about one hour around sunset time, the moon was just rising above the east coast, which we we are on. We were at the beach, and I saw this chunk at the moon, and kind of a even my father who I was with was like thought it was a cloud, and I think most people thought it was a cloud blocking, but I straight away remembered, and I just uh I had my son in my hand and I just turned around and I went home. And like I was like, wow, like I can feel why. And it's not to say that I I'm weak or that any of that, and and to be honest, I went back upstairs with the family, and I just all I wanted to do was just go into a room and meditate, and that's what I did eventually. Uh not long after I just went there, and I saw it was a very short eclipse, it was like a 45-minute partial lunar eclipse, and it was apparently meant to sometimes be visible in Australia, but it it was clearly visible partially, and and that's it felt so much better to be doing my sadhana. Yeah, I just want to explore this notion of being damaging to look at or being harmful. Uh and I think even my personal experience in that case, it definitely was not the most evolutionary thing for me to be looking at an eclipse, and it it I could feel the disturbance and how beneficial it was to go into downstairs in silence and meditate and do chanting and then followed by a shower. Okay, now I'm ready to it's finished, it's over. I kept checking the calendar, and all right. It just felt more in tune with nature. But I do want to explore this notion of avoiding, because of course in the West a lot of people like to view eclipses, it's a wonderful astronomical, astronomical thing to do for very many people, but that that drishti, that vision aspect of it.

SPEAKER_00 38:47

Right. Which I love, I love that you your understanding of of the integration of the Vedic sciences is so brilliant. And you're and whenever you come up with that Sanskrit word, it's always like I can see light, right? It's just because the Sanskrit is so full of light itself. And what I love about what you just said, I've also done that. I I did that once where it was like sort of snuck a peek, and it was just an interesting moment in my life where I was just feeling a little rebellious. It was a long time ago, but I thought I'm gonna look. And again, you know, I saw this like bite, it was like the cookie monster just took a big bite out of the sun, and the sun was very blood moon. I mean, sorry, it was the moon, it was a lunar eclipse that took a big bite out of the moon. It was probably around 10 at night, and the moon was beautiful and orangey, and it was incredible, and it was a really beautiful thing, but I immediately felt my eyes crossing. I could just feel like wooah, and I could feel a zap kind of feeling, nervous system zap of electrical energy in my body. And I went to bed, you know, not much later, and I couldn't fall asleep. And I was chanting and doing my mantors, and I had to get up and do some meditation. I was probably up till two in the morning. So energizing, but not in a good way. It was so electrifying, but not in a good way. And you know what I've thought about a lot since is when you think about how we see. So, you know, some people have drawn these pictures where you'll see like a a circle and then a cone and then the cone and then the circle into the brain. I mean, what we see is reorganized by the brain, right? The brain has this incredible way of taking what we see and reorganizing it and actually reorganizing it to match with what it already knows. So if I look outside and I see a dove, I've already seen a dove, I already know what it sounds like, I know what it looks like. Brain sees it, oh, recognizes dove. And so I love to remember that we are what we eat, we are what we eat, and we are what we think, but we also are what we see, and I think those relate to the different bodies. What we eat, right, is that relates to the physical body and somewhat to the mental. What we think relates very much to the mental and the emotional body, and what we see relates to our spiritual body. And if what we see, the drishti, I mean, how does drishti even work? If you are with somebody whose nervous system is utterly relaxed, like in such a deep state of relaxation, you probably never even experienced it. It's so deeply relaxed, right? In such pure presence, you are overcome with feelings of safety, you are overcome with feelings of belonging, of wholeness. And that's because you're looking at someone looking back at you, and it's doing something to your brain that's doing something to your nervous system. If that works, that's the positive expression, then seeing something dark is gonna have the same effect, but in reverse, right? You go into Haridwar, and they've got three giant monkey statues, and one's covering its eyes, one's covering its ears, one's covering its mouth. It's like, and the idea is don't allow in through your five senses darkness or negativity. You get to choose. Choose light, choose beauty. Once you actually did a beautiful post, I think, about like we talk about how we don't want violence in our life, we only want peace. But then why are we watching shows that have violence in them and use violent language, right? I mean, we need to be thoughtful and mindful about what we allow in. And so in ancient times, they didn't have shows that were violent. All they had was the eclipses for the most part. But they're basically just saying, don't turn towards darkness, don't let darkness, your brain doesn't know what to do with it, it gets confused, it's disrupting the neurological system. Instead, look at the light, whether it's a light being, a sage, right, or the light itself, or a flower which is eats the light, reflects the light, right? Stay focused on the light. And when outside is dark, turn inward. Right now in America, we are governed by Rahu. Rahu is so active right now, so awake, so alive, so ravenous. But we're ready for it because we've been practicing our whole life. Where's the true light? And nobody is gonna eat that light within me. That's kind of what it's like. No, I will not let any Rahu anywhere eat that light within, right? So I think it's very powerful because it's also a way of, it's kind of like setting a spiritual boundary. I cue to the light, and it's only light. And some people who are, like you said, it's not that one's sensitive, it's that one's awake and one's aware and one's making wise choices. That's what we're asking people to do in Ayurveda, right? Make wise choices.

SPEAKER_03 43:38

Vaidya Krishna Raju also shares precaution and caution about going outside during an eclipse. However, he also offers an adventurous perspective.

SPEAKER_01 43:51

Where it is happening, according to that, which planet and all, according to that, some planets can be seen, some some Planet people cannot be seen like that.

SPEAKER_03 44:03

According to someone's individual Jotish, they can see the eclipse or not see it.

Water, Bathing, And Post-Eclipse Reset

SPEAKER_01 44:07

Yeah. But moon eclipse you can see. But the solar eclipse solar eclipse you should not, because solar the rays are very strong. So you have to see through a dark paper or something like that.

SPEAKER_03 44:25

So it's not going to cause any ill effect of looking at an eclipse. Yeah. Especially unless you have a chart that's sensitive to that.

SPEAKER_01 44:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:34

Laura Plum also shares about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse.

SPEAKER_00 44:39

Solar eclipses you can't look at anywhere, you have to wear those glasses. So of course the sages were talking about that. And the thing about your eyes burning out is that you don't feel it. It's painless. And it can even take a few days before you're starting to notice that there's maybe not a full blinding, but there's a partial kind of blinding that can come from that.

SPEAKER_03 45:01

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SPEAKER_01 47:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 47:41

So what is the effect of water there? Is that only lunar eclipse or also solar eclipse? They'll sit in the water.

SPEAKER_01 47:48

Even solar eclipse also they'll sit in the water and do the thing. It is because if you see the five elements, the earth is the one which is the strongest. The next strongest is the water. So earth and water both are there.

SPEAKER_03 48:08

When you say strongest, I mean it's mass, or what do you mean?

SPEAKER_01 48:12

Yeah, earth is also having the all the four elements again. Right. Water is having, along with water, three other elements. Except earth. So earth and water you can do.

SPEAKER_03 48:32

So they're more dynamic, they're more capable.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

Yeah. So with that, when you are doing your energy will be more multiplicated. So because the water is whatever you are practicing.

SPEAKER_03 48:48

Because the water is kind of absorbing the energy from the eclipse. Yes. And it can correlate with it because it has space and air element. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:56

Whether if you had especially, especially the spiritual practitioners, they go to the seaside and do the thing. At the river side. If if they don't find anything, they will make the some artificial turps and all. So we should just sit with uh clay and then sit into that.

SPEAKER_03 49:24

And what, sit with the water up to our navel, or where does it? Yeah, up to the navel. I'm good. Beautiful. I look forward to trying that. So I know well about bathing before and after an eclipse and how important that is. But I asked Vedya Harsharaju his perspective on bathing during the eclipse. Is it right that people will be in rivers or water during an eclipse?

SPEAKER_02 49:48

Yes. Sometimes in the river, and that is like an extreme without your guru's guidance.

SPEAKER_03 49:57

That's what tantric isn't.

Home Practices: Offerings, Candles, Mantras

SPEAKER_02 49:59

Not just tantric, but it is really very specific practice. So nowadays the Gurukul system and the Guru and so when you get the opportunity, yes. But don't go looking as an adventure. Because that can happen. That curiosity, we want, we are looking for that one experience which is different. I've checklisted all this. Oh, the eclipse one I didn't. Like for probably Indians, where mothers and everyone restricted watching solar eclipse. But whereas all over the news and in TVs you will see people wearing special glasses and telescopes to watch it. And so for anyone who grew up on not to watch are feeling left out. That when can I watch it? But watching certain things is like a negative energy. Even if you watch it, nothing terrible is going to happen, but it's that subtle things when you realize in the subtleties there is a lot of knowledge, then you would regret that subtle sight you did. Because by that you lost something. Maybe the discovery isn't there yet. So many times out of curiosity, you really want to know what fire can do. That curiosity can also burn you.

SPEAKER_03 51:41

Laura Plum also shares an invitation to utilize the opportunity to commune with water during a lunar eclipse.

SPEAKER_00 51:49

Get near water, especially at a lunar eclipse. You want to go to the ocean, the lake, the river, put your feet in the water. If you can't do that, take an Epsom salt bath, sprinkle yourself with holy water, sprinkle the environment around you with holy water. So you're cleansing and purifying with the water. And as the moon is eclipsed, you want to remember her holy waters and how grateful we are for her waters. And we are 70 to 80 percent water, so it's really a big thank you to Mother Moon and her mother waters.

SPEAKER_03 52:21

I love that. And bathing after eclipses is highly recommended, and I've really um felt the benefits of that. It's kind of like that renewal, renewal, as you said, especially with the uh was it the solar eclipse? Is that the one that happens on Amavasya? Is that right? So that that real renewal, it's like, okay, that's done. That kind of shaking up transformation aspect has happened, and I'm gonna bathe and start fresh. And it really like helps cleanse that that energy of stirring up all that was stirred up. And you know, if you look in the mythology, it's kind of like Rahu and Ketu kind of getting revenge on the sun and moon for stealing their uh cutting their throat and not allowing them to get all the next stuff. So Punesh is of course also on board with the bathing around eclipses and shares why we love to do certain things when we bathe. So always after the eclipse. Yeah, it's good to take a bath to take a bath before you kind of go out, and it's I can feel how powerful it is because it's like it's it just brings this amazing energy after the bath, and it's like it allows for a transition of this cycle that we went through.

SPEAKER_06 53:32

I mean, many would have noticed even after a long day of work or or something, if you take a bath, it's not just about you becoming physically clean. And and this again has to do with the the moon, also, because the moon and the mind are connected. That is why people like to sing in the shower. You know, like people wonder something like why do people like to sing in the bathroom? But the thing is when you bathe, that water element, when it's flowing on you, it strengthens the moon energy. And the moon, when it becomes full moon, is the mind, and moon is also connected to to singing, to the creativity. So that is when you start singing, because that moon energy is strengthened and then you feel like singing.

SPEAKER_03 54:12

I thought Venus is also like singing, and is it? Venus is singing and creativity.

SPEAKER_06 54:20

But the yeah, this this kind of singing is moon. Okay, nice.

SPEAKER_03 54:26

There is an array of practices and rituals to perform during an eclipse, of course, one of them being sadhana, spiritual activity, meditation, chanting. We're gonna go into a bunch of them. Cherished time to perform spiritual practice or sadhana. And a lot of people look forward to eclipses for this reason because they're hitchhiking on this energy. Uh in India once I was there, and there was an eclipse happening, but it wasn't visible from where we were in the South India, and what some people were actually doing were they would travel interstate to the North India to be where the eclipse was. Because you we may think, but we but eclipse, we need to stay inside, but they would actually travel to be in that environment, still be protected and do all their practice, but to have the the more potent sadhana.

SPEAKER_00 55:22

I could see the Ogoris doing something like that too. It's very very sort of tantric practice, that sounds like, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 55:28

Laura shares some simple practices you can do at home during an eclipse.

Matching Deities And Mantras To Eclipses

SPEAKER_00 55:33

Before you eat, you make offerings. Right. So always making offerings, and offerings definitely to our elders, our ancestors, our teachers. Because really the idea here is that humility, that remembering that we are alive in a world that is powerful. And we are alive because of those who have gone before us, right? And because of those who are still here with us, helping and supporting us along the way. So it's like remembering that light within you, but also the light and how do we get light from others, and how do we get light from nature? And you know, how does the moon within us reflect that light? And how do others reflect? Who are our friends who reflect that for us? So, you know, for some people that might be gratitude prayers or it might be journaling, but always light a candle. I love Trotak at this time. Light a candle, look at the candle. When you're done looking at the candle, close your eyes and look at the light that is echoed there at the back of your closed eyes until it dissolves away.

SPEAKER_04 56:33

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 56:34

Remember the light within mantra. You could do the Gayatri mantra for solar eclipse. You could do I love a simple om somaya namaha for the moon at a lunar eclipse, so moon mantras.

SPEAKER_03 56:47

That's that's great. That's wonderful. Thanks for sharing those mantras and those aspects. Punish gets very generous now. He's about to share specific mantras and specific deities to invoke according to the eclipse. Specific eclipses require specific mantras and specific deities. Now, the way he correlates this is by correlating the nine planets with a fundamental law of nature, which in the Vedas we call creation, maintenance, and destruction. So he correlates the planets with the functions of nature of creation, maintenance, and destruction. The second thing which he correlates with the nine planets is the three prime attributes of nature, which we call the three gunas. We call them sattva, rajas, and tamas. Sattva is this pure, radiant, unconditional, loving light which may be functioning and operating. Rajas is when the light is agitated and irritated, and tamas is when that light is trapped.

SPEAKER_06 57:48

The sun and the moon are considered the creators. You can say the sky father and the earth mother. So when we look from a creation perspective, it's the sun and the moon coming together to create the things. And then you have these other five planets, which are Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Mars, and Venus. They are called the Grahas or the heavenly bodies that maintain the things. So they're connected to the five elements of which this creation is made. So then the sun and the moon, they create something, the five it comes in the form of the five elements, it gets sustained. And then Rahu and Keitu, the ones we spoke about earlier, they are the ones who destroy. They are destroy the things again, the dissolution or the transformation. Now, if you look from the perspective of you know this aspect of like creation, sustenance, maintenance, and destruction, then you can also look at it from the perspective of the gunas, because those planets also have a guna. So they say there are three sattva planets: one is the moon, one is the sun, and the third is guru, is Jupiter. So they have the sattva energy. Then there are two which have the Rajas energy, that is Mercury and Venus, and then the others are tamas. Now it makes sense if you see Rahu and Ketu that they have a Tamas energy because they destroy. So that is Rudra, you can say, that Rudra energy. So during an eclipse, what happens? The sun and the moon, the the Devas you can say are at war with the shadow eclipsing the light, which is Raun Ketu. So the Rudra energy. So then you want to maintain yourself, you want to sustain, you want to continue existing, you want to keep your things safe, you can say. So that is the Vishnu energy. But for that, you need you want Satvik, you want sattva, you want to elevate your mind, protect your mind. So then the only sattva planet which is not busy fighting is Guru, is Jupiter. So they say that during the eclipse, we go to the guru to protect our mind and our life. That is the energy you want to invoke. So they say any mantras it's good, like it's more effective during the eclipse, but they say during the solar eclipse, then you go to the guru of the sun, Sudya, and that is Shiva, and especially Dakshinamurti. Dakshinamurti is the form of Shiva as the guru, you can say. So during the solar eclipse, the best mantra to do is a mantra for Dakshinamurti. Because that time you don't want to think of so many things, you just want to raise your energy, protect your mind, and get the knowledge so that you sail through it in the best possible way. So a simple mantra that anybody can do is Om Dakshinamurtaye Nama. That is a mantra that it's very nice to do during a solar eclipse. And there are of course more elaborate mantras. That is one I can chant it once for those who know, it may be a little complicated for others. That is Om Namobhagavate Dakshinamur Tay Machyam Medham Praknam Prayachasva. This is a beautiful mantra for Dakshinamurti given by Atri Maharishi. So this is also a great mantra, but otherwise, even Om Dakshinamurtay Namah is very good. People can do that. And for the lunar eclipse, so solar eclipse you can say Shiva mantras in general, and especially if you can Dakshinamurti is best.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:31

And and just to revise so people understand, so Surya's guru is Shiva. Yeah. Or Surya kind of Ishwara is Shiva, right? Exactly.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:43

The Supreme Governing.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:45

So when we're enlightening Shiva during a solar eclipse, it's kind of supporting the sattva of the earth, of the whole world, the universe, but supporting Surya to overcome this darkness which is causing by the shadows. Exactly. Because you know, so we need Surya, and these shadows are definitely coming with the negative kind of energies.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:05

Yeah, the Maya.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:06

Okay, so then when the moon is playing a role in the subvic mother of our earth, is and those who influences all our fluids in our physiology, and the mind, and especially pregnant women, which I want to speak about during eclipse. So the moon, we want to support that. And so the guru of the moon is the guru of the moon.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:26

So the thing is they say during the lunar eclipse, any Vishnu mantras are very good. Durga mantra also, but especially if you go from the guru perspective, then they say from the Vaishnava tradition, it is the form of Dattatreya.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:40

Tatatraya.

Fasting, Food, And Darbha Grass

SPEAKER_06 1:02:41

So this Dattatreya was uh an incarnation also of uh of Vishnu, but in the form of the Guru, he was like an avadutta, like a mendicant, you can say. Uh he was one of the sons of Atri Maharishi. And he is a very there's a beautiful story that you can look up or people can see. It is said that he had 24 gurus. I mean, he has said, where he learned from the the bees, from the wind, from the all the nature that seeing that making the world your teacher, you can say, uh, seeing knowledge everywhere. So he is the form that uh, like how we turn to Daksina Murti, we turn to that form of uh Vishnu, you can say, Um, during the lunar eclipse, and there is a very easy mantra relatively, which people could do that is omnamo bhagavate and then datatreayaya. Om namobhagavate, datatreaya. That is a mantra for datatreya if they want to do, but um, as I was taught by my teacher, Pandit Sanjay Rat, is that basically any Vishnu mantra, Krishna mantra, is very good during the lunar eclipse because of that connection. Krishna also has a great connection with the moon. And there is one mantra specifically that he taught us also, which is which anybody could do, and that is Omnamo Bhagavate Satya Devaya. Satya Deva is a form of Krishna. The form actually that you can say gave the Bhagavad Gita also, that aspect of Krishna. So Omnamo Bhagavate Satya Devaya. This is a very nice mantra people can do during the lunar eclipse. It is a mantra that comes from the Bhavishi Purana. It was taught by Sri Krishna himself to Yudhishthira, I believe, if I remember correctly. And the beauty is because satya means truth, you know. So to give us the truth.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:41

And then also if people have their own mantras which they have an affinity with for, they can basically chant it any eclipse. Is that okay?

SPEAKER_06 1:04:51

Yeah, so they say eclipse is very uh because that energy is such, it's like you nature supports it.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:56

Yeah, because some people might completely resonate with Mother Divine or Naraini and have that mantra they want to do, and I resonate with that mantari, so I would like to do that. Also with the solar eclipse.

SPEAKER_06 1:05:08

Yeah, although, but they say that uh during the you think I should utilize the Shiva energy. It's better because that is like the time you just want the knowledge and the protection. Right. So uh you can do other mantras, but then uh it's very good during the solar eclipse to do Daksna Murti mantra, right? Um during lunar eclipse, especially because, like you said, if you have a Danvantri mantra, it's a form of Vishnu. Yeah, so I would say definitely go for that. And if you've been initiated into that even better, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:39

If you would like to listen to an audio recording of Purnesh chanting these different mantras, or even the opportunity to chant along with Purnesh, Purnesh has been very generous to record these mantras on his YouTube channel and make a playlist for the eclipse. And you can choose the mantra that you like. In the show notes, you will find the links to those videos as well. As the mantras written out so that you can read and follow along and chant yourself. On the notion that eclipses can distort the mind and cause someone to do something out of the ordinary, Dr. Hashi Raju says his personal experience about taking a joyride down a river rapid around the time of a recent eclipse.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:24

I was like with you in uh that river one day after the eclipse, and it was not even in Australia, it wasn't so strong. And it was a very sunny day, good river, lot of flow of the water. So everything was going well, and I was all that enjoying, but as you all did, and I even said, I don't know, with eclipse, I don't I can resist. So the resist word came out of that you know something you're a bit overconfident. So then in that moment, I agreed to go and you will catch me there. But what eclipse does, there was like a tiny whirlpool in that river. I was till everything I could feel the rocks and I was in control. But that one place where I could clearly see because I was observing. So that would be the deepest. That's why there is a whirlpool. And there, before getting in there, I was already little deep and water was there. So what I should not do, I exactly did that. Is I said, Oh, I'm feeling I'm not catching the breath. Anyway, it's they're going to catch me there. So let me go to the bottom and push myself up. Exactly at one place I should do that. I did that. And then I'm taking water, water, but it was a very tiny thing, so obviously you were all there, but it was a force. Meaning the thought for the Chandra, for the mind, it gives a mistaken intellect. So where I should have done another thing, my mind, that's Titapragna, you lose. So that's why you don't do business, you don't do important meetings, anything that you require your mercury to be present. So Rahu and Ketu are like distorting the pragyna. Yes, yes. They're always capable of that. More so even Rahu, because Ketu is directionless. So that way Ketu.

Parenting, Curiosity, And Gentle Rules

SPEAKER_03 1:08:59

But yes. If you would like to delve deeper into the correlation between Ayurveda and Jyotish, we have just released a nine-part video series correlating the seven tissues, the seven datus, with the nine planets. That's with me and Dr. Harisha Raju. This is an advanced training program to give you this extra layer of perspective when seeing yourself or seeing clients if you see clients. It is to bring in the layer of the cosmic body. This is called medical astrology. It's seeing the human biology, but with this extra layers, with this more subtle layers, which of course are powerful. If you're interested to increase your knowledge and your ability to have greater awareness when assessing biology, and you want to integrate Ayurveda and astrology together, go to vitalveda.com.au forward slash courses and you'll see the seven datus and nine planet training program. One of the greatest karmas, one of the most significant actions to consider during an eclipse, probably the top three in my view, along with bathing and sadhana or mantra chanting, is eating or not eating. So we're now going to explore the notion of what to eat during an eclipse, why is fasting recommended during an eclipse, how to fast, and just a disclaimer: I always recommend working with a practitioner in designing what's the most appropriate fasting for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:27

During the eclipse, there are some rules like not to eat, not to do any work, just rest or do some chanting or something like that. So that whatever you are doing during that time, it multiplies that thing because of the gravity and all those things. So that is why. If at all you are doing the spiritual things, your spiritual practice will be more strong. The energy distribution is completely different during that time. Right. So if you disturb your digestion, it might create some other issues.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:09

So it might not create a regular downward flow of digestion, it might just go in all directions in a radical, strong way as well. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 1:11:18

It's good, like I said, not to sleep during the time, not to do if you can avoid it, of course, sometimes you can't, but to avoid worldly like your work or especially important meetings, important things during that time. But then uh they also say it's uh often it's good to to fast a little. Like it depends, of course, if you if it's a full eclipse that you're visible or that's visible or apart or or not at all. But one thing that's maybe nice for people to know is that even if it's not visible where you are or if it's happening on the other part of the world, it will still have an impact. It's still a very good time to do the sadhana. Of course, where it impacts the most is where it's most visible, but because it it is a cosmic, it's a worldly uh phenomenon that's happening, it is still a very good time to do these things. Um, but especially if it is visible, and then they say it's good a few hours before to stop eating, so that you're not digesting food during the time. And these are things that probably from an Ayurveda perspective you can talk much more about, but they say that's good, so that during the time, uh, because the system to some extent does get affected, and it wouldn't be an empty vessel to allow the prana and it's also good for spiritual energy to flow, right? Like if that it will help to make the mind more.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:31

Because the ugly, the surya is disturbed, then suddenly the ugly will be disturbed.

SPEAKER_06 1:12:35

So we don't know and and one more thing I was wondering that maybe from an eye-reader perspective you can comment on, is that once I also heard that that was for the lunar eclipse, where they say that it's good, of course, not to eat during the time, but they say also not to prepare food, um, and also not to keep any food like that you prepare before, that you eat it afterwards. So, usually what they do is traditionally in in India or in the villages, still, sometimes then they cover the the pots with the grains and all those things. The rub grass, we still do, and then uh what they do is afterwards, then only after taking a bath and all then they prepare the food. Because what I heard is that they say what happens in a lunar eclipse, especially if you have a full eclipse, is that as the eclipse progresses, it's like you get to see all the phases of the moon that normally happen in a one-month cycle within that limited time. So they say on a subtle level, it's like the herbs, the the food, because the moon is what nourishes, you know. So all these things they in a very short time they go through a one-month cycle of decay. So they say actually that is why it's otherwise it's it's like very old, stale, or decayed food.

What Not To Do During Eclipses

SPEAKER_03 1:13:44

Beautiful. Yeah, I mean they celebrate that and that's the palm of grass. Like it doesn't it there is specific grasses, like we have the Trina Panchamulla, these five grasses, but there is like of course darba grass, which is one of them, and grass is resilient, like even amongst hurricanes and storms and everything, the the trees, but the grass has just gone through so much. So when we put the grass on the food, and it's a nice ritual, and if you you can just get any grass also if you can't find and put it on the dishes, and but definitely it's it's just I like that. I never thought about that. That it's like one in that period of time, it's like a whole lunar cycle, but of course, the the moon has such an effect on and most food has water molecules in it, even if it's dried, it still has microorganisms and microorganisms. Your body is full of it. Coming from a family of Ayurvedic doctors that have been healing for generations, I asked Vedya Hasha Raju his experiences of growing up in a Vedic kitchen. Did your family do like putting grass on food is a common thing? Did you remember seeing that in your kitchen?

SPEAKER_02 1:14:54

Always we used to uh one of our ways was why would you follow a story? Is children after listening to the story of eclipses and everything, we were tasked to get collect the grass. So if we collected it, then we will help mother put it in. And if we have put in, then we are following it. So for children, if you want them to follow, you have to give them task.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:26

What exactly would she cover with the grass? What dishes, what foods would she cover the water?

SPEAKER_02 1:15:31

Anything that is cooked.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:33

Anything that is already cooked.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:35

Not raw foods.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:36

Raw food, uh, like usually, let's say uh rice or certain things that are stored, grains, so you can put some grass in there. Since grass has the ability to repel. So that subtlety. There are suks maswarupa. Like, you know, you offer that freshly cooked food as naivedyam, as the prasad. And that is given to God, like in that hand gesture, three times, waving. And that is the food of the Devatas, that minutest form. So if Devatas, there is the minute form of giving the food, offering the food, without touching, not impuring by blowing just the air and that, what is evaporating. Right. Then there are subtleties even in the eclipse and how it influences the food. So, meaning dharba, the grass has the repelling quality.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:51

Yeah. That and can you explain why dharba is so powerful in that?

SPEAKER_02 1:16:55

I mean, it's in the ground, it doesn't get affected by the one example given as for darbha is kushagrabuddhi, meaning your intellect is as sharp as a grass. A grass, if you see, go on the sharpness, the tip of grass. So maybe it's like those antennas where how they're rooted, you know, not easy to be destroyed, and they're like turmeric, and like that, these are all Amla, these are all discovered. Future, the big research will be on grass.

SPEAKER_03 1:17:36

What I love about Vedia Hasharaju is he is a Vedic astrologer and an Auretic doctor, so he blends the two Vedic sciences in such a profound way. But he's also a father, so he has a great insight into pediatrics, childcare, raising family, parenting. And one of the things he shares about is not to be too strict in the household around eclipses, as it may cause a bit of rebellion.

Resources, Courses, And How To Go Deeper

SPEAKER_02 1:17:58

When you are instructed, don't do this, then in children the curiosity happens. Oh, why I can't do that. So, in that way, the eclipse for us was like very given, and we are given stories, and in the story, eclipse has an effect. So you can't do so. Mothers have a tough time telling children, like, you can do all this, but just don't watch, or don't go out at this eclipse moment, or don't eat, or the food that was already cooked, exactly that's the temptation. You are restricted not to eat, and you want to eat. So that's why in that eclipse moment, either finish the food that was cooked or don't keep it, because that moment you would be drawn to exactly you'll feel hungry that then, even if it is not uh lunchtime or dinner time.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:10

As we wrap up this podcast episode, I hope that you have gained greater clarity on actions that you can take during eclipses. I asked Vedic Krishna Raju as well as Punesh for just a couple more recommendations on rituals or practices that we can implement. Is there any other practices besides chanting mantras, meditating, being in water, chanting? Is there anything else you'd recommend for people to do during eclipse?

SPEAKER_01 1:19:37

No, these are the easiest. Yeah. There are so many hardest things they do. So those are and you need to follow some strict things for that.

SPEAKER_03 1:19:49

Can you tell us some of those just uh so we can hear the spectrum of things that happen?

SPEAKER_01 1:19:54

Like uh all the tantric things and all some specific uh yagas also they will do. So those are those has to be done with even these things also uh under the guru supervision if you do, because whatever the mantra you get and that mantra chanting improves the thing. So like that. But those all the things, everything under strict supervision.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:26

As tantra, with tantra, everything tantra with under strict supervision. Because a lot of people, uh Westerners and people, modern people who aren't pundits or priests are performing their own yagyas and pujas. These type of things is generally contraindicated during eclipses that yes, generally during eclipses, we don't do the ceremonies.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:44

Yeah, during the eclipse, even all the temples are closed. Okay. Except a few temples, they are open because where the Rahma and Getu Puja is done, those temples only open like Sri Kalahasti, like that.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:05

Which is a temple in South India that relates with Rahu and Getu. So there are very few or few yagyas and pujas that can be done during eclipse, but they are tantric and have to be done with the right knowledge. Yeah. Pune shares a practice that was given to him from his guru, and that is a practice for the lunar eclipse that includes systematically seeing the moon and fulfilling one wish.

SPEAKER_06 1:21:30

And he taught us another thing. It's a nice secret, maybe I can share with people. He said in one of the scriptures, the Brahad Samhita, it is said that if there are two moons in the sky, it is it's a great blessing for those, especially who are learned. You can say the Brahmins. So, like even you yourself or anybody who is teaching, who is a professional, or who is uh you know that kind of professions, especially, but even for other people, it's very auspicious. Now, when can you see two moons? There is only one moon, but this is all this, you know, the symbolic cryptic language they use. So, when are there two moons? Then there is an eclipse, because there is one before and one after. So, if people want what they could do is that when there is a lunar eclipse, make sure that before it starts you see the moon. Then, when the eclipse starts, you start your sadhana, your mantras, your meditation, and then after it finishes again, go out and see the moon. And then during this time, he taught us that if you want, you can make one wish. But let it like a satvik wish, something that's during the time when the moon is. So you may suddenly have so many desires. So there's if there's one wish, you can write it down, fold it, and then if you have, you can keep that paper under the if you have a statue of of Vishnu or Krishna or Satyana Raina or something or a picture or something, you can keep it there. Then you do your mantra, and then after that, uh again you see the moon. He said, Within one year you will see that nature supports that universe support. And he gave some examples of some of his students who had miraculous results with this. Ah, very nice. But it's a very beautiful thing. So any any Vishnu mantra that is done, then is um is really auspicious.

Closing Notes And Upcoming Eclipse Dates

SPEAKER_03 1:23:20

Good. So dun mantra mantra is good for also uh lunar eclipse. If you enjoyed this podcast episode, well, I've got a few, few that you would certainly love. And the first one is very important, it's called Mantra Shastra Explained, the ancient science of sound. And that is podcast episode 148 of the Vital Veda podcast with Punesh on mantra. So this is very critical for Eclipse. The second one is called Jyotish Vedic Astrology with Anand Mirotra. That's podcast episode number three. The third one is well, we've got a bunch of podcast episodes with Blaine Watson, a wonderful Jyotishy, episode 49 on karmic relationships, why am I single and past lives. There's Jyotish Celestial Organization of Life with Blame Watson, podcast 41. And if you liked this dynamics of me interviewing multiple guests and putting them all together and into segments and me narrating throughout, I've done this on one other podcast episode, and that's on Shilajit Unveiled. That's number 144. Shilajit Unveiled, the myth, magic, and misuse of the mountain mineral medicine. So this is all about Shilajit resin that oozes out of the mountain. And lastly, with Laura Plum, episode number 76, Great Truths of Jotish. So once again, episode 148 with on Mantras with Poinesh, episode 3, Vedic Astrology, episode 49 with Blame Watson on Jotish, 41 with Blame Watson on Jotish, 144 on Shilajit, and 76 on Jotish with Laura Plum. You can find all these resources in the show notes, the related podcast episodes. And if you'd like to see my full raw recording of the conversation I had with Laura Plum, we've uploaded this full recording onto our YouTube channel. That's Vital Veda on YouTube. It has a lot more juicy knowledge. We cut a lot out of it. This is only a fraction of what we record with Laura Plum. There's a lot of other good juiciness about eclipses and about Jotish. So check out the Vital Veda YouTube channel. We've got a bunch of stuff there if you're into this knowledge. And if you would like to learn more deeper into Jyotish, the link between Jyotish and Ayurveda, we have a masterclass with Vedya Hosharaju available on our website. It's called Ayurveda Times Astrology, the Cosmic Blueprint for Health. And that explores the connection between your health and the movements of the CODMOS. You can check that out at Vitalveda.com.au forward slash courses if you are in for a more depth masterclass on integrating Ayurveda and Jyotish. Also, check out the show notes. You can find the links for the playlist for the mantras to listen to during the eclipse recorded by Punesh, his YouTube playlist. If you want to book a Jyotish session with Laura Plum, you can check out the link or book a Jyotish session with Vedya Harsha Raju. There's also a link in the show notes. Or if you want to explore other Jyotishes, you can check out Friends of Vital Veda. That is a resource on our website called Friends of Vital Veda. You'll find it. And it has all the practitioners that we generally recommend. It has a resource of all the products, all the biohacking equipment, all the health products and health resources, and not necessarily just things to buy, but places to go, places to learn from that I personally truly believe in and that I also learn from. And lastly, if you would like to join our Abyonga courses, the course to administer Ayurvedic Massage, which is so much more than a massage, it's a profound treatment to imbue bliss in your clients and learn how to confidently apply this. So make this a service that you give, a practice that you offer, that you create a clinic or a business or a side business or just out of your home. If you want to learn to confidently apply ABONGA, we're doing two courses, one in Australia and one in London in 2026. You can check out Vitalveda.com.eu forward slash courses. Thank you so much. Please subscribe to Vital Veda Podcast if you enjoy this content. If you want us to keep creating episodes, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share this episode. And until next time, much love and I wish you well for the upcoming eclipse seasons. We have one coming on in March, early March, and then there'll be some after August, that is of 2026. Again, early March, we have an eclipse, and then August. So if you listen to this on time, you may catch the March one. Otherwise, August 2026, there's a couple, and there's three left from the release of this podcast for the year 2026. Farewell to you, my friend. Much love.