Surprise events that followed Lunar eclipse of July 2019

The lunar eclipse on the night of 16^th July 2019 that arrived in the midst of unusually less hype was followed by quick pace of successive events that make me write them here for record and future reference.

The partial eclipse occurred in the 2^nd half of the night of July 16^th a few hours before the sun entered Cancer ushering in Dakshinayana.

On 17^th night the Brindavan of Sri Vyasaraja Tirtha was vandalised causing immense sorrow to devout Hindus.

On 18^th, four people died in a stampede in the process of worshiping the deity, Atthi Varadar in Kanchipuram.

This was soon followed by heavy rains in many parts of India leading to floods and displacement of people. The UN Office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs declared,

“As a result of torrential monsoon rains mid July, over 25 million people have been affected by flooding in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Myanmar. At least 600 people are known to have died and over half a million people have been displaced with homes, schools and hospitals damaged or destroyed. There is the possibility that the situation could deteriorate further as rains continue in many of the flood-affected areas.”

Source:

https://reliefweb.int/report/india/south-asia-floods-humanitarian-snapshot-25-july-2019

This map and the events following the eclipse offer scope to analyse the effect of the eclipse. To understand this we must first note down the effects of the eclipse, derived from Varahamihira’s Brihat Samhita.

·       The month: Lunar Ashadha:

Prediction by Varahamihira: “Wells, wet fields and rivers will become dry; dealers in roots and fruits, the people of Gandhara, of Kashmir, Of Pulinda and of China will perish; there will be abundance of rains.” (Ch 5-77)

Inference: Contradictory views are given. On one side wells and rivers would become dry and on the other there will be abundance of rains. The prediction implies run-off water and back to lack of usable water soon.

·       The Sign: Gemini.

Prediction by Varahamihira: “Chaste women, princes, powerful petty chiefs, learned men, people living on the banks of Jamna and rulers of Balhika and Matysa with their subjects will suffer miseries.” (Ch 5-37)

Inference: The current spate of rainfall seems to be relevant to flood conditions in river Jamna and Ganga. Balhika could refer to Iran, North West Pakistan.

·       Part of the night eclipsed: The night (or day, in the case of solar eclipse) is divided into 7 equal parts. That part of the night when the eclipse happens is noted for prediction. This time it happened in 5^th and 6^th part.

Prediction by Varahamihira: “In the fifth section, herbivorous animals, ministers and household inmates will suffer as also the Vaishyas. If they should be eclipsed when in the sixth section of the firmament, women and shudras will suffer.” (Ch 5- 30, 31)

Inference: Domestic animals, ministers  (fall of Kumaraswamy Government in Karnataka), business people, working class and women are expected to suffer.  

·       Direction of commencement of eclipse: Started from northern part of the lunar disc.

Prediction by Varahamihira: “If the eclipse should commence at the northern, southern or western point of the disc, the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas or the Shudras will suffer respectively. (Ch 5-32)

Inference: The commencement t north affects Brahmins. This includes acharyas and temples. The vandalism at the Brindavan of Sri Vyasaraja Teertha and death of people in the temple in stampede had happened within 3 days of the eclipse.

Picture credit: @bharanivt

·       Shape of the eclipse: There are 10 types of eclipse depending on the shape of the eclipsed part. This time three fourth of the disc was eclipsed at maximum.

Prediction by Varahamihira: “If a third, or a fourth, or one half of the disc should be eclipsed, it is technically known as Grasana (seizing with the mouth). Grasa- Partial eclipse: the wealth of prosperous princes will suffer diminution and prosperous countries will be afflicted with calamities.” (Ch 5- 46)

Inference: The first part of the prediction foretells loss of wealth of the rich perhaps by way of ED attachment of properties or debt trap. The second part on calamities is what we are seeing in north and north east India by floods.

·       Overall assessment:

1.     Suffering to all sections of society except Kshatriyas (army) is indicated and we are witness to this now.

2.     The vandalism at Bridavanam and death at Kanchi temple refer to suffering to Brahmins;

3.     Business losses and hardship to working class is also evident on account of the floods.

4.      Herbivorous animals refers to domesticated animals that are likely to be affected by floods.

5.     Affliction to ministers was seen in the fall of Kumaraswamy ministry in Karnataka.

The amazing part of this assessment is the extent of eclipse witnessed in different places.

Both Brindavanam and Kanchipuram that faced affliction immediately after the eclipse are in close latitudes. (Anegundi, the location of the Brindavanam is at 76.49˚ E; Kanchi at 79.70˚ E) They were exposed to maximum duration of eclipse. Refer P1 in red box in the map below.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2019_lunar_eclipse

In the P1 region suffering to Brahmins (temples and devotees – any devotee is a Brahmin who contemplates on Brahman) and ministers (fall of government in Karnataka)

In P2 region, suffering to business people, ordinary people and animals. (1^st map in the beginning)

May be for the first time in recent years, the eclipse related predictions had matched on a higher degree. One reason I propose is the planetary condition at the time of eclipse. Saturn in close conjunction with Ketu and in direct opposition to Rahu is one factor that causes widespread misery to common man. The star dispositor of Saturn is lorded by Venus which also joined this combination close to the eclipsed degree. Venus in the star of Jupiter brings in the picture both Venus and Jupiter related people, namely women and temple related issues.

In the past eclipses were dreaded due to the kind of suffering that was related to eclipses. But in this age of all round suffering, all round the year, nothing shocks us. However the extraordinary events listed in the beginning of this article make us wonder whether eclipses are portentous of some events on earth.

·       Who can forget the Mantralaya floods that ravaged Sri Raghavendra Swami’s abode soon after a solar eclipse on 22^nd July 2009, with similar predictive indicators of danger to Acharya or temple related places?

·       And who can deny that it requires an eclipse to eclipse the un-democratically installed government of Kumaraswamy?

With more records in place, let us hope to understand better the work of Kala Purusha through his tools in the sky.

Until then and always let our prayers be “Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu”