Text 26]
The Lord Incarnates as Mohinī-mūrti
21
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, using His disc, which was sharp like a razor, at once cut off Rāhu's head. When Rāhu's head was severed from his body, the body, being untouched by the nectar, could not survive.
PURPORT
When the Personality of Godhead, Mohinī-mūrti, severed Rāhu's head from his body, the head remained alive although the body died. Rāhu had been drinking nectar through his mouth, and before the nectar entered his body, his head was cut off. Thus Rāhu's head remained alive whereas the body died. This wonderful act performed by the Lord was meant to show that nectar is miraculous ambrosia.
TEXT 26
शिरस्त्वमरतां नीतमजो ग्रहमचीक्त्रपत् । यस्तु पर्वणि चन्द्रार्कावमिधावति वैरधीः ॥२६॥
śiras tv amaratām nītam ajo graham acīklpat yas tu parvaṇi candrārkāv abhidhāvati vaira-dhīḥ
śiraḥ—the head; tu—of course; amaratām—immortality; nītam—having obtained; ajaḥ—Lord Brahmā; graham—as one of the planets; acīklpat—recognized; yaḥ—the same Rāhu; tu—indeed; parvaṇi—during the periods of the full moon and dark moon; candra-arkau—both the moon and the sun; abhidhāvati—chases; vaira-dhīḥ—because of animosity.
TRANSLATION
Rāhu's head, however, having been touched by the nectar, became immortal. Thus Lord Brahmā accepted Rāhu's head as one of the planets. Since Rāhu is an eternal enemy of the moon and the sun, he always tries to attack them on the nights of the full moon and the dark moon.