Text 3] The Subterranean Heavenly Planets 375

tat—that situation; nisamya—hearing; ubhayatra—around both the
sun and moon; api—indeed; bhagavata—by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; raksandya—for their protection; prayuwktam—engaged;
sudarsanam—the wheel of Krsna; n@éma—named; bhagavatam—the
most confidential devotee; dayitam—the most favorite; astram—
weapon; tat—that; tejasa—by its effulgence; durvisaham—unbearable
heat; muhuh—repeatedly; parivartaménam—moving around the sun
and moon; abhyavasthitah—situated; muhirtam—for a muhirta
(forty-eight minutes); udviyjamanah—whose mind was full of anxieties;
cakita—frightened; hrdayah—the core of whose heart; Grat—to a dis-
tant place; eva—certainly; nivartate—flees; tat—that situation;
uparagam—an eclipse; iti—thus; vadanti—they say; lokadh—the
people.

TRANSLATION

After hearing from the sun and moon demigods about Rahu’s
attack, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, engages His
disc, known as the SudarSana cakra, to protect them. The Sudar-
Sana cakra is the Lord’s most beloved devotee and is favored by the
Lord. The intense heat of its effulgence, meant for killing non-
Vaisnavas, is unbearable to Rahu, and he therefore flees in fear of
it. During the time Rahu disturbs the sun or moon, there occurs
what people commonly know as an eclipse.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is always the protector of
His devotees, who are also known as demigods. The controlling demigods
are most obedient to Lord Visnu, although they also want material sense
enjoyment, and that is why they are called demigods, or almost godly. Al-
though Rahu attempts to attack both the sun and the moon, they are pro-
tected by Lord Visnu. Being very afraid of Lord Visnu’s cakra, Rahu
cannot stay in front of the sun or moon for more than a muhirta (forty-
eight minutes). The phenomenon that occurs when Rahu blocks the light
of the sun or moon is called an eclipse. The attempt of the scientists of
this earth to go to the moon is as demoniac as Rahu’s attack. Of course.
their attempts will be failures because no one can enter the moon or sun
