Chapter Nine
The Lord Incarnates as Mohinī-Mūrti
TEXT 24
deva-liṅga-praticchannaḥ
svarbhānur deva-saṁsadi
praviṣṭaḥ somam apibac
candrārkābhyāṁ ca sūcitaḥ
SYNONYMS
deva-liṅga-praticchannaḥ—covering himself with the dress of a demigod; svarbhānuḥ—Rāhu (who attacks and eclipses the sun and moon); deva-saṁsadi—in the group of the demigods; praviṣṭaḥ—having entered; somam—the nectar; apibat—drank; candra-arkābhyām—by both the moon and the sun; ca—and; sūcitaḥ—was pointed out.
TRANSLATION
Rāhu, the demon who causes eclipses of the sun and moon, covered himself with the dress of a demigod and thus entered the assembly of the demigods and drank nectar without being detected by anyone, even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon and the sun, however, because of permanent animosity toward Rāhu, understood the situation. Thus Rāhu was detected.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Mohinī-mūrti, was able to bewilder all the demons, but Rāhu was so clever that he was not bewildered. Rāhu could understand that Mohinī-mūrti was cheating the demons, and therefore he changed his dress, disguised himself as a demigod, and sat down in the assembly of the demigods. Here one may ask why the Supreme Personality of Godhead could not detect Rāhu. The reason is that the Lord wanted to show the effects of drinking nectar. This will be revealed in the following verses. The moon and sun, however, were always alert in regard to Rāhu. Thus when Rāhu entered the assembly of the demigods, the moon and sun immediately detected him, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead also became aware of him.
TEXT 25
cakreṇa kṣura-dhāreṇa
jahāra pibataḥ śiraḥ
haris tasya kabandhas tu
sudhayāplāvito ’patat
SYNONYMS
cakreṇa—by the disc; kṣura-dhāreṇa—which was sharp like a razor; jahāra—cut off; pibataḥ—while drinking nectar; śiraḥ—the head; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tasya—of that Rāhu; kabandhaḥ tu—but the headless body; sudhayā—by the nectar; aplāvitaḥ—without being touched; apatat—immediately fell dead.
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
śiras tv amaratāṁ nītam
ajo graham acīkḷpat
yas tu parvaṇi candrārkāv
abhidhāvati vaira-dhīḥ
SYNONYMS
śiraḥ—the head; tu—of course; amaratām—immortality; nītam—having obtained; ajaḥ—Lord Brahmā; graham—as one of the planets; acīkḷpat—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.
PURPORT
Since Rāhu had become immortal, Lord Brahmā accepted him as one of the grahas, or planets, like the moon and the sun. Rāhu, however, being an eternal enemy of the moon and sun, attacks them periodically during the nights of the full moon and the dark moon.
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