Solar Eclipse and Superstitions

Yes, I know all this superstitions too. My saas used to do all these totkas and superstitions on every solar or lunar eclipse. Don't go out, don't eat the food that's left over during the eclipse, etc. etc. etc.

At that time, even I used to believe all this. But now with so much of progress and information all around us, it seems foolish to get scared of a solar eclipse. I mean, the solar eclipse happens for the entire world. I don't think people in France, US or Italy are stopping babies from being born because of it. Nor have I heard of any large amount of babies being born with deformities or health problems:biglaugh

This is so shameful.

 

Well, the issue is so sensitive that most women even educated ones, simply agree for the sake of their unborn babies. I would like to share some of the instructions I was given both by mother and mother-in-law.
I was told not to step out of the house during the period of the eclipse because the baby would be born with scars. Other injunctions include no visits to the bathroom, no food, and even no sleeping especially with crossed legs. The pregnant lady is expected to stay wide awake, and preferably read scriptures during the period of eclipse.
I suppose this is more or less the story of every household! Is it not!:bonk

 

I want to give scientific explanation along with our Hindu tradition. Solar / Lunar eclipse and the practices that we do is not SUPERSTITIOUS. In fact, it is very scientific way.

During Solar / Lunar eclipse, the gravitational force of the earth will be neutralised or made it lesser. The gravitational force is available entire part of the earth, but during that eclipse period and in that certain orbit -- longtitude & latitude combination, the gravitational force will be made reduced or neutralised.

This reduction of force is not healthy for any living things. Especially, the food that we eat during that period the digestion power will be reduced. This digestion theory also proved scientifically. Obviously, the force that pushes the child out of the mother's body also will be reduced. In general, as soon as baby comes out of mother's body, it will try to breath by crying during that time it will struggle to breath than in the normal days. Hence mostly we tend to avoid that particular eclipse hours for birth.

I have still lot of information & facts about this but it will take more time to explain. You can follow my thread about the hindu religion, which I am posting every week.

For your information, all the celestial body has impact on our lives. For example, During the full moon day, you can observe sea tide will be raising more than the normal in any other day, it has scientific reasons.

In India, Solar/Lunar eclipse was predicted or calculated a long before 5000+ years of B.C. In astrology, it was very clearly mentioned. Tell me, in India, without any instruments, we have this prediction perfect, even now, the westerners still not understood the principle calculated in the astrology.

We are fooling ourselves by telling this as superstition & etc., without realising the fact or true knowledge. Because we mostly tend towards WESTERNISATION without understanding our own strengths available in India.

 

Dear HarleenSethi,

Yes, I agree with you. Some of the restrictions could be just baseless assumptions.

Already during eclipse, gravitational force is less, but a Pregnant lady should not sleep because this affects the baby inside.

The reason is, when you are lying flat :
- Your breath slows down
- Your blood circulation slows down

Basically, child inherits mother's breath & blood in the womb. At the time of eclipse, since both breath & blood circulation of the mother is low, the child in the womb will find it difficult to breath. It does not get its normal share of blood & breath. That is the reason to keep the baby active, mother is not encouraged to sleep.

 

I feel that the restrictions placed on women are just mumbo- jumbo and without any scientific basis. There are all kinds of stories we hear about eclipses - about a demon( Rahu) eating up the sun. Of course this is not true. There is a proper scientific explanation for a eclipse.

Women especially pregnant women often have to heed these aforesaid restrictions either because of senior relatives or because they have been told too many stories about the consequences of not heeding these restrictions. In my view, it is sufficient if a women (pregnant or not ) does not look at the sun with naked eye.

 

@vinaa

You are a very uneducated and ignorant person and full of BS. The kind of information you give to the public is dangerous and totally inaccurate.
The Earth's gravitational force is only given by it's mass and density. The force with which a mother pushes her child out is only given by the mother herself. Do you know that astronauts are simulating low gravity and experience moon-walking within containers of water because it acts very much like a low gravity environment? Well .. nowadays many mothers are giving birth in water because it's easier (for you to understand .. this is like giving birth on the moon which has lesser gravity). So scientifically is healthy.

Refrain yourself from giving and spreading wrong information to the public (this kind of attitude should be prohibited by the law).

And so to end .. those things that you have just said are nothing more than just pure .. out-of-the-box, genuine superstitions. What westerns science understands now is beyond any understanding of yours or any other follower of the ancient/old ways!