With tonight’s Lunar Eclipse, it seemed apt to mention Rahu – one of the two ‘dark’ Graha [‘Influencers’, ‘Planets’] of Vedic Astrology … and rather directly responsible for Eclipses, as we discussed in our earlier ‘Rahu – The Dark Graha And His Veiled Grasp‘

Here are a few lines from AtharvaVeda XIX 9 that I have translated and which pertain to He :

“7 Be Positive Mitra, Positive Varuna, Positive The Wide-Shining (Sun), Positive The Destroyer
May The Portentous Events Upon This Earth And In ‘Midst The Sea Of Stars Be Allied (With Us)
And So Too The Grahas Active Within Heaven Likewise

8 May The Quake Of Earth Be Healing, May The Striking Of The Fire-Falling-Star’s Target Bring Peace
May The Blood-Milk (Trailing) Cows Be Auspicious, And May The Falling Stone Prove The Same

9 The Meteor-Bombarded Nakshatra Be Auspicious, The Magical Enactments Not Cause Us Fear
The Secret, Hidden Spells Become Revealed And Turn To Our Favour,
The Baleful Portents And Fire From The Heavens Afflicting A Demesne Be (Revealed) Luck’s Noble Lady

10 Beneficent Be The Graspers Of The Moon And Rahu With The Sun (Even In Eclipse)
A Blessing Be Death’s Smoke-Banner (Comet) – And The Rudras’ Flame-Sharp Majestic Might !”

May That Which Seems Terrible
In Fact Become Terrific

Yet Never Lose Its Awe