राहु

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहुः, पुं, (रह त्यागे + बहुलवचनात् उण् ।) त्यागः । इति संक्षिप्तसारोणादिवृत्तिः ॥ (रहति गृहीत्वा त्यजति चन्द्रभिति । रह त्यागे + बहुलवचनात् उण् । इत्युज्ज्वलः । १ । १ ।) ग्रहविशेषः । तत्पर्य्यायः । तमः २ स्वर्भानुः ३ सैंहिकेयः ४ विधुन्तुदः ५ । इत्यमरः ॥ अस्र- पिशाचः ६ ग्रहकल्लोलः ७ सैंहिकः ८ उप- प्लवः ९ शीर्षकः १० उपरागः ११ सिंहिका- मूनुः १२ । इति शब्दरत्नावली ॥ कृष्णवर्णः १३ कवश्रः १४ । इति जटाधरः ॥ अगुः १५ असुरः १६ । इति ज्योतिस्तत्त्वम् ॥ तस्योत्- पत्त्यादिर्यथा, -- “सिंहिकायामथोत्पन्ना विप्रचित्तेश्चतुर्द्दश । शम्बः शम्बलगात्रश्च व्यङ्गः शाल्वस्तथैव च ॥ इल्वलो नमुचिश्चैव वातापी हसृपो जिकः । हरकल्पकलिनाभौ भौमश्च नरकस्तथा ॥ राहुर्ज्येष्ठश्च तेषां वै चन्द्रसूर्य्यप्रमर्द्दनः । इत्येते सिंहिकापुत्त्रा देवैरपि दुरासदाः ॥ दारुणाभिजनाः क्रूराः सर्व्वे ब्रह्मद्बिषस्तु ते । दशान्यानि सहस्राणि सैंहिकेयो गणः स्मृतः ॥ निहतो यामदग्न्येन भार्गवेण बलीयसा । स्वर्भानोस्तु प्रभा कन्या पुलोम्नस्तु शची सुता ॥” इति वह्निपुराणे प्रजापतिसर्गनामाध्यायः ॥ * ॥ तस्य शिरश्छेदकारणं यथा, -- “देवलिङ्गप्रतिच्छन्नः स्वर्भानुर्देवसंसदि । प्रविष्टः सोममपिबत् चन्द्रार्काभ्याञ्च सूचितः ॥ चक्रेण क्षुरधारेण जहार पिबतः शिरः । हरिस्तस्य कबन्धस्तु सुधयाप्लावितोऽपतत् ॥ शिरस्त्वमरतां नीतमजो ग्रहमचीक्सृपत् । यस्तु पर्ब्बणि चन्द्रार्कावभिधावति वैरधीः ॥” इति श्रीभागवते ८ स्कन्धे ९ अध्यायः ॥ स च मलयपर्व्वतजातः । शूद्रवर्णः । द्बादशा- ङ्गुलपरिमाणः । कृष्णवर्णः । कृष्णवस्त्रः । सिंह- वाहनः । चतुर्भुजः । खड्गवरशूलचर्म्मधारी । सूर्य्यास्यः । अस्य अधिदेवता कालः । प्रत्यधि- देवता सर्पः । इति ग्रहयज्ञतत्त्वम् ॥ अस्य स्वरूपं शनिवत् । स च चण्डालजातिः । सर्पाकृतिः । अस्थिस्वामी नैरृतदिक्स्वामी च । इति बृहज्जातकादयः ॥ (राहुचारस्य फलाफलं बृहत्संहितायाः ५ अध्यायतो द्रष्ट- व्यम् ॥)

अमरकोशः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहु पुं।

राहुः

समानार्थक:तम,राहु,स्वर्भानु,सैंहिकेय,विधुन्तुद,तमस्

1।3।26।2।2

रौहिणेयो बुधः सौम्यः समौ सौरिशनैश्चरौ। तमस्तु राहुः स्वर्भानुः सैंहिकेयो विधुन्तुदः॥

पदार्थ-विभागः : नाम, द्रव्यम्, तेजः, ग्रहः

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहु¦ पु॰ रह--उण्।

१ त्यक्तरि, ज्योतिश्चक्रस्थे सूर्य्य-किरणसम्पर्काभावेन जायमानपृथिवीच्छायारूपे

३ तमसितदधिष्ठातरि

४ ग्रहभेदे,

५ सिंहिकासुते दानवे च। तमःशब्दे दृश्यम्।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहु¦ m. (-हुः) The ascending node; in mythology, the son of VIPRACHITTI by SINHIKA4, a Daitya, with the tail of a dragon, whose head was severed from his body by VISHN4U, on the information of the sun and the moon who caught him in the act of drinking Amrita which was being served to gods, but being immortal by tasting it, his head and tail retained their separate existence, and being transferred [Page605-a+ 60] to the stellar sphere, became the authors of eclipses; the first especially, by endeavouring at various times to swallow the sun and the moon to wreak his vengeance. E. रह् to abandon, (the planets which it has vainly attempted to devour,) aff. उण्, and the vowel made long.

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहुः [rāhuḥ], [रह्-उण् Uṇ.1.3]

N. of a demon, son of Viprachitti and Siṁhikā and hence often called Saiṁhikeya; ग्रसते हि तमोपहं मुहुर्ननु राह्वाह्वमहर्पतिं तमः Śi.16.57; विधुरपि विधियोगाद् ग्रस्यते राहुणासौ H. [When the nectar, that was churned out of the ocean, was being served to the gods, Rāhu disguised himself and attempted to drink it along with them. But he was detected by the sun and the moon who informed Viṣṇu of the fraud. Visnu, thereupon, severed his head from the body; but as he had tasted a little quantity of nectar the head became immortal, and is supposed to wreak its vengeance on the sun and moon at the time of conjunction and opposition; cf. Bh.2.34. In astronomy Rāhu is regarded, like Ketu, as one of the nine planets, or only as the ascending node of the moon.]

An eclipse, or rather the moment of occultation.

Abandoning.

One who abandons.

The regent of the southwest quarter. -Comp. -उच्छिष्टम्, -उत्सृष्टम् = लशुन q. v. -गतः a. darkened, eclipsed; also राहुग्रस्त. -ग्रसनम्, -ग्रासः, -दर्शनम्, -पीडा, -संस्पर्शः an eclipse (of the sun or moon). -छत्रम् green ginger. -पीडा an eclipse. -भेदिन् m. N. of Viṣṇu. -रत्नम् a kind of gem (= गोमेद). -शत्रुः the moon; राहुशत्रोः प्रियां पत्नीं ...... ग्रहेणाभ्युदितेनैकां रोहिणीमिव पीडिताम् Rām.2.114.3. -सूतकम् 'the birth of Rāhu',i. e. an eclipse (of the sun or moon); Y.1.146; cf. Ms.4.11. -हन् m. N. of Kriṣṇa; L. D. B.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

राहु m. (fr. रभ्; See. ग्रहand ग्रह्)" the Seizer " , N. of a दैत्यor demon who is supposed to seize the sun and moon and thus cause eclipses (he is fabled as a son of विप्र-चित्तिand सिंहिकाand as having a dragon's tail ; when the gods had churned the ocean for the अमृतor nectar of immortality , he disguised himself like one of them and drank a portion ; but the Sun and Moon revealed the fraud to विष्णु, who cut off राहु's head , which thereupon became fixed in the stellar sphere , and having become immortal through drinking the अमृत, has ever since wreaked its vengeance on the Sun and Moon by occasionally swallowing them ; while at the same time the tail of the demon became केतु[q.v.] and gave birth to a numerous progeny of comets and fiery meteors ; in astron. राहुis variously regarded as a dragon's head , as the ascending node of the moon [or point where the moon intersects the ecliptic in passing northwards] , as one of the planets [See. ग्रह] , and as the regent of the south-west quarter [ Laghuj. ] Page880,1 ; among Buddhists many demons are called राहु) AV. etc.

राहु m. an eclipse or (rather) the moment of the beginning of an occultation or obscuration VarBr2S.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

(I)--(also स्वर्भानु); an Asura and the eldest of the १४ sons of Vipracitti and सिम्हिका; a servant of हिरण्यकशिपु; attained the status of a planet and immorta- lity by drinking अमृत in the disguise of a deva, and when detected and reported by the sun and the moon, the Lord threw his चक्र which cut off his head; hence he became the enemy of the sun and [page३-080+ ३६] the moon. फलकम्:F1:  भा. VI. 6. ३७; १८. १३-14; VIII. 9. २४-26; Br. III. 5. १३; 6. २०; M. २५१. १२; वा. ५२. ८१; ६७. ६०; ६८. २०; १११. 5; Vi. I. १९. ५२; II. १२. २२.फलकम्:/F Asked by Bali to refrain from battle; position on the शिशुमार about the neck; with Soma in the देवासुर war; फलकम्:F2:  भा. V. २३. 7; VIII. १०. ३१; २१. १९.फलकम्:/F his daughter, was the wife of आयु. फलकम्:F3:  Vi. IV. 8. 1.फलकम्:/F one of the nine planets; black in colour; it is said that the sun and the moon interrupt him and therefore both are attacked on new moon or full moon days; it is सुदर्शन that makes राहु withdraw himself; such occurrences are said to be eclipses; below the region of राहु is the abode of the Siddhas, चारणस् and विद्याधरस्; फलकम्:F4:  भा. V. २४. 1-4; Br. II. २३. ८९; २४. १३६; III. १४. 3; M. ९३. १०.फलकम्:/F राहु leaving the moon is compared to getting rid of all sins by a bath in प्रयागा; फलकम्:F5:  Ib. १०६. २६.फलकम्:/F attains Soma in Parvas and then आदित्यस्; फलकम्:F6:  Ib. १०७. १२; १२७. १०.फलकम्:/F swal- lowing of the moon is a bad omen; फलकम्:F7:  Ib. १६३. ४२.फलकम्:/F with sun or moon fit for gifts in अमरकण्टक; फलकम्:F8:  Ib. १८८. ८७.फलकम्:/F rise of, must lead to the perform- ance of श्राद्ध. फलकम्:F9:  वा. ७८. 3.फलकम्:/F

(II)--a परा god. Br. IV. 1. ५७.

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Rāhu : m.: Name of a planet, also called Svarbhānu (6. 13. 39-40; 13. 17. 37).


A. Description: Described as round (parimaṇḍala) 6. 13. 40; fierce (tīvra) 6. 3. 26; dark (śyāma) 6. 3. 15; blazing, (prajvalita) 6. 3. 15; having smoke and fire sadhūmaḥ sahapāvakaḥ) 6. 3. 15; having copper-red crest (? tāmraº ºśikha) 6. 3. 24.


B. Importance: Chief among the planets (grahapatir varaḥ) 13. 17. 37; Rāhu, along with other planets, visits the sabhā of Brahman 2. 11. 20, 19; Rāhu, not directly named but probably referred to as Grahapati, finds place in the list of a thousand names of Śiva (ketugraho grahapatir varaḥ) 13. 17. 37 (however, Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 17. 38, interprets grahaḥ as rāhuḥ: ketuś ca prasiddhaḥ/candrākrau gṛhṇātīti graho rāhuḥ/ grahāṇāṁ patiḥ [grahapatiḥ] krūratvāt maṁgalaḥ); Rāhu finds place also in the Daivatavaṁśa 13. 151. 12.


C. Measurement: Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya to tell him complete extent (sarvaṁ (pramāṇaṁ)) of Rāhu, to which Saṁjaya agreed 6. 12. 3-4; according to the information of Saṁjaya his diameter (viṣkambha) was 12000 yojanas, and his circumference (pariṇāha) 36000 yojanas; according to the learned Paurāṇikas his expanse (? vipulatva) was 6000 yojanas (parimaṇḍalo mahārāja svarbhānuḥ śrūyate grahaḥ/yojanānāṁ sahasrāṇi viṣkambho dvādaśāsya vai//pariṇāhena ṣaṭtriṁśad vipulatvena cānagha/ ṣaṣṭim āhuḥ śatāny asya budhāḥ paurāṇikās tathā) 6. 13. 40-41 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 12. 41 interprets vipulatvena as tato 'py ādhikyena, idam uttarānvayi; in that case the circumference of Rāhu will be 36000 + 6000 = 42000 yojanas; see also Editor's note on the stanza, Cr. Ed. Vol. 7, p. 765: “Saṁjaya is here relying upon his studies, and not upon the Eye Divine”); owing to its being larger in size than the sun and the moon, Rāhu covers them both at proper times (sa rāhuś chādayaty etau (i. e. candrādityau) yathākālaṁ mahattayā) 6. 13. 45.


D. Omens:

(1) Among the bad omens for the Kurus reported by Vyāsa to Dhṛtarāṣṭra one was related to Rāhu's swallowing the sun 6. 3. 11; this event is again referred to by Vyāsa as occurring at an improper time, i. e. on the thirteenth day of the month and in which Rāhu swallowed both Candra and Sūrya together; this meant destruction of the subjects 6. 3. 28-29 (for citation and Nī.'s commentary see Sūrya below); also cf. 14. 76. 15; 2. 71. 26; 9. 55. 10; the same was also noted by Karṇa and reported to Kṛṣṇa (rāhur arkam upaiṣyati) 5. 141. 10 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 143. 11: ayaṁ kartarīyogaḥ somavaṁśyānāṁ sūryavaṁśyānāṁ ca rājñāṁ kṣayakara ity arthaḥ); (reference to Rāhu implied in 6. 73. 10: prajāsaṁharaṇe sūryaḥ krūrair iva mahāgrahaiḥ (parivṛtaḥ);

(2) Among the omens noticed by Vyāsa there was also another according to which a black planet (= Rāhu) blazing, and full of smoke and fire had gone over to Jyeṣṭhā and remained there (śyāmo grahaḥ prajvalitaḥ sadhūmaḥ sahapāvakaḥ/…jyeṣṭhām ākramya tiṣṭhati//)) 6. 3. 15 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 3. 16 reads śveto grahaḥ in place of śyāmo grahaḥ and explains it as Ketu: śveto dvitīya upagrahaḥ ketusaṁjñaḥ);

(3) Vyāsa had also noticed that the two Grahas (Rāhu and Ketu ?) having copper-red and ruddy crests (respy. ?) appear blazing in the sky and cover up the lustre of the seven sages (i. e. the constellation Ursa Major) (grahau tāmrāruṇaśikhau prajvalantāv iva sthitau/saptar ṣīṇām udārāṇāṁ samavacchādya vai prabhām//) 6. 3. 24;

(4) Kṛṣṇa observed that the amāvāsyā had already set in on the thirteenth day of the dark half of the month and that Rāhu had turned the fourteenth day into the fifteenth (which was looked upon as bad); he told the Yādavas that such an event had happened only once before at the time of the Bhārata war (a reference to 6. 3. 28-29 above) and that it had now occurred again to foretell the destruction of the Yādavas (trayodaśyām amāvāsyā tān dṛṣṭvā prābravīd idam//caturdaśī pañcadaśī kṛteyaṁ rāhuṇā punaḥ/tadā ca bhārate yuddhe prāptā cādya kṣayāya naḥ//) 16. 3. 16-17 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 16. 2. 19, notices a hint of a solar eclipse in this statement: evaṁ saty agrimapakṣe vṛddhyā bhāvyaṁ tan na jātaṁ praty uta ekā tithiḥ kṣīṇā tatra grahaṇaṁ ca jātam). [See Dhūmaketu; for Rāhu, also see Section 1. 7]


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Rāhu : m.: Name of a planet, also called Svarbhānu (6. 13. 39-40; 13. 17. 37).


A. Description: Described as round (parimaṇḍala) 6. 13. 40; fierce (tīvra) 6. 3. 26; dark (śyāma) 6. 3. 15; blazing, (prajvalita) 6. 3. 15; having smoke and fire sadhūmaḥ sahapāvakaḥ) 6. 3. 15; having copper-red crest (? tāmraº ºśikha) 6. 3. 24.


B. Importance: Chief among the planets (grahapatir varaḥ) 13. 17. 37; Rāhu, along with other planets, visits the sabhā of Brahman 2. 11. 20, 19; Rāhu, not directly named but probably referred to as Grahapati, finds place in the list of a thousand names of Śiva (ketugraho grahapatir varaḥ) 13. 17. 37 (however, Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 17. 38, interprets grahaḥ as rāhuḥ: ketuś ca prasiddhaḥ/candrākrau gṛhṇātīti graho rāhuḥ/ grahāṇāṁ patiḥ [grahapatiḥ] krūratvāt maṁgalaḥ); Rāhu finds place also in the Daivatavaṁśa 13. 151. 12.


C. Measurement: Dhṛtarāṣṭra asked Saṁjaya to tell him complete extent (sarvaṁ (pramāṇaṁ)) of Rāhu, to which Saṁjaya agreed 6. 12. 3-4; according to the information of Saṁjaya his diameter (viṣkambha) was 12000 yojanas, and his circumference (pariṇāha) 36000 yojanas; according to the learned Paurāṇikas his expanse (? vipulatva) was 6000 yojanas (parimaṇḍalo mahārāja svarbhānuḥ śrūyate grahaḥ/yojanānāṁ sahasrāṇi viṣkambho dvādaśāsya vai//pariṇāhena ṣaṭtriṁśad vipulatvena cānagha/ ṣaṣṭim āhuḥ śatāny asya budhāḥ paurāṇikās tathā) 6. 13. 40-41 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 12. 41 interprets vipulatvena as tato 'py ādhikyena, idam uttarānvayi; in that case the circumference of Rāhu will be 36000 + 6000 = 42000 yojanas; see also Editor's note on the stanza, Cr. Ed. Vol. 7, p. 765: “Saṁjaya is here relying upon his studies, and not upon the Eye Divine”); owing to its being larger in size than the sun and the moon, Rāhu covers them both at proper times (sa rāhuś chādayaty etau (i. e. candrādityau) yathākālaṁ mahattayā) 6. 13. 45.


D. Omens:

(1) Among the bad omens for the Kurus reported by Vyāsa to Dhṛtarāṣṭra one was related to Rāhu's swallowing the sun 6. 3. 11; this event is again referred to by Vyāsa as occurring at an improper time, i. e. on the thirteenth day of the month and in which Rāhu swallowed both Candra and Sūrya together; this meant destruction of the subjects 6. 3. 28-29 (for citation and Nī.'s commentary see Sūrya below); also cf. 14. 76. 15; 2. 71. 26; 9. 55. 10; the same was also noted by Karṇa and reported to Kṛṣṇa (rāhur arkam upaiṣyati) 5. 141. 10 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 5. 143. 11: ayaṁ kartarīyogaḥ somavaṁśyānāṁ sūryavaṁśyānāṁ ca rājñāṁ kṣayakara ity arthaḥ); (reference to Rāhu implied in 6. 73. 10: prajāsaṁharaṇe sūryaḥ krūrair iva mahāgrahaiḥ (parivṛtaḥ);

(2) Among the omens noticed by Vyāsa there was also another according to which a black planet (= Rāhu) blazing, and full of smoke and fire had gone over to Jyeṣṭhā and remained there (śyāmo grahaḥ prajvalitaḥ sadhūmaḥ sahapāvakaḥ/…jyeṣṭhām ākramya tiṣṭhati//)) 6. 3. 15 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 6. 3. 16 reads śveto grahaḥ in place of śyāmo grahaḥ and explains it as Ketu: śveto dvitīya upagrahaḥ ketusaṁjñaḥ);

(3) Vyāsa had also noticed that the two Grahas (Rāhu and Ketu ?) having copper-red and ruddy crests (respy. ?) appear blazing in the sky and cover up the lustre of the seven sages (i. e. the constellation Ursa Major) (grahau tāmrāruṇaśikhau prajvalantāv iva sthitau/saptar ṣīṇām udārāṇāṁ samavacchādya vai prabhām//) 6. 3. 24;

(4) Kṛṣṇa observed that the amāvāsyā had already set in on the thirteenth day of the dark half of the month and that Rāhu had turned the fourteenth day into the fifteenth (which was looked upon as bad); he told the Yādavas that such an event had happened only once before at the time of the Bhārata war (a reference to 6. 3. 28-29 above) and that it had now occurred again to foretell the destruction of the Yādavas (trayodaśyām amāvāsyā tān dṛṣṭvā prābravīd idam//caturdaśī pañcadaśī kṛteyaṁ rāhuṇā punaḥ/tadā ca bhārate yuddhe prāptā cādya kṣayāya naḥ//) 16. 3. 16-17 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 16. 2. 19, notices a hint of a solar eclipse in this statement: evaṁ saty agrimapakṣe vṛddhyā bhāvyaṁ tan na jātaṁ praty uta ekā tithiḥ kṣīṇā tatra grahaṇaṁ ca jātam). [See Dhūmaketu; for Rāhu, also see Section 1. 7]


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Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Rāhu, the demon that eclipses the sun, seems to be referred to in one passage of the Atharvaveda. The reading here is somewhat uncertain, but Rāhu is probably meant.