rAhuH [ rah-uR ] 1 N. of a demon, son of Vipracitti and Siṃhikā and hence often called Saiṃhikeya ; grasate hi tamopahaM muhurnanu rAhvAhvamaharpatiM tamaH Śi. 16. 57. [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 o the fraud. Viṣṇu, thereupon, severed his head from the body; but as he had tasted a little quantity of nectar the head became immortal, and is supposed ( pb ) 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 mode of the moon.]. 2 An eclipse, or rather the moment of occultation. 3 Abandoning. 4 One who abandons. 5 The regent of the southwest quarter. Comp. — ucCizwaM , — utsfzwaM = laSuna q. v. — gata a. darkened. — grasanaM, -grAsaH, -darSanaM, -pIqA, -saMsparSaH an eclipse (of the sun or moon). — CatraM green ginger. — Bedin m. N. of Viṣṇu. — sUtakaM ‘the birth of Rāhu,’ i. e. an eclipse (of the sun or moon); Y. 1. 146 ; cf. Ms. 4. 110.