A very valid question.
It only shows that fear is a man felt emotion and we close temples!
BTW in Norse Mythology there is a very similar story of Rahu and Ketu and the Sun and Moon but here its about 2 wolves named Skoll and Hati that try to swallow the sun and the moon respectively and we get eclipses.
What a display of ignorance!!!
1. Those who are in just the bhakti stage can never understand the vaishnavite's view on these matters. May be they will have to spiritually grow to cross the bhakti stage and come to parabhakti, parajnAna and then the final paramabhakti stage to understand these things.
A vaishnavite's LOVE for God is absolute. Whatever is good for him is also good for HIM. and whatever is bad for him is bad for HIM too. During the eclipse there are harmful radiations which can endanger a human life on earth. So it is not good to get exposed to these radiations. Science agrees with this. The food prepared or exposed to such radiations can cause damage to the system.
For a vaishnavite the LOVE for God is absolute. I have said this earlier many times. I would recall the quote from the old widow who exclaimed " கிருஷ்ணா உன்னை இப்படிப்போட்டு ஆட்டு ஆட்டுன்னு ஆட்டறாளேடாப்பா. எனக்குத்தாங்க முடியலையே" looking at the enthusiasm of the sri patham thangi volunteers who were bringing out the deity on their shoulder. I would also recall the unswerving devotion of my village bhattachar who refuses to leave his Navaneethakrishnan in the local temple and go to a comfortable life with his children. I know people will find this a little boring. But at the cost of being repetitive I have recalled these facts. This is to show what is this paramabhakti of a vaishnavite devotee.
Eclipse time is not good for exposure for a vaishnavite and so it is not good time for exposure to his God also. A vaishnavite offers what is best for him to his God. Food cooked during eclipse and served during eclipse time is not good for a vaishnavite. It is bad for him. So it is bad for his God too. He will not offer it to God.
Rahu grastham and Ketu grastham are stories which accompany such high ideals usually. It is for those who have no time or no mind for the parabhakti, parajnana and paramabhakti. A child never takes bitter medicine. It takes it if sugar coated. Stories are like sugar coats. Snakes traditionally cause fear in human mind. and what better story can keep people away from danger than a snake story. LOL.
Ignoramus who know only how to contrive rhymes in bizarre situations will never get this.
தலைக்குக்கீழ கழுத்து.
நெஞ்சுக்கு கீழ இடுப்பு.
கழுத்த வெட்டினா கொலை
இடுப்ப வெட்டினா கலை.
Such TR Rajendran kind of bizarre rhymes are paraded here nowadays. சீத்தலைச்சாத்தன் இல்லாத குறை நல்லாவே தெரியுது. கர்மம் கர்மம் னு தலையிலெ அடிச்சுக்கறதத் தவிர வேற வழியில்ல. சிவ சிவா.