Svarabhanu, in the Vedic tradition, is an asura who has long been associated with solar eclipses. Additionally, the name is attributed to the asuras Rahu and Ketu in the Puranas, who are also linked to both solar and lunar eclipses.
Svarabhanu - Asura who creates eclipses in Hinduism
In the Rigveda, Svarbhānu is mentioned twice as an asura who caused darkness by striking Surya. However, Indra defeated Svarbhānu and sage Atri restored the sun to the sky. Svarbhānu also appears in the Yajurveda and the Brahmanas, where it is said that he pierced the Sun with darkness, but the gods freed him using svara.
Svarbhānu, an assistant of Shukra (Venus), held the role of teacher for the asuras. In a cunning manner, he consumed the amrita offered by Mohini, attaining immortality as two separate entities despite being beheaded immediately after: his head became Rahu and his body transformed into Ketu.
As per the Mahabharata, the sun god Surya is also depicted as an adversary of Svarbhānu. It is said that Svarbhānu aimed arrows at both the sun and moon, but they were revived by Atri, as mentioned in the Rigveda.
According to the text Hari-vaṃśa, Svarbhānu guided Kalanemi through the galaxy. In a Purana, Svarbhānu is described as the son of the goddess Siṃhikā (also known as the 'Little Lioness').
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