Temples are closed during the eclipses. Can anyone give me the shastric basis for this-quotes from puranas etc

Question

I want to know what are the quotations from the shastras that forbid deity worhsip in temples during the time of eclipse. If anyone can quote from the samhitas, vedas, upanishats or puranas, I will be extremely obliged. Thank you in advance! I am not looking for so called scientific or traditional answers. I am humbly looking for actual scritpural quotations.

Answer 1

Regarding the lunar eclipse Lord Caitanya appeared and people were taking bath in Ganga and chanting the holy names as per the description of Chaitanya Charitamrita.
a-kalana gauracandra dila darasana
sa-kalanka candre ara kon prayojana
When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahaprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?
eta jani’ rahu kaila candrera grahana
‘krishna’ ‘krishna’ ‘hari’ name bhase tri-bhuvana
Considering this, Rahu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of “Krsihna! Krishna! Hari!” inundated the three worlds.
PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada.
According to the Jyotir-veda, a lunar eclipse takes place when the Rahu planet comes in front of the full moon. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of the Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

As you can see, Prabhupada mentions that it is a custom to bath in river or ocean and chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra and he does not speak about closing the temple.

Answer 2

Eclipses have adverse effects on our health (scientifically proven). In those early days, people used to regularly move out and pay visit to the temples. To prevent people moving out for such visits, tehy used to keep them closed during eclipses. The fundamentals are followed by the temple authorities, but not by people around as the whole concept is forgotten...

:-)

Answer 3

During the eclipse some kinds of rays of sun or the moon do not come upto the earth that is why Hindus avoid going out during eclipse that is why temples are closed first of all.