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SA Volunteer: Shrikanth Gopalan
‘Taken with permission from The Astrological Magazine: March 1977
Rahu and Ketu
Those in the employ of governments are familiar with a term known as officer on special duty. These officers do not have, normally, the powers or responsibilities or even the authorities of another officer in their cadre doing the same or similar work. But these special officers, known popularly as functous officio, often acquire some extraordinary powers as if such powers have been delegated upon them by the head of the State. More often than not, such OSDs are deemed to have been appointed either for faultfinding or for fact-finding. We do have a few such OSDs in the planetary family and these include Rahu and Ketu.
In astronomy these are known as nodes or shadows of the Moon. In astrology they are generally assigned dignified positions and are described as aprakasha grahas. In the mathematical astrology (grahabala ganita) they are not given that importance that are given to the other planets; but in judicial astrology (phalitabhava) they are considered as important as Sani (Saturn) and Kuja (Mars) respectively. This is also evident from the fact that though these planets are not assigned ownership or ucchasthaana (exaltation) in most of the ancient works on astrology, they rule over a quarter part of man’s Dasa Bhuktis in average.
Because of these facts Rahu and Ketu are considered, respectively, to be malefic grahas next only to Saturn and Mars giving always some trouble or the other whenever there be any opportunity like unfavourable transit, Dasa or aspect.
RAHU
Our Sastras assign Rahu, the son of Simhika, to Bengal and to Paitheenasa Gotra. He is the counsel and minister of Asuras or the divinely cruel people and he, as a rule, gives pinpricks and troubles even to planets other than Saturn by association or spacing. Rahu is always connected with eye troubles, accidents to brain and criminal litigation in some form or other.
A Nadisastra says that if Rahu is in Kaalakuta Nadi he makes a male native a hanging man in the jail, in Karikara Nadi the native squanders away his paternal properties in prostitution and becomes a victim of Kushta and if in Patalini Nadi the native is sure to be hanged or sliced to death on account of Raaja Dandana (punishment by king). These are but a few examples.
Rahu has a number of good qualities too where he does not fail to identify himself for his adopoisure type of qualities. Should any benefit be bestowed by him, at all, it will be tinted with some sort of trouble or at least humiliation. Mahabharata says that when Rahu is beneficial he is but half cruel. Along with Ketu, Rahu causes Kaalasarpa Yoga which is as malicious a yoga as can be conceived of.
Even for those in whose radix Rahu is in the 3rd, the 6th or the 11th Rahu Dasa proves quite a memorable people of vicissitudes. For others Rahu Dasa assures failures and fall in every attempt, the degree varying with the quality of the planet he is associated with or aspected by. In conjunction with Saturn, Rahu spoils himself and Saturn too to a great extent. As between Rahu and Ketu, Rahu is always bad and Ketu is never good. The rule of Kendra-Kona situation has to be applied to these nodes very carefully and cautiously.
Rahu’s birth star is Aswini and his adhidevata is Kaalapurusha while his pratyadhi devata is female serpent. He is a eunuch. His favourite color is jet black and profession is cooking. His vehicle is goat. Rahu is fond of blackgram and his favorite naivedya is Vada. The flower and the gem attributed to Rahu are mandarapushpa and Gomedhaka. Rahu’s favourite twig (samit) is durwa grass and his dress is of dark black colour. He is a malefic.
Rahu is held to be exalted in Scorpio 27 by some schools. His number is 36 and beejakshara is bhram (भ्राँ). His seat in the ministry is to the South-West of the Sun with Mars in the South and Saturn in the West.
Rahu acquires the qualities and power of the planet owning the house occupied by him and also the qualities of the planet in whose conjunction he is involved. Except the 3rd, the 6th, and the 11th houses Rahu is considered to damage every Bhava he occupies. This is but a general statement as the results will depend much upon the inter-planetary relations of Rahu, the position and the situation of the disposited planet as also the nature and strength of the co-tenants. But the planet is known to contribute to the following maladies while in each Bhava.
In the 1st house Rahu causes a sort of perverted intelligence and idiotic approach to problems. Makes a person avaricious and secretive. In females this ruins married life by causing excessive sexual desire and frequent abortions. Makes a person jealous, disgruntled and vindictive.
In the 2nd house Rahu makes a man eke out a living and to resort to stealthy acts and corrupt earning practices, including earning through characterless women. The native will hardly have any financial stability in life. Nor will he be happy with one wife or one cooking place.
In the 4th house Rahu drives the native to seek sexual pleasures with servants, scavengers and widows and also restricts one’s promotions and ability to show up.
In the 5th house Rahu brings about the virtual end of one’s dynasty or clan besides ruining the outlook and the idiosyncracies of the native.
In the 7th house Rahu deprives the native of married life and makes the spouse suffer from acute diseases connected with generative organs.
In the 8th house he indicates a most unorthodox and naïve native often committing murder, rape, adultery, cruel deeds, treachery, crookish acts, dacoity and petty thefts.
In the 9th house the native becomes a mean person in personal and public life with no dignity and no respect for elders, the creator or the created. In this house the planet indicates suicide on father’s side and also putrashoka.
In the 10th house Rahu indicates a native corrupt morally, mentally, financially and professionally, not only after birth, but from the core of his mother’s womb. If, by any chance, Rahu is present in the 12th house, he makes the native a jail bird, a butcher, a man of losses and more unlucky.
In the case of women, Rahu in the 7th gives the results of the 4th, the 9th and the 7th houses while in the 8th he gives the results of the 2nd, the 8th and the 5th houses.
During Dasa-Bhukti periods Rahu gives the results of the planets and Bhavas in which he is situated both in the radix and in the gochara.
In mundane astrology Rahu causes treachery, mutiny, strikes, riots, earthquakes, droughts, mass murders, mass destruction, national corruption and autocracy.
Sastras lay down that by propitiating the Supreme Mother in different incarnations through worship, prayer, recitation of Moolabeeja, maha mantras and wearing the appropriate kavachas and gems, one may be able to ward off the evil effects.
The various Avataras of the Supreme Mother for warding off the ill-effects of Rahu in the 1st, the 2nd, the 4th, the 5th, the 7th, the 8th, the 9th, the 10th and the 12th bhavas respectively are (1) Bhuvaneshwari, (2) Mahalakshmi, (3) Braahmi, (4) Maheswari, (5) Kaumari, (6) Vaishnavi (Santoshi), (7) Vaaraahi (8) Indraakshi and (9) Chaamundi.
A native for whom Rahu Dasa or Rahu Bhukti is on or Rahu Bhukti in other Dasa is other Dasa is on is not beneficial, will do propitiate God Lakshmi-Narasimha in accordance with and by also reciting Lakshminrisimha Hridayam which is part of Uttara Bhaga of Atharva Veda and also Mahaalakshmi Hridaya by Bhargava Rishi. Those who are victims of Rahu’s transit in the various Bhavas (from the Moon Rasi) are advised to recite Rahu stotra which forms part of Skaanda Purana and also Rahu Kavacha Stotra and Lakshminrisimha Karaavalamba Stotra.
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