Continuation…
Dr. Shanker Adawal
9. Rahu and Ketu: The
Shadowy Planets
Rahu and Ketu are called
shadowy planets. They are not substantial heavenly bodies with an observable body
shape or mass like the Sun, Moon and other planets have. Westerners have named
Rahu and Ketu as Dragon’s Head and Dragon’s Tail respectively. Caput and Cauda
are the other names given to them by Westerners.
Hindu mythology has in its
characteristic way symbolized these two parts of a single body. According to a
Puranic story after churning of the Samudra Manthan came out a divine elephant,
a horse, a physician, the Goddess of wealth Mahalaxmi and Amrita or
immortality. For the distribution of Amrita there was a serious dispute amongst
the Devas and Asuras. The Supreme Lord (Bhagwan Vishnu) assuming the shape of
an alluring Mohini, took charge of distributing the Amrita in the way that all
of it was consumed by Devas but one among the Asuras had stealthily joined the
ranks of Devas and got a share of Amrit but was discovered and exposed by the
Sun and the Moon. Bhagwan Vishnu cut the Asura in two pieces but as he had
taken Amrita both the severed parts remained alive though separated. The head
got the name of `Rahu’ and the body and tail `ketu’. This made Rahu and Ketu
eternal enemies of the Sun and the Moon.
Periodically they
succeeded in swallowing the Sun and the Moon causing eclipses but they escape
as they are immortal. The fact that has since been universally accepted is that
Rahu Ketu are celestial points on the Zodiac with regulated movement and orbit
and they have a distinct and predictable influence in horoscopes. The motion of
these points which is always retrograde in motion can be calculated as accurately
as the position of the Sun or the Moon, through owing to their being substance,
this cannot be verified by visual observation.
To understand how these
imaginary points are accurately located and their movements are calculated we
have to consider the apparent paths in the heavens of the two planets the Sun
and the Moon, that is, the paths along which the Sun and the Moon appear to an
observer on earth, to rotate. The Sun appears to move along an ellipse of which
Earth is a focus. The plane of this ellipse is inclined to the terrestrial
Equator at an angle of 23o The Moon, as the satellite of the Earth
moves round it and its path is also elliptical with the Earth as a focus, and
plane of this orbit is inclined to the Equator at an angle of 28o so
that the planes of the orbits of the Sun and the Moon appear to the observer on
Earth to be inclined to each other at an angle of 5 degrees. The two points at
which the orbit of the Moon cuts the orbit of the Sun are called nodes, and
they are exactly 180o apart. The point of intersection formed when
the Moon’s motion is from South to North, is said to be ascending node and
named Rahu, and the point of intersection formed when the Moon’s motion is from
north to south is called the descending node or Ketu. It has been observed that
the nodes have a retrograde movement in the Zodiac at the rate of 19o 20
minutes per year. Rahu and Ketu are said to stay in a sign for about 18 months.
Rahu and Ketu indicate one
born in a low caste; one who may have intrigue with girls; is one whose
thoughts and actions will be evil. One will resort to outcastes and low born as
well as ill bred people.
There is quite a
controversy amongst the astrologers about the signs owned by Rahu and Ketu, and
signs in which they will be exalted and debilitated. This controversy is
running from ancient times. According to Uttara Kalamrita, an ancient classic
on Hindu Predictive Astrology, Rahu is exalted in Taurus and debilitated in
Scorpio, vice versa of Ketu. This book also assigns the sign Aquarius to Rahu
and Scorpio to Ketu. Mooltrikona of Rahu has been fixed as Gemini and
Mooltrikona of Ketu has been given as Virgo. Sanketnidhi, another recognized
book allots Gemini as the exaltation sign of Rahu, Virgo as his own sign and
Sagittarius as the exaltation sign of Ketu and Pisces as its own Sign. It is
also believed that Rahu acts like Saturn and Ketu acts like Mars. The Gem of
Rahu is Gomed and that of Ketu Cat’s Eye.
In up coming chapters
astrological sign with their element, gender and characteristics of people born
under each sign has been discussed in details.
Dr. Shanker Adawal
Profile: www.connectingmind.com
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
www.shankarsastro.com
Published articles on Articlesbase.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/shanker-adawal/149926
or search keyword "shanker adawal" in google search for published articles
Join my Facebook Group for free Astro Queries: www.facebook.com/adawal
Published articles on Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/2wyxtfk
Research work and articles on Bhrigu Nadi astrology: www.shankerstudy.com
www.shankarsastro.com
Published articles on Articlesbase.com
http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/shanker-adawal/149926
or search keyword "shanker adawal" in google search for published articles
Join my Facebook Group for free Astro Queries: www.facebook.com/adawal
Published articles on Newspapers: http://tinyurl.com/2wyxtfk
