Rahu (Rahu)

Nature

Rahu is a chhaya graha (shadow planet), a calculated point rather than a physical body. It is formed where the orbits of the Earth and the Moon intersect. Rahu's characteristic work is to throw obstacles into undertakings that are otherwise proceeding well.

The word Rahu derives from the root rah, meaning "alone" or "hidden."

Puranic Account

Rahu is the son of Simhika, daughter of the daitya king Hiranyakashipu. In the Rigveda (5.40.5) and the Atharvaveda (11.1.10), he is mentioned by the name Svarbhanu:

yat tva surya svarbhanus tamasavidhyad asurah | akshetravid yatha mugdho bhuvanani adidhayuh ||

"O Surya, when Svarbhanu of the asura line pierced you with darkness, the worlds gazed on bewildered, like one astray who does not know the ground he stands on."

In the Atharvaveda, Rahu is likened to a serpent that swallows the Sun. In the Puranas he is described as the cause of comets and meteor falls. Varahamihira, too, regarded Rahu and Ketu as serpent-formed.

At the churning of the ocean for amrita (the nectar of immortality), when Lord Vishnu in his Mohini form was distributing the nectar, the Sun and the Moon complained that one of the rakshasas had drunk the amrita by deceit. At once Vishnu severed the demon's throat with his discus; but by the power of the nectar he remained alive, and through the strength of his own tapasya (austerities) he won a place among the grahas. The demon's head is called Rahu and his trunk Ketu, and when the time comes he takes revenge for that betrayal by seizing the Sun and the Moon in eclipse.

Significations

Rahu is black, blue, or smoke-coloured and of vata (windy) constitution. The person influenced by Rahu is tall of stature, fearsome in appearance, and looks old before his time. The chin is prominent.

In his malefic form, Rahu represents:

• Irreligion and dull-wittedness
• Hypocrisy, slander, and shamelessness
• Selfishness, deceit, and scheming
• Hoarding and destructive tendencies

In his benefic form, Rahu represents:

• Uncovering hidden secrets
• Securing justice
• Benevolence and tolerance
• Social reform alongside a championship of ancient culture

Influence on the Body

In the body, Rahu governs the head, the arms, the chin, the faculty of thought, and the anus. He directs activities such as scheming and deliberation, deceit, lying, factionalism, black-marketeering, the spreading of rumours, dreams, and bestiality.

Rashi Relationships