What is Rahu and Ketu?
In Vedic astrology, Rahu and Ketu are known as the lunar nodes, representing points where the moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptic (the apparent path of the sun across the sky). They are not physical planets but are considered significant in astrological interpretations due to their influence on human destiny and behavior.
Rahu is the North Node of the Moon and is associated with:
- Obsession and Desire: Rahu signifies materialism, ambition, and worldly desires. It drives individuals toward their goals with intense focus and determination.
- Illusion and Delusion: It can also bring about confusion, illusion, and unexpected events. Rahu’s influence might lead people to pursue things that may not be in their best interest in the long run.
- Growth and Expansion: Despite its challenging aspects, Rahu can also promote growth, innovation, and breaking away from traditional boundaries. It encourages exploration and pushing the limits.
K
Ketu is the South Node of the Moon and is associated with:
- Detachment and Spirituality: Ketu represents the opposite of Rahu’s materialism. It signifies detachment, spirituality, and liberation from worldly attachments. Ketu’s energy encourages introspection and spiritual growth.
- Past Life Influences: In Vedic astrology, Ketu is often linked to past life experiences and karma. It shows where individuals have already achieved mastery and where they need to seek deeper understanding and wisdom.
- Mysticism and Intuition: Ketu can enhance intuitive abilities, psychic insights, and a deep understanding of hidden or esoteric knowledge.
Together, Rahu and Ketu form a karmic axis in an individual’s natal chart, indicating the balance between worldly pursuits (Rahu) and spiritual goals (Ketu). Their positions and aspects with other planets reveal the lessons and challenges one might face in life, guiding the journey toward a more balanced and fulfilled existence.
The story
To do this, we must first turn to the origins, especially to Svarbhanu. Svarbhanu is an asura or, in the language of people unfamiliar with Indian culture, a demon. And he wanted to become a god.
On the other hand we have Amrita — the nectar of immortality, which emerged from the ocean through churning. And it was the gods who received the right to enjoy this drink. Whoever drinks Amrita will, of course, gain eternity. The gods want to gain immortality. Svarbhanu wants to become a god, which means he also wants to gain immortality. So he snuck into this divine party by pretending to be a god. He sat down between the Sun and the Moon and began to drink Amrita. They were, of course, a little late, but they figured out the imposter. Therefore, the main organizer of the party, Vishnu, decided to cut off the head of the disobedient Svarbhanu. He, of course, did not die, because he had already drunk the nectar, but was divided into two parts — Rahu and Ketu.
Rahu — Head
The head, that is, Rahu, represents our desires, obsessions (especially to material things), what we are drawn to, what we greatly crave. Rahu is associated with our future. But the essence is not always that we want something from the future, for example, to buy a car or a house. Sometimes we dream of getting back what we have lost. And we also strive for this, which means we see this thing in the future.
The second thing that is characteristic of Rahu is that he always wants more. Let’s say you ate a lot of delicious chocolates, but it’s not enough for you, you would like to try more. You eat these sweets and you just can’t stop. This is the principle of Rahu. After all, Rahu is a head without a body. Everything that gets into it falls into the void, like through a holey plate.
Ketu — Body
Ketu, meanwhile, does not enjoy material wealth, unlike Rahu. For him, the most important thing is spiritual development. Ketu also leads to Moksha — a state when a person finally stops being reborn and finds peace. And all this because Amrita, the divine nectar of immortality, is the only thing left in him.
This really sounds very tempting. As if Ketu is Rahu’s more innocent brother. But even here there are pitfalls. Ketu, symbolizing the body, lacks the head, that is, the psychological satisfaction that he already has everything he needs. Ketu is detachment. It creates situations in which we lose what we were very attached to. It creates indifference. That`s why Ketu in 7th house — house of marriage and partnership may make a person, who is not interested in relationships. Ketu is also responsible for the karma of past lives.
Importance of Rahu and Ketu
Both invisible planets are necessary for our development. Without Ketu, you would have to live with the burden of thoughts coming from past lives. You would most likely remember everything, and this can essentially drive you crazy. Of course, not everyone believes in past lives. Therefore, let’s take a look at the topic of attachments. Yes, it’s sad when you lose something or someone very important to you. However, do you not forget about yourself in these attachments? After all, what you love is not always who you truly are. Secondly, it is not a fact that you are attached to what is good for you. For example, it often happens that a person tolerates a disregard for himself on the part of his partner — moral or physical violence. And in many cases, the reason for this is precisely attachment. Therefore, when Ketu manifests itself in the life of such a person, it essentially saves them. And there you can even relate to the famous dialogue from “Stranger Things”:
- You tricked me…
- Tricked you? No, I saved you.
At the same time, as already mentioned, Rahu is responsible for desires and obsessions. A scientist who is not obsessed with his work would have big difficulty in making an important discovery. Unless he gets lucky. The world would not have seen Harry Potter if JK Rowling had not been hungry for her goal and had not continued to contact publishers, despite a bunch of refusals.
In addition, Vishnu, who cut Svarbhanu’s head, belongs to the triad of the most important deities in Indian mythology. Did he really not see that Svarbhanu, whom he himself personally allowed to drink the nectar of immortality, was an impostor? Or maybe he saw a little more than everyone else? And perhaps he fulfilled Svarbhanu’s dream to some extent. After all, Rahu and Ketu are now receiving great respect in astrological circles.
Credits: Kristina, student of Astrology from Ukraine.
