Rahu and Ketu are called shadowy planets by our ancients. They are not
substantial heavenly bodies with an observable body shape or mass like the Sun,
Moon and other planets. Hindu mythology has in its characteristic way symbolised
these two parts of a single body. According to a Puranic story after churning of the
ocean (Samudra Manthan) came out a divine elephant, a horse, a physician, the
Goddess of wealth and Amrita or immortality. About the distribution of Amrita
there was a serious dispute amongst the Devas and Asuras. The Supreme Lord
(Lord Vishnu) assuming the shape of an alluring Mohini, took charge of
distributing the Amrita with the consent of both Devas and Asuras. She so
distributed the Amrita 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. The Supreme Lord 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 succeed in swallowing the Sun and the Moon (This is during
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, can be
calculated as accurately as the position of the Sun or the Moon, through owing to
their being without substance, this cannot be verified by visual observation.
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.
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 23 degrees. 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 28 degrees, 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 180
degrees 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 19 degrees 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 in bred
people. There is quite a controversy amongst the ancients about the signs owned
by Rahu and ketu and signs in which they are exalted and debilitated. For
example, 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 work also assigns the sign Aquarius as owned by Rahu and Scorpio as owned
by Ketu. Mooltrikona of Rahu has been fixed as Gemini and Mooltrikona of Ketu
has been given as Virgo. Sanketnidhi another recognised work 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.
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