In Indian Vedic Astrology Rahu & Ketu have been considered as planets but they don’t have any physical existence in actual. They are imaginary planets which are considered as always retrograde & always combust. Moon revolves around the Earth & Earth along with Moon revolves around Sun. Moon while revolving around Earth intersects the Earth’s circumference on two points. It means the orbit of Earth & Moon interects each other on two points in which one is called Rahu which is seen to be going from bottom to top & the other point which is just opposite to Rahu is called as Ketu. Rahu is called as ‘Ascending Node’ & ketu is called as ‘Descending Node’.
Orbit of Earth is actually orbit of Sun (from the point of view of relative motion) which is also called as Ecliptic. Moon while revolving around Sun intersects ecliptic at two points making an angle of 5°. This is termed as Celestial Latitude.There is a famous story in Indian Mythology about Rahu & Ketu. While the churning of Sea a demon secretively drank elixir & became immortal. Indra got angry by this & separated the head of the demon from his body by cutting it. But the demon didn’t die because he became immortal by drinking elixir. Head of the demon was termed as Rahu & body of the demon was termed as Ketu. These Rahu & Ketu are always running after Surya (Sun) & Chandra (Moon) & many times eclipse them because Surya & Chandra revealed about the drinking of elixir by the demon to Indra.
Few important point about Rahu and ketu as per my research –
Wherever Rahu and ketu sits in the birth chart indicates heavy karmik influence with the house they are sitting in ,it indicates that the karakattwa related to that house has some past life pending karma with the native as rahu and ketu is shadowy planet so that house comes under the eclipse of rahu and ketu in which they sit .definitely person have some past life relation with that house ,which he or she may have to suffer in this life time .The house in which the nodes sit come under the nodal axis .
Suppose Rahu and Ketu sits in 1st and 7th house then it indicates that the person has huge karmik backlog with respect to marriage and relation,he may have a strong karmik relation with spouse which he/she can’t escape ,he can face so many hurdles,turmoils as far as marriage is concerned and also he may have a suffered married life.
If Rahu and Ketu sit in 4th and 10th house then person have a huge karmik relation with parents ,home life and environment and education as 4th house represent mother,home,home environment,basic education and 20th house represent Job,status,father. So person have huge past pending karma related to that house ,but it’s tricky too person may rise to a high status if Rahu and Ketu are in good dignity like in exalted sign.
Same way if Rahu and Ketu are in 3rd and 9th axis then person may have huge karmik imprint with siblings,Gurus,higher knowledge,dharma .They can involved in adharma(wrong deeds).
If Rahu and Ketu are in 5th and eleventh axis the karakattwa pertaining to that house have huge karmik backlog to the person .5th and 11th represent love life,creativity,progeny,gains ,network circle.friends.
However,despite the placement of Rahu and ketu in the above houses i have explained some houses consider good placement for Rahu and Ketu which 3rd,6th 10th,11th these are upachya houses(especially Rahu) if rahu and ketu are in good dignity .
Rahu and Ketu considered to bad in Kendra houses ,person should better avoid things pertaining to that house ,suppose 1st and 7th axis then partnership and relation and if 4th and 10th house then home,home environment,person should be careful regarding these aspects.
Rahu is considered to be good in airy and earthy sign which are Gemini,Libra and Aquarius as Rahu is the co-lord or Aquarius and Taurus,Virgo and Capricorn these are the signs in which Rahu can make a person a king if sit in upachhya houses(3,6,10,11).
Ketu is considered to be good in Scorpio as Ketu is the Co-lord of Scorpio sign and natural karaka of 8th house and other sign Cancer,Pisces and Sagittarius ,mostly watery signs and it represent higher knowledge .
Rahu and Ketu works with different frequency and dimension but still they are one ,they are complementary to each other Rahu is for materialistic world,desire ,hopes,think out of the box, represent thief,politician,hunger,wordly desire,illusion,sudden event and rahu is the karaka for Science ,Physics,space,radio waves ,quantum physics ,insects ,bacteria ,infection.cancer(disease) and on the other side Ketu represent spirituality,isolation,moksha(soul liberation),alien world,other dimension and frequency ,occult,astrology,healer ,monk,sanyasi,seperation,break,sound,injury ,donation,charity,cuts,death,illusion,lack of interest ,the things we achieved in past ,Ketu is the karaka for research ,metaphysics,tantra,sadhna,meditation,reiki,healer,doctor,surgeon,,tantrik,beard,enlightenment.
Transit of Rahu and Ketu are very important most of the time we feel that certain planet with ongoing dasha is not giving it’s result ,think that karmik planet Rahu and Ketu when they transit over natal planet they take out all the energy of the planet and house then blow the things out of the proportion infront of the world .Person feel strong karma related to that planet whether it is good or bad .
Rahu transit over natal Venus then person will have strong urge to get into relationship,marriage,vehicle,property.If Rahu transit over Mars the person feel highly active,person can be violent ,his courage can dramatically increase,he can get into fights and troubles and injuries and conspiracies and same way if rahu transit over saturn the person have job issue ,frustration, he can change the job .If rahu transit over natal Guru then person can cheat gurus or cheated by gurus,person may liver related issues.Same way Rahu transit over houses like if Rahu transit over 8th house person will pass through huge transformation in his life .in 4th and 12th house it triggers Foreign travelling but on the other side Jail and hospitals too.in first house transit person have anxiety and confusion issue other than this person have high ambition and desires.second house rahu transit have sudden wealth and finance related issue either loosing or getting .third house transit is good for communication ,marketing,media,social media,internet.fifth house transit for love,progeny ,creativity,gambling.tenth house Rahu transit for status ,name and fame and eleventh house Rahu transit indicates huge earning .
Same way if we look at Ketu transit over houses and planets ,suppose ketu transit over natal saturn then person will face job and career related issue he can leave the job at the time of this transit.If ketu transit over natal venus then person have relationship ,marriage issue he can leave the relation with in this frame of time.if ketu transit over mars person may face injuries,cuts,surgeries,injuries.if ketu transit over Jupitar person may have spiritual experience ,frustration,he can leave his body .
Rahu and Ketu with Sun and Moon is said to be the worst combination if Rahu and Ketu with Sun the it forms eclipse which is not considered good in vedic astrology ,person may face lot of negativity in his life ,person soul become bad ,person will have negative thinking to each and every aspect of life ,but the good thing is that in this era is person will be purposeful and can have a lot of desire which can be bad too . Rahu and Ketu with moon makes a person mind a hell ,person mind is always searching right thing for him/herself but not able to find easily ,always in confusion ,imaginative and weak mind.
Rahu and Ketu represents how powerful the other retrograde planet in the chart just going back and correct the things .
So the impression of my above explanation is that wherever Rahu and Ketu sit person life revolve around to the issue pertaining to that house whether it is sufering or joy ,the good and bad result depend on the despositor(their sign lord and nakshatra lord) of Rahu and Ketu ,suppose of their despositor is weak,afflicted ,debilitated,malefic or sitting in malefic houses then it indicates great amount of karmik influence to the person .At last i would say Rahu and Ketu are karmik planets so it is necessary to understand the behaviour of Rahu and Ketu in our chart.
I have given very short view of Nodes(Rahu and ketu) to understand basic mathematics of Rahu and Ketu in astrology and mythology .I will discuss about nodes in details in other articles.i will talk about conjunction of nodes with other planets in astrology .