Ketu Astrological significance

KETU – THE DRAGON’S TAIL

Ketu, the South Node of the Moon means a “sign”, or a “banner” in Sanskrit. If Rahu is the planet of worldly desire, then Ketu is the planet of otherworldly desire, or spirituality. Ketu represents the spiritual process of evolution, or the refinement of materialization to spirit. Ketu is considered a worldly malefic and spiritual benefice, as it causes sorrow and loss, which ultimately turns the individual to god.



The karakas, or indicators of Ketu are focused intelligence, indicator of liberation,indicator of wisdom, non-attachment, other worldly interests, fantasy, penetrating insight, derangement, carrier of arms and weapons, invisibility and physic abilities. 

Ketu’s gem is the cat’s eye (Lehsuniya). This Graha is of a Pitta, or fiery temperament.Ketu has the last maturity of all the planets at age 48, when the soul turns to the pursuit of MOKSHA the pursuit of liberation from this world.

Ketu general characteristics: Ketu is the rest of the body of Rahu, it bestows spiritual tendencies, asceticism, and nonattachment to worldly desires and ambitions. Ketu is also a half-planet that bestows wisdom, powers of discrimination, and gyana-spiritual knowledge, the knowledge of the self. It gives psychic abilities to its natives and makes them masters of the healing arts, natural healing, healing herbs, spices, foods, tantric healing, healing persons affected by evil spirits and ghosts. Ketu’s sign is Pisces – as Rahu’s is Virgo. The sign Pisces belongs the the guru, Jupiter, and Ketu also has dominion over it. Ketu’s body is supposed to be composed of a man’s torso in its upper half and a fish body as its lower half.

Ketu is often depicted with a gem, or a star on his head, which emits a mystery light. Ketu is said to be a member of the Jaimini lineage of sages, who founded one of the several systems of philosophy of ancient India. There are wonderful myths associated with Rahu and Ketu.

Ketu friends planet: Ketu is a friend of Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. Jupiter is neutral in friendship. Sun, Moon, and Mars are Ketu’s enemies.

Ketu signs and nakshatras: Ashvini, Mul, and Magha nakshatras are Ketu’s nakshatras. Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces are its friendly signs. Cancer and Leo are enemy signs.

The Nagas of Vedic lore is serpent like, semi-divine beings, which offer knowledge, protection, as well as wrath and retribution to those they encounter. The forked tongue of the serpent’s bite represents intoxication, the first being poison, resulting in dementia, the second being amrita, or spiritual nectar, resulting in ecstasy and divine consciousness.

There is a story in the Puranas that tells of the God Vishnu dispensing AMRITA, the nectar of immortality to the Devas. While Vishnu was dispensing this amrita, a demon, Rahu mingled with the Devas and was receiving the amrita when the Sun and the Moon discovered him.

With the luminaries calling alarm, Vishnu threw his discus (Soodarshana Chakra) at Rahu and cut off his head. But, Rahu had already drunk the Amrita and now remained an immortal head, disassociated from an immortal body.

Rahu is the strongest enemy of Sun and Moon.

There is much lore and mystery surround the Moon’s Nodes in Vedic myth, and they are considered of paramount importance in chart interpretation. In fact, in assessing planetary power, the only Graha that is more powerful than the Sun is Rahu, the North Node of the Moon, because of his ability to swallow the Sun during a total solar eclipse.

Ketu brings prosperity to the devotee’s family, removes the effect of snakebite and illness arising out of poisonous matter entering one’s body He grants good health, wealth, cattle and all around prosperity.

Rahu Characteristics

RAHU – THE DRAGON’S HEAD

The North Node of the Moon is called RAHU in Vedic astrology and the South Node is called KETU. They are called dark or shadow planets, because of the Nodes’ association with the phenomena of eclipses.

They have no sign ruler ships, although they are said to favor Mercury and Jupiter’s signs according to some authorities, while others claim that Rahu favors the sign of Aquarius and Ketu the sign of Scorpio. Rahu, the North Node of the Moon means to conceal, engulf or hide in Sanskrit.

This Graha is associated with the world of material manifestation and worldly desire.

Rahu is associated with the spiritual process of evolution, or the engrossing of spirit in materialization. Rahu is a karaka, or indicator, of worldly desire, fame, greed, high intelligence, manipulation, obsessive behavior, foreigners, mass disease, dementia and inertia. The nature of this Graha is Vata, or Airy.

He’s the significator of an irreligious person, outcast, harsh speech, logical fallacy, falsehoods, uncleanliness, abdominal ulcers, bones, and transmigration. Rahu is instrumental in strengthening one’s power and converting even an enemy into a friend. Poisonous snake bites can be healed by the grace of Rahu. In Buddhism Rahu is one of the krodhadevatas (terror-inspiring gods).

Rahu professions: Rahu is a legendary master of deception who signifies cheaters, pleasure seekers, operators in foreign lands, drug dealers, poison dealers, insincere & immoral acts,etc.

Rahu diseases: It gives suicidal tendencies, fears, phobias, poisonous bites, murder, theft, imprisonment, and diseases like cholera, dysentery, skin diseases, swelling of the uterus, and constipation.

Rahu Signs: Friendly signs are Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Cancer and Leo are its enemy signs. Mercury, Venus, and Saturn are friendly planets. Rahu is an enemy of Sun, Moon, and Mars. Rahu gives auspicious results in Taurus and Libra. Rahu is capable of giving power when rightly posited or exalted, and it gives fame, success in politics, money, and physical beauty (i.e., attraction).

Rahu behaves like saturn: Rahu is regarded as similar to Saturn in its effect. Smoky blue is its color, instinctual and animalistic its nature. Rahu is interested only in achieving all that gives pleasure, and even if it achieves all it wants, it is never satisfied (which is true of our animalistic nature). Although Rahu rules no sign of the zodiac, the zodiacal sign Virgo is its sign. Virgo is in fact assigned to Mercury, but Rahu being akin to Saturn and Mercury being a friend of Saturn, Rahu thus has authority over Virgo.

Rahu god of chemical industry: Rahu governs all sorts of poisonous chemicals like fertilizers, pesticides, and disinfectants that are in use in the present times. It also governs all the substances with a strong pungent smell like the sulphur-dioxide gas. In other words Rahu has a role to play whenever a poisonous substance is involved.

There is no equal to Rahu when it comes to giving Upliftment in Name and Fame , Sudden Luck Gambling, which is probably the reason why Western astrologers regard it as the greatest benefic force.

The gemstone associated with Rahu is a honey colored hessonite (Gomed). Its element is air and direction is south-west. Rahu reaches full maturity at age 42. The Puranas describe Rahu as half-bodied, born of a lioness, snakelike, having a huge body and being extraordinarily powerful.

The Skanda Purana says that Rahu is instrumental in strengthening ones power and converting even an enemy into a friend. The effect of snakebite is removed by his grace. The lunar and solar eclipses are attributed to Rahu and Ketu. Rahu and Ketu stay 1 1/2 years in each Graha.

Rahu and Ketu story: There is a story in the Puranas that tells of the God Vishnu dispensing AMRITA,the nectar of immortality to the Devas. While Vishnu was dispensing this amrita, a demon, Rahu mingled with the Devas and was receiving the amrita when the Sun and the Moon discovered him.

With the luminaries calling alarm, Vishnu threw his discus (Soodarshana Chakra) at Rahu and cut off his head. But, Rahu had already drunk the Amrita and now remained an immortal head, disassociated from an immortal body.

Rahu is the strongest enemy of Sun and Moon.

There is much lore and mystery surround the Moon’s Nodes in Vedic myth, and they are considered of paramount importance in chart interpretation. In fact, in assessing planetary power, the only Graha that is more powerful than the Sun is Rahu, the North Node of the Moon, because of his ability to swallow the Sun during a total solar eclipse.

Shani (Saturn)

Shani (Saturn) 
In Vedic astrology the planet Saturn is called SHANI. In Sanskrit Shani comes from SANISCHARA, which means, “slow mover”. From Shani we get the word “shun”, which means to ignore, or lose awareness of something. Thus,Saturn represents a loss of awareness, or ignorance. This loss of awareness can also mean the diminishing awareness of the material world of manifestation. 

Here Saturn indicates the ascetic, rich with inner spirituality, and lost to this material plane of existence. Saturn is a malefic graha. He rules over the two sidereal signs of Capricorn (Makra) and Aquarius (Kumbha). He is exalted in Libra (Tula), and fallen in the opposite sign of Aries (Mesh). 
Saturn Significance: Saturn is a karaka, or indicator, of longevity, misery, sorrow, old age and death, discipline, restriction, responsibility, delays, ambition, leadership and authority, humility, integrity, wisdom born of experience.Saturn also indicates asceticism, denial, non-attachment, spirituality, hard work, organization, reality and time itself. 

Saturn’s most successful place in the chart is in the 6th, 8th and 12th houses. He is a particularly beneficial planet for Taurus and Libra Ascendants. Saturn’s nature is Vata, or Airy. His gem is Blue Sapphire and all black stones and his metal is Lead. Saturn’s direction is west and his day is Saturday. He reaches full maturity at age 36. 
In Vedic myth Saturn is the son of the Sun, born to his shadow wife, Chaya. Saturn is lame because one of the Sun’s first wife Sanjana’s children became angered with him and struck him in the foot. Thus Saturn walks with a limp, which accounts why he is the slowest of the Grahas.

Saade Sati : The graha SANISCHARA (Saturn), also known as Manda, is generally known to affect one adversely on occasions when he occupies certain positions in one’s horoscope like Saade Sati (7 1/2 years) Ashtama Shani (Saturn in 8th house – 2 1/2 years) etc.

Saturn slowest planet: He is the Lord of Makaram and Kumbam. He is the slowest moving planet taking 2 1/2 years in each Rasi, completing one cycle every 30 years.

Saturn relations with planets: Saturn rules over the zodiacal signs Capricorn and Aquarius. Mercury, Venus, Rahu, and Ketu are its friends and the Sun, the Moon, and Mars are its enemies. Jupiter is neutral in friendship.

Shani Friendly Signs: Its friendly zodiacal signs are Taurus and Gemini and it works well and gives good results in Sagittarius and Pisces. Enemy signs are Cancer, Leo, and Scorpio.

In Indian astrology, Saturn is considered to be a malefic amongst the malefic but its last effect is happy. Throwing man into misfortunes and calamities, the Saturn ultimately saves the man. He is regarded the strongest of all planets.

A prayer to this Devata, especially on Saturdays, is said to mitigate the hardships one will have to face during these periods. Sanischara bestows all benefits to the devotees who pray sincerely to him. The legend that depict the influence of the worship of SHANI goes as follows, and is narrated whenever a worship or offering is made

to the deity.

Saturn mythology:

The legend pertains to a king. The king invited merchants from far and wide and proclaimed that the king himself would purchase all unsold goods. The merchants were happy. Once a blacksmith brought an iron image of Saturn for sale, which ultimately was purchased by the king, who installed that in his palace with reverence.

Other gods became unhappy on this action of the king. At night, the king saw a brilliant woman going out of the house. On king’s enquiry, he learnt that, it was Lakshmi. She said that she could not stay in the place where Saturn is present. After sometime a male image went out and was told to be Bhaivabh (Prosperity).

Similarly all other gods Dharma (Religion), Dheriye (Patience), Kshama (Pardon) and all others went out. When the last Satya (Truth) was going out, the king protested and said that because of faith in Satya, he did not object to the others from going out. Feeling the sentiments of the king, Satya stopped. All other deities were waiting outside for Satya, but when he did not come out Dharma (religion) said that he could not remain without Satya; so he returned in.