Rahu and Ketu in Vedic Astrology: The Lunar Nodes Explained

Rahu vs Ketu at a glance

• Rahu (north node): craving, worldly ambition, innovation, foreign things, obsession and illusion (maya).
• Ketu (south node): detachment, loss of interest, intuition, past skills, moksha and sudden breaks.
• Together they form an axis: the house of Rahu shows where you are drawn to grow; the house of Ketu shows what comes naturally but may feel empty.

The myth behind the nodes

In the Puranic story of the churning of the ocean, the asura Svarbhanu drank the nectar of immortality in disguise. Vishnu severed him, and the head became Rahu and the body Ketu. Their enmity with the Sun and Moon is the traditional explanation of eclipses, which occur near the nodes.

How the nodes move

The nodes move retrograde, spending about 18 months in each sign and returning to the same position roughly every 18.6 years. Each nodal transit shifts emphasis across a pair of opposite houses for everyone. In the Vimshottari dasha system, Rahu's period lasts 18 years and Ketu's 7 years.

Rahu and Ketu in your chart

In classical Parashari practice, results depend on the sign and house the nodes occupy, the planets conjunct them, and especially the lord of the sign they sit in — the nodes are said to give the results of their dispositor. Kala Sarpa yoga, where all planets fall on one side of the axis, is discussed in many modern texts, though classical sources treat it inconsistently.

Traditional remedies

These are traditional practices, not predictions or guarantees; consult a qualified Jyotishi for chart-specific advice.

• Rahu: Durga worship, Rahu mantra, charity to the marginalised, honesty and moderation.
• Ketu: Ganesha worship, Ketu mantra, meditation and spiritual practice, caring for animals.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• Rahu Mahadasha explained →
• Mahadasha and Antardasha →
• The 12 houses in Vedic astrology →
• How to read a Vedic birth chart →