Rahu and Ketu – How Malefic Are They

by Ronit Roy Health Educator & Consultant

It is generally stated that the planet in the last Pada does not give any results. However, the reason is never stated.

As is taught to us, the First 6* of the odd sign is balavastha, then kumaraavastha, then yuvaavastha, vridhaavastha and finally Mritaavastha.

The reverse order holds true for the even sign.

As a. Planet enters an odd sign, it needs time to set itself to work. It is so because of a child does no work but just tries to learn the workings the family it is in. Mercury is the only planet which gives results at the beginning and it is a planet which is known as a child or Kumara.

Odd Sign Results Even Sign Results

0-6 Bala (infant) 25% Mitra Nil

6-12 Kumara (adolescent) 50% Vridha Very little

12-18 Yuva (youth) 100% Yuva 100%

18-24 Vridha (mature) Very little Kumara 50%

24-36 Mrita (dead or static) Nil Bala 25%

It is said that planets such as Sun and Mars give the best results in Balaavastha( infant), Jupiter and Venus in the Yuva (Youth) and Moon and Saturn in Vriddha( old age). Mercury yields good results always. So, it is a little difficult for a planet to give results when in balaavasta or mritavastha.

However, with Punarvasu 3rd and 4th Pada and Uttaraashada 3rd and 4th Pada, the story is different.

PUSHKAR word means “blue lotus” in Sanskrit and many of you might be familiar with a city name Pushkar in Rajasthan where the only temple of Lord Brahma exists.

Pushkar navamsha are auspicious navamsa ruled only by benefic planets and when planets are placed there behaves in an auspicious manner.

As we all know one navamsha spans for 3° 20″ and for easy reference one can check below to identify in which zodiac and degrees, a planet gets Pushkar navamsha status.

Pushkar navamsha for all signs of the Zodiac.

ARIES: Any planet in Aries sign in 20° 00″ to 23° 20″ will be in Pushkar navamsha.Here planet will be in Libra Navamsa which is ruled by natural benefic Venus. Same way, any planet in Aries sign from 26° 40″ to 30° 00″ will have Sagittarius Navamsa which is ruled by the planet Jupiter and is a Pushkar Navamsha.

TAURUS: Planets in 6° 40″ to 10° 00″ and 13° 20″ to 16° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Taurus signs in navamsa.

GEMINI: Planets in 16° 40″ to 20° 00″ and 23° 20″ to 26° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Taurus sign in navamsa.

CANCER: Planets in 00° 00″ to 3° 20″ and 06° 40″ to 10° 00″ will fall in Cancer & Virgo sign in navamsa.

LEO: Planets in 20° 00″ to 23° 20″ and 26° 40″ to 30° 00″ will fall in Libra & Sagittarius sign in navamsa.

VIRGO: Planets in 06° 40″ to 10° 00″ and 13° 20″ to 16° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Tauras sign in navamsa.

LIBRA: Planets in 16° 40″ to 20° 00″ and 23° 20″ and 26° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Tauras sign in navamsha.

SCORPIO: Planets in 00° 00″ to 3° 20″ and 06° 40″ to 10° 00″ will fall in Cancer & Virgo sign in navamsa.

SAGITTARIUS: Planets in 20° 00″ and 23° 20″ and 26° 40″ to 30° 00″ will fall in Libra and Sagittarius sign in navamsa.

CAPRICORN: Planets in 06° 40″ to 10° 00″ and 13° 20″ to 16° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Taurus sign in navamsa.

AQUARIUS: Planets in 16° 40″ to 20° 00″ and 23° 20″ and 26° 40″ will fall in Pisces & Taurus sign in navamsa.

PISCES: Planets in 00° 00″ to 3° 20″ and 06° 40″ to 10° 00″ will fall in Cancer & Virgo sign in navamsa

As the Planet Rahu moves through the Pushkar Navamsha of Cancer and the Vargottama position, this principle overrides the other principles and makes Rahu extremely active in this case.

As for Ketu, being active, it is the placement in Vargottama position that makes it so strong.

As we come to Rahu and Ketu, we will know as per the classical texts that Rahu and Ketu are most comfortable in the Gemini/Sagittarius axis or Virgo/Pisces axis.

Why is it so?

Karma Yoga - action

Bhakti Yoga - devotion

Jnana Yoga - devotion

Raja Yoga - Self Realisation

In the Virgo Rahu is in a sign of selfless service and Ketu in Pisces is in Moksha house. This is one of the things these planets are trying to teach. Rahu wants us to learn that our Prarabdha will follow us anywhere on this planet, earth element and we find our Moksha through returning to our origin, the water.

Rahu represents air element and Ketu fire element so as on the Gemini/Sagittarius axis, they are very comfortable in their own house. Also, Rahu is air, the element we breathe and Ketu is fire. Exhalation and inhalation are two complementary activities and Rahu teaches us that we have absolutely no right or ability to hold on to our breath independently. We need to learn the art of letting go. As the breath is just about experiencing and then letting go, each event in life as dictated by the prarabdha house is about just experiencing and knowing the ephemeral nature of the events and letting them go. As a deer experiences with the mirage in a desert, running after the reflection of the sand and the play of light, thinking it to be water, similarly, we too should be aware of it or else we too will be chasing a mirage and dying the same way. Observe, experience and let go is what Rahu teaches us, being the very breathe in us. As for Ketu, the fire in the sign of Sagittarius, the sign of higher knowledge, wisdom, knowing the scriptures so that we move in a dedicated way to self-realization through our Dharma. As the Karaka of meditation, this Ketu wants us to be emancipated through the movement of the being Spiritually inwards to earn our moksha.

How bad can a planet be?

Well, in the basic class, all of us are taught that all the nine planets are an extension of Lord Vishnu. So, Rahu is Varaha Avatar and Ketu is Mastya Avatar. Then how can these planets be bad. It is our inefficiency and our cravings and material attachments that make us dependent on the physical and sensory world that we cannot realize them for their magnificence and their value in our life.

At the end of the game of Chess, the King and the pawn all go back to the same board.

So all of us, the Devtas, Manushyas, Danavas, Nagas, Kinnaras – all will go back to the Source – The Paramatma.

It is generally stated that the planet in the last Pada does not give any results. However, the reason is never stated.

However, with Punarvasu 3rd and 4th Pada and Uttaraashada 3rd and 4th Pada, the story is different.

Pushkar navamsha are auspicious navamsa ruled only by benefic planets and when planets are placed there behaves in an auspicious manner.