Effect of Rahu and Ketu on Kundali
People are generally apprehensive regarding the effects of Saturn, Rahu and Ketu on their lives. This fear is not totally incomprehensible. Afterall these are demon (danav) planets and may cause a lot of harm.
So, in this article, we are going to focus on the effects of Rahu and Ketu. It makes sense to study them together as they similar in many aspects.
Table of Contents- Similarities between Rahu and Ketu
- Relation of Rahu and Ketu with Zodiac Signs
- Sight of Rahu and Ketu
Similarities between Rahu and Ketu
Apart from both of them being demon planets (and hence being friends), they share many other similar characteristics.
Rahu and Ketu are the ascending and descending phases of Moon. So, they are shadow planets (not real planets). But they do affect us nevertheless. In fact, as per Hindu Mythology, they are the head and torso of a devil (i.e. a single person), who drank elixir.
Direction of movement: Both of them move in opposite direction in kundali (in clockwise direction), as compared to other planets (that move in anit-clockwise direction).
Directly Opposite: Rahu and Ketu are always 180° opposite to each other in a kundali. That is, they sit in 7th house from each other. For example, if Ketu is sitting in the 5th house, then Rahu will be sitting in the 11th house, as you can see in the following kundali.
Relation of Rahu and Ketu with Zodiac Signs
Unlike other planets, Rahu and Ketu do not own any Zodiac sign (Rashi). That is, they are not owner of any zodiac sign. But they do get effected by the zodiac sign of the house they are sitting in.
Rahu and Ketu are demon planets and are friends of other demon planets such as Venus and Saturn. So, they will give good results if they are sitting in a zodiac sign which is owned by any devil planet.
They will give good results in these zodiac signs, irrespective of whether the owner planet of that zodiac sign is favourable (yogkarak) or unfavourable (marak) in that kundali, as far as that planet is not sitting in 6th, 8th or 12th house. If the owner planet (say Saturn) of the zodiac sign (where Rahu and Ketu are sitting) is sitting in 6th, 8th or 12th house, then Rahu and Ketu will not give good results, even if that zodiac sign is that of their friendly planet.
NoteHowever, do check if that friendly planet is making Vipreet Raj Yog in that kundali. In that case, that planet will not be an unfavourable (marak) planet, even if it is sitting in one of the bad houses of the kundali. So, Rahu and Ketu will not give bad results in that case.
Moreover, they will definitely give bad results if they are sitting in a zodiac sign which is owned by any god planet, such as Moon, Sun, Jupiter or Mars (as they are enemies with these planets).
NoteMercury is neutral with both devil and god planets.
Apart from this, we also need to find out whether Rahu and Ketu are in normal state, exalted state or debilitated state.
- Rahu is in exalted state (Uchcha, उच्च) in Taurus (वृषभ), or Gemini (मिथुन) zodiac signs, i.e. zodiac numbers 2 or 3. (Ketu will be in debilitated state in these zodiac signs)
- Rahu is in debilitated state (Neech, नीच) in Scorpio (वृश्चिक) or Sagittarius (धनु) zodiac signs, i.e. zodiac numbers 8 or 9. (Ketu will be in exalted state in these zodiac signs)
- Ketu is in exalted state (Uchcha, उच्च) in Scorpio (वृश्चिक) or Sagittarius (धनु) zodiac signs, i.e. zodiac numbers 8 or 9. (Rahu will be in debilitated state in these zodiac signs)
- Ketu is in debilitated state (Neech, नीच) in Taurus (वृषभ), or Gemini (मिथुन) zodiac signs, i.e. zodiac numbers 2 or 3. (Rahu will be in exalted state in these zodiac signs)
NoteIf a planet is in an exalted state in a zodiac sign number x, then it will be in a debilitated state in a zodiac sign number x+6, i.e. in the 7th zodiac sign from the earlier one.
No planet is in an exalted state in Leo (सिंह) or Aquarius (कुंभ) zodiac signs, i.e. in rashi number 5 or 11.
Any planet in exalted state will give good results, while a planet in debilitated state will give bad results.
For example, in the following kundali, Rahu and Ketu are in exalted state.
Ketu is in the 5th house that has Scorpio zodiac sign in it. We know that Ketu is in exalted state in Scorpio.
Similarly, Rahu is in the 11th house that has Taurus zodiac sign in it. We know that Rahu is in exalted state in Taurus.
So, both Rahu and Ketu will give good results to the concerned person when their Mahadasha or Antardasha will come.
NoteRahu and Ketu will not give good results if they are sitting in bad houses of the kundali, i.e. 6th, 8th or 12th houses. They will give bad results in these houses even if they are in exalted state.
Sights of Rahu and Ketu
Now, any planet in a kundali not only effects the house it is sitting in. It will also affect the houses that it lays its sight on.
All planets (including Rahu and Ketu) lay their sight on the 7th house from the house they are sitting in (while counting it, we start from the house in which that planet is sitting). Rahu (राहु) and Ketu (केतु) also look at 5th and 9th house from the house they are sitting in.
So, Rahu and Ketu will affect 4 houses of a kundali:
- The house they are sitting in
- 5th, 7th and 9th houses from where they are sitting-in
NoteJupiter also lays its sight on the 5th, 7th and 9th house from where it sits.
For example, in the following kundali, Rahu and Ketu will affect the following houses.
Ketu sitting in the 5th house, is laying its sight on 9th house (5 + 4), 11th house (5 + 6), and 1st house (5 + 8 = 13 = 1)
Rahu sitting in the 11th house, is laying its sight on 3rd house (11 + 4 = 15 = 3), 5th house (11 + 6 = 17 = 5), and 7th house (11 + 8 = 19 = 7)
NoteIn previous articles, you were introduced to the basic rules of Lagna Kundali. If you haven’t read that, you may start by reading the basics of lagna kundali in this article.
That article also tells you how we count houses in a kundali - a knowledge you need to have to understand this article. However, we are also attaching below a snapshot of a blank kundali with its house numbers marked, just for your reference. House numbers remain the same for all North Indian kundalis.
