The Transit of Rāhu-Ketu in June 2011

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As with Saturn, the transit of the nodal axis also has significant impact on matters in nativities. the transit occurs after about 18 months and therefore the nodes have great say in the manner they affect the realities indicated by the Rashis and the other Jyotish entities posited in or related with them. The Prior Rahu-Ketu transit in 2009-2010 

At the present time, the nodal axis is transiting the Dhanu/ Sagittarius-Mithun/ Gemini axis. Both the nodes are debilitated/ Neecha which makes them act with greater adversity as per Prashna Marga/ Deva Keralam.

Rahu is a planet of hedonism and breaking free of form, since it has no form of its own. Being formless it can take any shape it wants and therefore excels in subterfuge, cunning, planning, deviousness and political manoeuvring. Rahu indicates a high degree of thought, constant manipulations and is very relevant in politics for this reason. due to its trait of breaking through frontiers, both geographical and intellectual, the planet is important for the armed forces, insurgency, cross-border affronts and terrorism. It is also crucial for espionage.

In debility the traits of Rahu become malefic and fallen. The breaking of form can become breaking of ethics (Jupiter/ Guru) and of the conventions that make up the social fabric as we know it (Moon). Rahu is opposed to both Jupiter and the Moon. Jyotish: A Way of Life

Due to the fact that Rahu is opposed to Jupiter in every way, it is fallen/ Neecha in Dhanu Rashi/ Sagittarius. The latter sign is the 9th Bhava/ house of the Kalapurusha and indicates Dharma/ the right path/ conventional religion. Dhanu is the Moolatrikona Rashi of Guru where the Preceptor of the Gods gets down to work. this is the sign which has to do with law, conventional spirituality, ritual, father and such matters. Rahu in the 9th House happens to be in the Marana Karaka Sthana because of its dire opposition to the matters of the 9th House, and the opposition to one of the Karakas, Jupiter. Unless Rahu is the Atmakaraka (AK) or the Bhratrikaraka (BK) in the nativity, such a placement in the radix can be troublesome.

Anyhow, we need not get into the radical nitty-gritty as we are but dealing with Gochar/ transits.

Convention has suffered and due to the Rashi Drishti/ sign aspect of the transit Rahu in debility in a mutable sign, Dhanu, to the fallen/ debilitated Mercury/ Budh and the aspect of Saturn the great disturbance in the Prithvi Tattwa has ensued which led to the earthquake and the consequent Tsunami. A natural/ naisargika opposition between the Agni Tattwa and the Sattwa Guna of Guru and the nature of Rahu has contributed to such developments.

Ketu, on the other hand is the opposite. It can indicate gangs and unbridled violence but is primarily the Karaka for Moksha and emancipation. It is consequently debilitated, fallen in Gemini/ Mithuna, a root for Maithuna or copulation. Gemini indicates copulation and physicality because it is the Dharma of Tula/ Libra, being the 9th House therefrom, where Tula, indicating intimacy has its culmination. Ketu has no head and therefore gets debilitated in such a scenario. As Rahu transits Dhanu, Ketu is transiting Gemini. While this can bring a focus to software and spirituality alike, this will be due to the problems that arise as a result of the Gochar of Ketu in this sign.      

The Rashi Chart depicting the Yogas involving the Nodes and the other Grahas at the present time is given below:

The Nodes are always retrograde being naturally opposed to the perpetually direct motion of the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon. This is one reason to adhere to the Mean position of the nodes, rather than the True position, as in the True position the nodes are sometimes direct and sometimes retrograde which is philosophically inconsistent.

Due to the retrograde motion of the nodes, Rahu shall transit to Scorpio/ Vrishchika and Ketu will likewise transit to Vrishabh/ Taurus. At this juncture, it is important to note that in Jyotish, Parashara has ascribed the dual lordship of Kumbha/ Aquarius and Vrishchik to Rahu, along with Saturn, and Ketu, along with Mars, respectively. Rahu is exalted in Mithun and in Vrishabh, and debilitated in Dhanu and Vrishchika. Vrishabh and Vrishchik Rashi exaltation and debility are used for purposes of longevity (Ayurdaya) while the signs Mithun and Dhanu are used for general purposes.

Therefore Rahu will come to transit debility in Scorpio for the purposes of longevity evaluation. The rider is that longevity is a special branch and the reins of this department even as to the predictions have not been entirely left to the Jyotishis/ astrologers. In other words, some other implications of the nodal transit will have to be gauged. Longevity Analysed in Detailed Chart Analysis

The Rashi Chart illustrating the transit of the Nodes to Scorpio and Taurus respectively is given below:

Scorpio is the 8th Bhava of the natural zodiac and harbours within it the element of change and transformation, secrecy, esoteric arts, research, magic, Jyotish and such attributes. This sign is ruled by Ketu along with Mars. Ketu is linked to secret studies and final emancipation. Since one form of Ketu is depicted without a head, it is a pointer to the intuitive prowess of the Graha and a higher reason which prevails in the domain of the Graha. Of course Ketu when contemplated with the elephant head becomes Ganesha and likewise shows different forms of the Veda when contemplated with the cow’s head and the monkey’s head, for example. Therefore, Ketu is the Mokshakaraka and can bring the highest learning which can lead to release.

In this instance however, we witness some sort of an inversion, where Rahu occupies the sign owned by Ketu and Ketu is in a sign occupied by Venus. Ketu is not a good planet for wordly matters and due to the symbolism, can lead to irrational and erroneous decisions, rashness and bad impulsiveness. Venus is the planet of beauty and the senses and Ketu is well-opposed to the significations of the planet Venus. This is the reason for the importance of Ketu in the Tapasvi (Austerity) Yoga where it combines with Saturn to guide Venus towards renunciation and surrender in order to perform austerities and Tapasya, just like the Guru form of the planet Venus, Shukracharya, who performed great penance. This is also the clue to the exaltation of the planet Venus in the sign of Pisces/ Meena Rashi, the 12th House of the natural zodiac, governed by Guru.

However, Ketu in a Venusian sign is not good and decisions in this realm as too when judged from the sign occupied by Taurus/ Vrishabh in the radix has to be carefully evaluated. Mistakes can occur in these areas. LIkewise, Scorpio has an inherent violence and secrecy associated with it and Rahu can bring some diabolical influences. Propitiatory Mantras for the nodes would be a good idea for those running the Mahadasha of the nodes. For those familiar with the nodal energies, this is a good transit to use the research potential of Rahu and to use thoughts and analytics to penetrate frontiers hitherto untouched.

At the more conventional level, the nodes continue to be mischievous, even after having traversed and exited their zones of debilitation and might continue to pose challenges.