Rahu — the planet that guards you

Your life turns over completely at least once. The road everyone takes strangely doesn't work for you; the way opens where nobody goes.

Myth and role

When the gods and demons churned the ocean of milk for amrita, the nectar of immortality, the demon Svarbhanu disguised himself as a god and stole a sip. The Sun and Moon exposed him, and Vishnu cut off his head with his discus. But he had already drunk the nectar, so the head did not die — it became Rahu.

Rahu is said to chase and swallow the Sun and Moon ever after — the eclipses. Astronomically, Rahu is the node where the Moon’s orbit crosses the Sun’s path. In Vedic astrology it governs desire, obsession, and sudden reversals.

Innate strengths

You settle first on a newly opened board
You see gaps others miss
One leap carries you far

Shadow side

You can't stand a stable stretch
You push too hard and break what was already done
Impatience ruins your decisions

Lucky items

Color: Smoke grey
Gemstone: Hessonite
Day: None
Direction: Southwest
Number: 4
Deity: Durga — the goddess riding a lion

Traditional remedy

At sunset on a Saturday, let black sesame seeds float away in running water.

Everything so far is fixed by your date of birth alone. The 27 birth stars depend on where the Moon was at the moment of birth, so they need a birth time to be certain.

Enter date of birth

Works even if you don't know your birth time.