Rahu and Ketu - Through the eyes of mythology!

Hello all,

Namaste! Why don't we today just go through a mythological story in a fun filled mode? Many of you would have read the story of 'Samudra Mathanam'. Most of you may also know about the second half of 'Samudra Mathanam'. But there may be readers who don't know the second part of the story. This blog post is for them so that every one of us can fully appreciate the essence of Rahu ( north node of the moon) and Ketu ( south node of the moon) when we try to analyze them. Just to be clear, Rahu and Ketu are the shadow Grahas or planets that come in Mythology and Vedic Astrology.

Also, it is absolutely imperative to know the whole story if we have to analyze Rahu and Ketu from a mythological and astrological perspective. Without knowing the mythology and the story associated with it, it becomes a dish half cooked. So today let us get into a story narration mode and have fun with it. (Also here again I have to specify, that the mythology and stories narrated here are associated with Sanatana Dharma, even though the knowledge and precious wisdom given in these mythological stories can be used by any one living on this earth plane. As I was brought up in Sanatana Dharma, I am more accustomed to these stories.)

Remember in 'Samudra Mathanam' how many precious jewels and ultimately the sacred nectar or 'Amrit' was brought out of the ocean by the God Dhanvantari? Now did the Devas and the Asuras divide it equally, had their share and lived happily ever after? No! The asuras (demigods with not so good characteristics) were quick thinking, took the nectar and ran off. The devas (demigods who are good, but not so quick thinking) were left to worry over their predicament. Then they remembered our eternal strategist Vishnu (all knowing divine) and ran to him for his help.

Vishnu said, "I will transform myself into a very beautiful maiden called 'Mohini'. you, devas go to the asuras and tell them that I, Mohini would be impartial in the distribution of the nectar and both you and the asuras sit on either side of me in a line and  I will distribute the nectar to you, devas while  distributing liquor (while pretending as Amrit) to the asuras".

Mohini distributing nectar
By Sagar_mathan.jpg: unknownderivative work: Redtigerxyz (Sagar_mathan.jpg)

Now a question arose in my mind while contemplating on this story. Lord Vishnu, the all pervading divine can he pretend and make a fool of someone? The second I thought about it, the answer bubbled up in my mind, that this was for the well being of the world. If the asuras were able to partake the nectar, then they would have become immortal and the world would have been turned into a place of chaos and anarchy. Something with an intention to do good to the world is considered as 'Dharma' in the eyes of Spirituality and Philosophy.

Ok, now back to our story. The devas as instructed by Lord Vishnu went to the asuras and told them that Mohini, the gorgeous maiden is very impartial and she will distribute the nectar equally among the devas and the asuras. The second Mohini appeared before the asuras, they forgot themselves and got enchanted by her beauty. If we have to take a minute to describe Mohini, she would have been with a beautiful body having liquid and seductive eyes with a beautiful smile and gait so that the beholder of the beauty will be enchanted and disillusioned. Let us leave the remaining description to our imagination 😉.

The asuras enchanted by Mohini sat in a line on one side and the devas realizing the eternal deception going to happen, smiling inside, sat on the other side in a line. Mohini started distributing the Amrit. She will give a ladle of Amrit to the devas with a divine smile and turn to the asuras having a seductive smile serve them a ladle of liquor. The devas with a respectful attitude towards the divine partook the nectar, while the asuras enchanted by the liquid eyes and seductive smile of Mohini, got carried away in the big illusion (or Mahamaya) and didn't realize they were only drinking liquor and not the divine elixir.

While this was happening there was one  particular asura, whose name was Swayambharu (in some instances I have read Swarbhanu or Swarnabhanu. Would appreciate if any one can suggest the correct name) realized what was happening and without the knowledge of the devas or the asuras went and sat in the middle of Sun (Surya -सूर्या ) and Moon (Chandra - चंद्रा ). Even though all the other devas and asuras didn't realize this, Sun and Moon realized that it was an asura sitting in their middle.

How was this Swayambharu in appearance? He had the head and body of an asura till the waist region but after that the body of a huge snake. He was the son of Simhika who was the daughter of Hiranyakashipu who comes in the mythology of Narasimha, another avatar of Vishnu.

Anyway, when Mohini reached Swayambharu, she served him the Amrit and he started partaking the same. At that time Surya and Chandra notified Mohini about Swayambharu and she took her real form as Vishnu, took his weapon the disc named Sudarshana and cut the head of the asura just below the neck. By then the nectar had already gone into the throat of the asura and he became eternal and two pieces.

God Vishnu cutting the head of Swayambharu
By Ramanarayanadatta astri

 The mouth and the neck region of Swayambharu came to be known as 'Rahu' and the asura like body part till waist and the remaining snake tail came to be known as 'Ketu'. And as the asura had partaken the immortal elixir, both Rahu and Ketu became eternal and immortal. Rahu and Ketu didn't want to be just asuras anymore, so they did severe penance to Lord Brahma the creator, for a long period of time and Brahma became happy by their penance and gave them the status of planets or 'Grahas' in mythology and astrology.

The devas who partook the Amrit from Mohini, regained their strength, youth and became eternal. Now they had no difficulty in defeating the asuras and recapturing their heavenly abode. Indra, the chief of the devas again became the king of the heavens and the peace was restored in the three worlds.

This is the mythological story in its simplest form. Without knowing the story it is very difficult to capture the true essence of Rahu or Ketu; what they truly represent in a wider perspective; how we can bring their power into our lives and use it more towards our betterment in our earthly existence. Next week we will analyze the true power of Rahu and what he is urging us to do with our earthly rendezvous!

I wish you a good weekend and I'll see you next Friday! 😉

Next week: Rahu - The future!

Note: Note: Images taken from Wikimedia Commons, in the Public domain of the U.S.A.

Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better for worse as his portion that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried".  

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