Rahu is a shadowy planet. It is the north node of the Moon, the point of intersection of the respective paths of Sun and Moon. In Hindu mythology, it is referred to as the head of the Dragon. Rahu is everything that defies the accepted norms of society. It is a rebellious planet and hates authority, which is why it never gets along with Sun. Mischief, deception and secrecy are some of its key attributes. Rules are nowhere to be found in its dictionary. It represents the dark side of us.

Everything that is unknown to common public comes under the domain of Rahu. You know where an elephant lives, but you don’t know where a reptile does. You know where you can find a military commander, but you don’t know where to find a drug dealer. Rahu represents the latter. It is the king of deception and illusion, addiction and danger, materialism and immorality, confusion and betrayal, gambling and drugs, poison and death, selfishness and lunacy, greed and manipulation. It is the greatest of the plotters. Positively, Rahu also gives name, fame, popularity in politics, authority and position in government.

How you fulfill your desires and what attracts you in materialistic terms comes under the domain of Rahu and the sign where it is placed in a chart. Someone with Rahu in Taurus would have strong desire for material possessions and luxuries life has to offer and would go to great lengths to achieve it all. Someone with Rahu in Scorpio on the other hand would be more invested in carnal desires and intense passion. Rahu in Sagittarius would give you a strong penchant for travel, especially for spiritual reasons.

With Rahu in Sagittarius, you would frequently sojourn to unknown places to explore the mysteries of life.

How you exercise your deceptive self is also governed by the sign placement of Rahu. Someone with Rahu in Pisces would try to manipulate situations using their language while someone with Rahu in Aries would rather use force to manipulate. Rahu in Capricorn would rely on lies to manipulate while someone while Rahu in Scorpio would convince with hypnotic charm, fake promises and hiding the truth.

Rahu & Addictions

The sign where Rahu is placed at the time of birth, meaning your Rahu sign also governs your approach towards fame. While someone with Rahu in Leo would use leadership to gain fame, the one with Rahu in Sagittarius would earn fame through virtuous and justice-seeking activities. Your addictions are also governed by your Rahu sign. Rahu in Aquarius often gives alcohol addiction while in Sagittarius, it makes you a smoking addict. Rahu in Scorpio would resort to tobacco while Rahu in Taurus might get caught up in drug addiction.

Since Rahu is the head of the dragon, it also plays with your mentality. Rahu in Aries would suffer from self-doubt while Rahu in Gemini would find it hard to make choices in life due to irresolution. Rahu in Pisces also feels double-minded in situations that require solid decision making.

Rahu & Illusions

Rahu is also the karaka of illusion. Someone with Rahu in Aries would likely be a double-faced person. There is a lot below the surface reality. On the other hand, someone with Rahu in Taurus would give false impression through his or her language. You would never know what they are saying, or what the underlying meaning is. People with Rahu in Gemini would create an illusion of being highly knowledgeable than they actually are while Rahu in Scorpio would be a complete mystery. Those with Rahu in Cancer would only be secretive about their feelings and emotions and create an illusion that nothing is wrong with them.