Graha (Planet)draftschool: jyotisha· Bṛhat Saṁhitā

Ketu (south lunar node / comets)

Ketu

gra-ketu

Definition

Ketu, the descending/south node; in BS the term also covers comets (Ketu-cara, BS XI). In rulership governs mountain strongholds, foreign peoples, the ambitious and quarrelsome (XVI).

Classical

Prāṇa relevance

Prāṇa relation not yet traced — a complete, acceptable terminal state.

Cross-book attributes (29) — fill / concur / diverge

Dosha AffinityDiverges

Sources differ — both values shown; never overwritten.

txt-frawley-astrology-seersbook p.213, p.215Modern

pitta (fire humor)

txt-frawley-astrology-seersThe Lunar Nodes (book p.101), quoting Parashari 3.30Traditional

dos-vata (airy) — Parashari 3.30 (quoted): 'Ketu is similar to Rahu.' (Frawley applies Rahu's vata to Ketu by the 'similar' clause.)

claimed-classical: BPHS 3.30 ('Ketu is similar to Rahu'). FILLS Book-1 DEFERRED. NOTE possible tension: Frawley elsewhere calls Ketu 'fiery like Mars' (would suggest pitta) yet the quoted verse makes it vata-like-Rahu — flagged. See Open Questions.

ElementDiverges

Sources differ — both values shown; never overwritten.

txt-frawley-astrology-seersbook p.215Modern

fire

txt-frawley-astrology-seersElements of the Planets (book p.71)Traditional

ele-tejas (fire — 'said to be fiery like Mars'); secondary air ('but secondarily airy').

claimed-classical table. FILLS Book-1 DEFERRED. Shadowy planet — element judged via associated planets.

AdhidevataFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Chitragupta, God of Karma (ruling deity / adhidevata)

Benefic Or MaleficFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Lesser Malefic (natural status), paired with Mars — 'like Mars' (Vedic); 'not regarded quite as malefic as in the Western system'; south node less negative than north.

Bija MantraFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

OM KEM (e as long-a in 'came')

Direction GovernedFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Northwest (yantra/altar scheme only — Ketu has NO bearing in the 8-fold worship scheme, which omits it)

Direction Governed SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

SOUTHWEST — Ketu shares the SW with Rāhu (the two Nodes co-regent the SW). [graha-dik roster]

Directional ConfluenceFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

Ketu (with Rāhu) co-rules the SOUTHWEST corner-confluence: SW = Earth + tamas + Rāhu/Ketu. Ketu contributes PITTA to SW (shared with Mars: 'the pitta of Mars and Ketu'). Ketu rules infrared, turquoise. The Nodes together promote 'exaggeration, misperception, and confusion' and rule wildness; SW = the mineral kingdom / storage / sleep quadrant.

Dosha Affinity SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

pitta

ExaltationFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

20°00' Scorpio (Vrishchika) — one view; OR Virgo (Mercury's sign) by other Vedic astrologers

GunaFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

gun-tamas (grouped with Mars/Saturn/Rahu); 'Mars and Ketu have some Rajas, as they give energy and power of will' (secondary).

Guna SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

tamas

House Significator OfFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

joint significator with Mars; special significator of liberation (moksha), judged relative to the 12th house

Name MantraFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

OM NAMAHA KETAVE

Natural SignificationsFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Injury, enmity, death, negation, knowledge, liberation, psychic or spiritual insight (key-indicator list, p.75); also: Moksha-karaka (significator of liberation), the negative Sun (shadow of the self/self-doubt), concentration/perception/independence, 'a flag' (boosts conjoined planets); south/descending node.

Numerology NumberFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

9 (realization and liberation)

Permanent FriendsFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

(Rahu/Ketu) friends: Mercury, Venus, Saturn; neutral: Mars; enemies: Sun, Moon, Jupiter

PratyadhidevataFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Brahma, God of Knowledge (over-ruler)

Psychological SignificationsFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

The faculty of FEAR & SELF-NEGATION: 'the illusion power of our fears, and our attachment to what we have accomplished in life' — these prevent positive action and change. Ketu 'shows the death we are in flight from in life' — not physical death but the death of the EGO; only by embracing death 'as a creative force, as a power of renewal and transformation' can we go beyond its shadow. In the reintegration Yoga, Ketu is 'our capacity to negate ourselves', to be used carefully (do not sabotage oneself or turn back at the moment of victory): to 'negate ourselves into the Divine, not into the undivine', piercing the veil of time and illusion to rest in the eternal light — following negation 'to the ultimate point of pure affirmation, seeing our Self in all beings, and all beings in our Self.'

Remedial ColorFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

bright/fiery/penetrating/transparent — red, orange, yellow (like the Sun); avoid opaque/whitish and dark/cloudy

Remedial GemFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

mat-cats-eye (cat's eye, chrysoberyl family; ≥3 ct, pref gold, middle finger right hand or the finger of Ketu's dispositor); substitute quartz cat's eye

Rules SignsFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

no orbit sign-rulership; OFTEN considered a co-ruler of Scorpio (with Mars/Pluto)

Significations SvobodaFilledper txt-svoboda-vastu

rules: infrared; inorganic matter/minerals; owls, snakes, camels, donkeys, wolves, scorpions & poisonous insects; lead/cat's-eye/chrysoberyl/turquoise; paternal grandparents, eccentrics, renunciates, the possessed, the insane; universality, idealism, intuition, compassion, spirituality, self-sacrifice, subtlety. (number 9; no weekday)

Special AspectsFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

5th, 7th, 9th signs (drishti) — same trine special-aspects as Jupiter (and Rahu)

Worship DeityFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Rudra (terrible Shiva, god of death/transformation); resembles Pluto; also Brahma (god of Knowledge, once fear of death is seen through)

Worship GrainFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

horsegram (Kulattha)

Worship SymbolFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

flag

Worship WeekdayFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

Saturday (or the day of Ketu's dispositor), Moon waxing

YantraFilledper txt-frawley-astrology-seers

numerical yantra based on number 9 (Ketu=9 at upper-center); lines sum 39, total 117; Mahamrityunjaya Yantra

Connections (9)

corresponds-to · 6

↔Fire (Tejas / Agni)Traditional
Frawley: Ketu 'is said to be fiery like Mars, but secondarily airy.' Shadowy planet — judged via associated planets.
↔Vata (Air humor)Traditional
Parashari 3.30 (quoted): 'Ketu is similar to Rahu' — Frawley applies Rahu's vata to Ketu via the 'similar' clause.
↔TamasTraditional
Frawley's guna table groups Ketu (with Mars, Saturn, Rahu) as tamasic, with secondary rajas ('Mars and Ketu have some Rajas, as they give energy and power of will').
↔Pitta (Fire humor)Modern
Frawley groups Ketu (south lunar node) with Sun and Mars as Pitta/Fire; 'Mars and Ketu are most responsible for Pitta (Fire) disorders' (book p.215); the Fire type's deep insight goes with Ketu (book p.213).
↔Pitta (Fire humor)Modern
SW doshic composition: 'the pitta of Mars and Ketu' combines with the vata of Saturn/Rahu (PDF p.193) - Ketu is a pitta-bearing planet of the SW confluence. Mints the planet->dosha edge underlying SW's vata-pitta overabundance.
↔dir-nairrtyaModern
SW confluence: 'Southwest activates the energy of Rahu and Ketu' (PDF p.193); Ketu contributes pitta (shared with Mars: 'the pitta of Mars and Ketu'). The second planet leg of the SW confluence. Ketu-SW is Svoboda's ADDITION beyond the standard roster (Rahu-SW alone).

governs · 1

→dir-nairrtyaTraditional
Svoboda's roster co-assigns Ketu (with Rāhu) to the Southwest — both lunar nodes jointly regent the SW in his 8-bearing scheme. Ketu carries the intuition/spirituality/self-sacrifice pole of the Node-pair (Ketu = pitta, vs Rāhu = vāta), though both are tamasic.

influences · 1

→Special planetary aspects (drishti) by signTraditional
Ketu (south lunar node) shares Jupiter's special FULL aspects on the 5th and 9th signs (trines). Edge records Ketu's membership in the drishti scheme captured by rul-special-aspects.

supports · 1

←Cat's Eye (Ketu's gem)Modern
Cat's eye (chrysoberyl) is Ketu's remedial gem; worn it increases Ketu's higher qualities - insight, concentration, knowledge. Not under high Pitta.

Sources

txt-brihat-samhitaXVI.38–39Classical✓ verifiedgovernance incl. foreign peoples, the ambitious/quarrelsome
txt-brihat-samhitaXI (Ketu-cara)Classical✓ verifiedKetu as comets

Notes from other books

txt-frawley-astrology-seersKetu shares Jupiter's 5/9 trine special-aspects. 'Separative planet' (makes us contract; causes negativity). Retrograde action; exempt from planetary-war rules (book p.175–176). Dasha 7 yrs.
txt-frawley-astrology-seersKetu (south node) is treated as a joint significator with Mars, and is the SPECIAL karaka of liberation (moksha), judged via the 12th house (book p.155). [MODERN — Frawley]
txt-frawley-astrology-seersFrawley groups Ketu (south lunar node) with Sun and Mars as Pitta/Fire; the Fire type's 'deep insight' is associated with Ketu (book p.213); 'Mars and Ketu are most responsible for Pitta (Fire) disorders' (book p.215). FILLS BS gra-ketu (element/dosha DEFERRED — 'not yet traced').
txt-frawley-astrology-seersKetu (south node) = the negative Sun / shadow of the self, AND the significator of liberation (Moksha-karaka) — Frawley's spiritualizing reading. Element fire (like Mars); guna tamas-with-rajas. Note the internal Ketu tension: 'fiery like Mars' (→pitta?) vs the quoted verse's vata. Flagged.
txt-frawley-astrology-seersConcurs with the Planets theme's Ketu = Moksha-karaka / 'negative Sun' — the self-negation-into-the-Divine reading is the psychological face of moksha-significance. Surfaced as corroboration, not asserted.
txt-frawley-astrology-seersKetu is absent from the 8-direction worship scheme (which has only 8 planets for 8 bearings) but present in the 9-fold yantra/altar layout (Sun-center frees the 8 bearings for the other 8 + Ketu-NW). Yoga: Yoga of knowledge / self-inquiry; meditation on death.
txt-frawley-astrology-seersFrawley: Ketu often a co-ruler of Scorpio, paralleling Pluto's relation to (negative) Mars (book p.109). [MODERN — Frawley on the parallel]
txt-svoboda-vastuKetu co-rules SW with Rāhu; his pitta (with Mars's) makes the vāta-pitta overabundance of the SW corner. The SW dosha-composition is the only one Svoboda builds from FOUR planets (Saturn+Rāhu vāta, Mars+Ketu pitta). [MODERN — Svoboda]
txt-svoboda-vastuKetu-SW CONCURS with Frawley worship scheme; node-pair sharing of SW is the roster shape. Ketu=pitta is the intuition/spirituality pole opposite Rāhu's vāta-eccentricity. [TRADITIONAL roster; MODERN attrs]

Other attributes

Governed Domains: {"persons":"the wealthy/ambitious/energetic, adulterers, quarrelsome & proud people, fools, the unrighteous, subjugators","regions":"mountain strongholds, Pahlavas, White Huns, Colas, Afghans, Chinese, deserts — promote?"}
Weekday: n/a (node)
Node Note: BS uses 'Ketu' for both the south node and comets (XI On Comets, with 1000+ comet-types in the cara material — indexed-skim, not harvested).

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