Rahu and Eighth House
There can be nothing more fearful than the 8th house which is called Randhra bhava in Jyotisa. The lord of the 8th house represents that which we astrologers call “the hand of destiny,” in a most negative sense. While many studies have been made about this house and its lord, here we are examining the effect of Rahu on the 8th house. Normally most astrologers assume that the conjunction of two malefic factors – the most malefic bhava (i.e. 8th house) and the most malefic planet in Jyotisa (i.e. Rahu) should produce the worst malfeasance, but that is not true all the time. When Rahu is in the 8th house, it can give sudden changes of fortune, and when in conjunction with the lord of another house, activities related to the other planet activate the results of Rahu – both positive and negative.
In the chart of Albert Einstein, Rahu in the 8th house is conjoined exalted Mars which is lord of the 6th and 11th houses promising success in research and great fame due to such great inventions and research. The conjunction of Mars, the god of war, indicates that the research shall be used to make powerful weapons like the nuclear bomb. The 6th house lordship of Mars shows that a war or battle shall trigger Rahu in the 8th house. In some ways we can say that Rahu in the 8th house with an exalted planet is definitely a blessing as it gave Einstein great success in his research related to energy (Mars rules agni tattva – energy).
An exalted Rahu in the 8th house in Gemini can indicate one born in a famous or wealthy family, promised inheritance and generally way above want throughout life. It is a real blessing as the lord of happiness (Rahu is co-lord of Aquarius, the 4th house) gets exalted in the 8th bhava. Bridget Fonda is an American actress and member of the famous theatrical Fonda family, the daughter of Peter and Susan Fonda and granddaughter of Henry and niece of Jane Fonda. In this chart we find that the exalted planet is Rahu itself which conjoins the Moon, the lord of 9th bhava. While this is definitely not a good combination for longevity matters, the life on earth is surely a blessed one as there are no tears in the eighth house, and whatever is there is easily wiped out by Rahu.
Aveek Sarkar is the son of Ashok Sarkar, and the grandson of Prafulla Sarkar, after whom one of the important streets in Kolkata gets its name. Rahu in the 8th house is exalted with the 4th lord Saturn ruling home and properties. Just around the time when he shifted residence to South Kolkata, his father expired and he inherited a huge business empire which he carried forward very well. Note that just as Bridget Fonda continued in the profession of her illustrious parents and
grandparents, so also did Aveek Sarkar carry the torch of his father handed down from his grandfather. In general, Rahu in the 8th house, if in exaltation or with an exalted planet is definitely indicating a blessing – here we consider exaltation as Gemini (and not Taurus, which can be for longevity related matters).
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Wiki Notes: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in women. Almost any neurological symptom can appear with the disease, and often progresses to physical and cognitive disability. MS takes several forms, with new symptoms occurring either in discrete attacks (relapsing forms) or slowly accumulating over time (progressive forms). Between attacks, symptoms may go away completely, but permanent neurological problems often occur, especially as the disease advances.
There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis. The prognosis is difficult to predict; it depends on the subtype of the disease, the individual’s disease characteristics, the initial symptoms and the degree of disability the person experiences as time advances. Most doctors say that “Life expectancy of people with MS is 5 to 10 years lower than that of the unaffected population”, which really means nothing nowadays because if the average life expectancy is about 60 years, then people with MS can live till about 55 years! Honestly, these sorts of statistics clearly show how ignorant science is about the disease.
Let us examine a few charts with MS. What we were expecting was –
- Some kind of an association of Rahu with the 8th lord or 8th house resulting in a hard-to-find cure; the body gradually becoming like stone (Rahu) as the nerves fail and movement is destroyed.
- The 8th lord must be weak either by itself or conjoined a very weak planet.
- Affliction of Mars, the ruler of nerves, and simultaneous Mars-Venus association of some kind where the fire-water conflict brings the disease.
- A period (dasa) which exposes this weakness in the chart
MS Chart-1 b. 3 Mar 1984; 8.01’am Sonepat, India. Venus the lord of 8th bhava and Saturn, the lord of 11th bhava are in parivartana yoga. Such a yoga involving the Randhra bhava is definitely a ‘dainya parivartana’. Mars is in the 8th house in a sign of Venus (Libra). Rahu afflicts the 8th lord Venus by graha drsti and the 8th bhava with rasi drsti. MS was triggered in Saturn dasa Venus antardasa and he fights it with Homeopathy. We have generally found Homeopathy to be very helpful where Venus affliction is involved.
MS Chart-2 b. 16 Dec 1983, 4.45 am IST, Jaipur, India. Venus is the lord of both the 8th bhava and lagna and is well placed in lagna. Its conjunction with yogakaraka Saturn would define a brilliant rajayoga. However, as Randhresa (8th lord) Venus can also bring deadly disease, especially when Rahu is in Taurus in the 8th bhava and aspects the lagna having Venus and Saturn by rasi drsti. Mars is in the 12th bhava and is also aspected by Rahu by graha drsti. MS disease was triggered in Venus dasa Saturn antardasa.
MS Chart-3 b. 11 Jan 1982; 1.53’ am IST, Bhopal, India. Once again we have a parivartana yoga involving a dusthana, this time the 12th house where Saturn is placed with Mars and Mercury joins Venus in the 4th bhava. Saturn and Mercury exchange signs and with that, bring about an unfortunate relationship between Mars and Venus, who they conjoin. Rahu is not in the 8th bhava and Rahu aspects Saturn and Mars but does not aspect the 8th lord Venus either by graha or rasi drsti. But instead Rahu is in the 9th house in marana karaka sthana and its dispositor Mercury is also in marana karaka sthana afflicting Venus, the 8th lord. This is not a straight case like the previous two but she did suffer from MS.
MS Chart-4 b. 22 April, 1982; 1.40pm IST, Delhi, India. Moon is in the 8th house in chandrastama dosa; the 8th lord Jupiter is very weak being in marana karaka sthana in the 3rd house. Rahu is exalted but it aspects the 8th bhava by rasi drsti and 8th lord Jupiter by graha drsti. Serious onset of disease occurred in Ketu dasa as Ketu is placed in the 8th house in Scorpio in the navamsa chart. However with the advent of Venus dasa, there has been marked improvement. Note that Venus is not involved in the affliction. Mars may not seem to be directly involved in the affliction but it is in the 2nd house with Saturn (disease significator) and aspects the 8th bhava.
MS Chart-5 b.17 Oct 1974; 11.17 am IST, Rajkot, India. 8th bhava is afflicted by Saturn and 8th lord Mercury is well placed in the 12th house. However, it is subject to papakartari yoga between Rahu in the sign ahead and Sun and Mars in the sign behind. This malefic scissors yoga caused by Rahu and Mars brings the energies of these planets to bear down on the 8th lord as well as the Moon triggering the disease Multiple Sclerosis. Venus, the dispositor of the 8th lord is involved in a parivartana yoga with Mercury – and once again we have a dainya parivartana yoga involving a dusthana (12th bhava). Further we also have the Venus-Mars conjunction which directly influences the 8th lord due to exchange.
MS Chart-6 b. 28 Jan 1983; 11.42’ pm IST Ludhiana, India. The 8th lord Mars conjoins Venus in marana karaka sthana in the 6th bhava and both are afflicted by their dispositor, the 6th lord Rahu by graha drsti. Lagnesa Mercury is also in marana sthana in the 4th bhava and is also afflicted by Rahu. Planets are placed in a dainya graha malika yoga – forming a garland from Saturn in the 2nd bhava to the terrible Venus-Mars conjunction in the 6th bhava. The net result of all these planets is seen in disease in the 6th house. Life shall revolve around this. Look at her tender age when this terrible MS struck and she battles it with great courage.
A weak Randhresa afflicted by Rahu can indicate a life full of tears. As a remedy, worship Sri Rudra and find a solution to the terrible suffering and pain indicated by the 8th bhava. Exalted planets associated with the 8th bhava can be a blessing.