Rahu is a chhaya graha (shadow planet) — the ascending lunar node, signifying worldly ambition, obsession, foreign or unconventional matters, and sudden, disruptive change. Rahu amplifies whatever it touches, for better or worse.

AMBITION, ILLUSION & THE UNCONVENTIONAL
Rahu is a chhaya graha (shadow planet) — the ascending lunar node, signifying worldly ambition, obsession, foreign or unconventional matters, and sudden, disruptive change. Rahu amplifies whatever it touches, for better or worse.
Rahu (and Ketu below) are shadow points, not physical bodies, so several classical attributes (exaltation/debilitation sign, ruling element, fixed direction) are genuinely inconsistent across source texts rather than settled — shown here with the most commonly cited convention, disclosed as contested rather than presented as uniform fact.
Strong: Can bring intense ambition, unconventional success, and sudden gains — especially in foreign or unconventional fields.
Weak: May cause confusion, lack of direction, and difficulty distinguishing genuine opportunity from illusion.
Afflicted: Can bring obsession, deception (self- or other-directed), anxiety, and sudden disruptive events.
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