Word origin · etymology
Sanskrit mythological name: Rāhu.
The dictionary glosses Rāhu as the Seizer, the eclipse-causing being; the name is also applied to the ascending lunar node.
Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Rāhu (University of Hyderabad) ↗
How we know · epistemology
Orbital geometry with traditional meaning
The ascending lunar node is calculated from an orbital model and helps describe eclipse geometry. Rahu's assigned psychological or karmic meanings belong to interpretation, rather than a detected substance at the node.
P. V. R. Narasimha Rao: Vedic Astrology, An Integrated Approach ↗
Connected concepts
Terms used in this explanation
Mentioned in 2 other entries
These links connect subjects and terminology. They do not establish a shared historical origin.
Sources & provenance
Use the citations beside each section to distinguish a calculation convention, a historical teaching and an editorial example.