Shri Rahu Chalisa

Shri Rahu Chalisa is a devotional hymn to Rahu, one of the Navagrahas and a shadow planet (chhaya graha) in Vedic astrology. Rahu has no body of its own. In astrology it stands for the north lunar node and is linked with illusion, sudden events, ambition and confusion, which is why many people read the Chalisa when they feel anxious or unsettled during a Rahu period.

The story behind Rahu comes from the Puranas. During Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean, the demon Swarbhanu disguised himself and sat among the gods to drink the nectar of immortality. The Sun and Moon recognised him, and Vishnu in his Mohini form cut off his head. Because the nectar had touched his throat, the head stayed alive as Rahu, and the body is known as Ketu (see the Ketu Chalisa and the Vishnu Chalisa). The Chalisa refers to this only briefly, in the line saying that the head was cut but the body was not abandoned.

What the verses describe is Rahu''s form and power. They call him serpent-formed (sarpakar), like the hooded Shesha, a bringer of happiness and the remover of all troubles. They say that Rahu and Ketu fought and frightened even the gods, that Rahu rushes to swallow the Sun (Bhanu) and the Moon, which is how eclipses are explained in myth, and that among all the planets Rahu is unique. Scientifically, an eclipse is caused by the shadows of the Moon and the Earth, and Rahu and Ketu mark the two points where the Moon''s path crosses the Sun''s path. The myth and the science sit side by side in Indian tradition (see the Surya Chalisa and the Chandra Dev Chalisa).

The later verses are a prayer and are repeated in a refrain. They say that one who sings the Chalisa continuously will be freed from Rahu dosha in the birth chart and from Kaal Sarp Dosh, that one who chants Rahu''s mantras will gain happiness, that one afraid of enemies should meditate on Rahu, and that those who take refuge in him are freed from distress. The text repeats several lines, so it is best read as a simple, steady prayer rather than a story.

In the Vimshottari system, Rahu Mahadasha lasts 18 years, and devotees recite the Chalisa mainly in this period, on Saturdays, with donations of black sesame, a blanket or blue cloth. Well-known Rahu temples include Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu and Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh. These are matters of astrological belief, which different astrologers read differently, so use the Chalisa for calm and do not take big life decisions out of fear. For real anxiety or distress, please also speak to a doctor or counsellor. The Shani Chalisa is also commonly read on Saturdays.