PLANETARY ASTRONOMY & GRAHA TAXONOMY☋︎ Ketu (South Lunar Node) in Sidereal Jyotish
In the nine-planet system of Sanskrit positional astronomy, Ketu (Ketu (Śikhin), South Lunar Node) is a shadow malefic (chaya graha) descending node governing spiritual emancipation (Moksha), abstract computation (Ganita), ascetic detachment, ancestral lineage, and subtle perception. Within the vectorized reference corpus (jyotish_corpus_core_v3), Ketu appears in 724 verified passages and 424 numbered shlokas across 16 Sanskrit treatises.
Ketu (South Lunar Node) rules Vrishchika (Scorpio, co-lord), reaches deep exaltation at Vrishchika 20°00' (Scorpio), and enters deep debilitation at Vrishabha 20°00' (Taurus). In the 120-year Vimshottari Dasha cycle, Ketu governs a major planetary period of 7 Years across the lunar mansions Ashwini, Magha, Mula.
EPHEMERIS MECHANICS & PRECESSION DIFFERENTIALSidereal Longitude, Synodic Velocity & Dignity Thresholds of Ketu
High-precision integration for Ketu under DE441
According to Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra Chapter 3 Verses 36 to 37 and Brihat Samhita Chapter 11 (Ketuchara Adhyaya), Ketu gains full directional strength in the Fourth and Twelfth House Axis and requires at least 5.00 Rupas via dispositor in six-fold Shadbala. For solar proximity and heliacal visibility of Ketu, classical mathematical astronomy applies a strict standard: Ketu is exempt from combustion and triggers eclipses when aligned with luminary longitude.
| Parameter | Specification | Classical Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Swakshetra Domicile | Vrishchika (Scorpio, co-lord) |
Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra Chapter 3 Verses 36 to 37 defines the primary own-sign domicile and planetary rulership of Ketu (South Lunar Node) in the sidereal zodiac. |
| Moolatrikona Arc | Dhanu or Meena |
Brihat Samhita Chapter 11 (Ketuchara Adhyaya) specifies the exact root-trine degree zone assigned to Ketu in classical horoscopic evaluation. |
| Exaltation & Fall | Vrishchika 20°00' (Scorpio) / Vrishabha 20°00' (Taurus) |
Phaladeepika Chapter 2 Verse 35 establishes the longitudinal degree of peak exaltation and deep debilitation for Ketu. |
| Natural Friends | Mangala, Shukra, Shani |
The classical Panchadha Maitri five-fold compound relationship matrix scores planetary allies of Ketu by sign placement. |
| Neutral & Adversaries | Neutral: Budha, Guru | Enemies: Surya, Chandra |
Saravali Chapter 4 Verses 46 to 48 details permanent natural friendship, neutrality, and enmity modifiers for Ketu in natal charts. |
MULTI-TREATISE SHASTRA CONCORDANCECorpus Distribution of Ketu Across 18 Sanskrit Shastras
The concordance table below records the exact passage and shloka distribution for Ketu (South Lunar Node) extracted from jyotish_corpus_core_v3. Maharishi Parashara emphasizes divisional varga dignity and Vimshottari timing for Ketu, while Varahamihira and Kalyana Varma detail specific sign-aspect modifications and Drekkana placements for Ketu.
| Sanskrit Treatise | Verified Passages | Chapter Coverage | Analytical Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra | 199 passages |
41 ch / 152 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 41 classical chapters. |
| Jaimini Upadesha Sutras | 94 passages |
4 ch / 58 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 4 classical chapters. |
| Sarvartha Chintamani | 72 passages |
7 ch / 4 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 7 classical chapters. |
| Phaladeepika | 59 passages |
16 ch / 44 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 16 classical chapters. |
| Brihat Samhita | 56 passages |
15 ch / 43 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 15 classical chapters. |
| Hora Ratnam | 43 passages |
4 ch / 28 v |
Codifies sidereal sign dignity, house placement results, and aspect valuation rules for Ketu (South Lunar Node) across 4 classical chapters. |
VERBATIM CORPUS FOLIO & DIVISIONAL HARMONICSArchival Public-Domain Folio Excerpt & Varga Synthesis for Ketu
This archival excerpt for Ketu is retrieved from the public-domain edition of Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Chapter 2, Verse 2) in jyotish_corpus_core_v3. In divisional horoscopy, the natal Rashi (D1D9D10
CORPUSPROVENANCE: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra | SourceID: archive_brihat-parashara-hora-sastra | Chapter 2, Verse 2 "Krishn , endowed with Jiv 2 Maharishi Parashar: O Brahmin, the four incarnations, viz Ram, Krishn, Narasimh and Varah are wholly with Paramatm The other incarnations (than these, out of the ten) have in them Jiv too 3-4 The unborn Lord has many incarnations He has incarnated, as the 9 (Nava) Grahas to bestow"
When Ketu occupies identical sidereal signs in both the natal Rashi (D1D9
SUTRA BLACK LABEL · INDIVIDUAL EPHEMERIS SYNTHESISCompute Exact Ketu Shadbala & Varga Dignities for Birth Coordinates
This encyclopedia entry establishes the astronomical and shastric baseline for Ketu (South Lunar Node). To calculate birth-second sidereal longitude, six-fold Shadbala Virupas, Ashtakavarga bindus, and verbatim shloka citations for Ketu across all 16 Shodashavarga charts, visit jyotish.vip.
Ketu Shadbala RupasDE441Ephemeris (0.001°)Ketu Shloka CitationsVimshottari Dasha Timing
