Rahu in the 3rd house
The results given by Rahu in the third house of the horoscope
Rahu in the 3rd house. This is a strong position, indicating considerable boldness and tolerance. In marriage there may be disagreements. These people are persistent, speak convincingly and suffer from criticism concerning their opinions. There may be abilities to earn a fortune for themselves and tension in relations with brothers. (Tom Hopke)
Rahu in the 3rd house and Ketu in the 9th house: Rahu in the 3rd house gives excellent results. The 3rd house is considered one of the best houses for Rahu. Rahu in the 3rd house gives energy, boldness, willpower, comfort and wealth. A very good placement for financial well-being. The person will manage to defeat his competitors and to achieve success. The person will become successful in any sphere. If Venus is also strongly placed, this may be a sculptor or an artist. A strong Mars may make him a sportsman or a military man. Such a person has a more scientific cast of mind and a logical approach to life. They are very proud and confident in their own powers, and think little about the people around them. They want to conduct affairs and to develop in their own way; they do not like standard paths. Rahu in the 3rd usually makes the person the youngest in the family. If such a person has younger brothers or sisters, a less successful life usually develops for them. (Mahesh Dharmadasa)
Boldness, decisiveness, persistence in attaining the goal, firmness of character, wealth, honour and respect, hostile relations with relatives. (Indubala)
Rahu in the 3rd house: a long, happy life, luxury and comfort, a good wife. Proud, full of a sense of his own dignity, in conflict with brothers.. (Shri Govind Swarup Agarwal)
Rahu in the 3rd, Ketu in the 9th house: the karmic task
All astrologers consider this placement of the nodes favourable, since the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th houses are Upachaya, in which malefics (in this case Rahu) behave favourably. Ketu also feels good in the 9th house (although it is a trine) since Ketu is naturally well disposed towards the 9th sign of the zodiac — Sagittarius. A native with such a placement of the nodes should get the best of both worlds. Rahu will give material success, and Ketu will take care of the inner life.
However this placement of the nodes also has a negative side: Rahu in the 3rd gives boldness, but often hinders mutual understanding with younger relatives. As in the case of natural malefics, the living indications of the 3rd house suffer (younger relatives, companions), and the non-living indications gain (mental and physical energy, passions, valour, leadership, oratorical abilities, scientific rational thinking, writing abilities). However sometimes help from younger relatives is observed, thanks to which the person may advance in life, or on the contrary the native helps them.
Short trips bring fortune, although they are not always pleasant. Long journeys are not so beneficial, except in those cases where Ketu is very strong, being in a friendly sign together with a yoga-karaka or an exalted planet.
People with such a combination can easily wield either weapons or the pen. Which exactly the native chooses depends on the general inclination of the chart.
This combination generates writers, orators, artists, sculptors, instrumentalists, soldiers, sportsmen (where strength and dexterity of the hands is required), generals, revolutionaries, political and spiritual leaders. The psychic or mental force of this placement of Rahu may be used in positive creativity, if the other indications of the chart point to an integral personality.
This placement of Rahu-Ketu generates many atheists devoted to science. This happens because they have a strong bias towards the indications of the 3rd house and this completely blocks the energies of the 9th house. But later in life they throw themselves in the opposite direction and completely cast aside everything material.
This placement of the nodes sets the native the task of balancing the indications of the 3rd and 9th houses (physics and religion, aggression and compassion, energy and the path, matter and spirit). Only elevated souls are able to solve this task.
In most cases the first half of life is more productive for such people than the second. If a native with such a combination has acquired fame and fortune in youth, more than likely he will lose it in the age of Ketu (47-54 years).
47 years is an important age for such people, since at this time a new stage begins in their life. For those whose life until then was not particularly filled with events, an opportunity is presented to leave their mark on history. But for this Ketu must be sufficiently strong. Such a Ketu brings out such indications of the 9th house as religion and fortune, if until that time they had not manifested themselves. For those who have achieved material success the age of Ketu (47-54) will bring much bitterness and suffering, if they themselves do not wish to change the direction of their life.
Examples: Napoleon, Blavatsky.
“Bhrigu Sutra” 8.7-8
An abundance of oil seeds of the mustard, sesame and simsim type awaits the owner of the horoscope. If Rahu or Ketu in his horoscope are joined with benefic planets, he will have a mark or a mole on his neck.
Other opinions concerning Rahu or Ketu in the 3rd house:
“Phaladipika”: Rahu in the 3rd house — decisiveness, firmness of character, wealth, the honour and respect of those around, a long life, hostile relations with his brothers.
“Chamatkar Chintamani”: Rahu in the 3rd house — great boldness.
Note: Bhrigu Muni gives the same characteristics for the placement of Rahu and Ketu in various houses. His opinion is based on the fact that these planets are always in the seventh house from each other and both exert an influence on the house. However the other classical texts, apart from the “Brihat Jataka” and the “Saravali”, which do not describe the results of the placement of the shadow planets in the houses of the horoscope, hold a different opinion.
We should like to add several important remarks concerning the placement of Rahu and Ketu in the houses of the horoscope. Concerning the characteristics of these planets there are three main opinions: 1) they act as the lord of the sign that they occupy, 2) their nature is like that of Mars and Saturn, and also 3) the view of Kalidasa given below. An experienced astrologer intuitively understands what influences the shadow planets conduct when he analyses a horoscope or draws up forecasts.
Relying on the famous classical work of Kalidasa, the “Uttara Kalamrita”, it may be said that, being shadow planets, these planets are not regarded as the lords of any houses or signs. If Rahu and Ketu are in conjunction (in the same sign) with a planet, then they take on its qualities, become conductors of its energy, and in their periods, or bhuktis, act like that planet. When the shadow planets do not enter into a conjunction — they give the results of the planet aspecting them. And only when Rahu and Ketu are neither joined nor aspected by planets do they act as the lord of the sign in which they are placed.
If one of the two nodes and the lord of a triad are placed in conjunction in the 9th or 10th houses or if one of them is in the 9th, and the other in the 10th, a favourable yoga is formed, which will bring prosperity to the owner of the horoscope. If at the same time a malefic planet enters into a conjunction with or aspects one of the shadow planets, then the bhukti [sub-period] of the yoga-karaka will prove unfavourable.
And a last remark. Rahu and Ketu become beneficial when they occupy the positions of a triad or of a kendra from the lagna. The shadow planets also prove beneficial when they are joined with the lords of a house of a triad or of a quadrant. But if at the same time the lord of the 9th house also owns the 8th (in the case of Gemini rising), or the 12th (in the case of Libra rising), and also if the lords of the 9th or 10th houses are joined with the lords of the 8th and 12th houses, the beneficial results of the yoga are lost.
“Bhrigu Sutra” with commentaries by Indubala
«Jataka Bharanam» 17.89
The results of the placement of Rahu in the 3rd house
If Rahu is placed in the 3rd Bhava, then the person has no danger from enemies, his fame and glory will spread through the world, he will always be prosperous, magnificent (majestic), happy and will lead a free (luxurious) life, but his younger brother and his horned cattle will be destroyed.
Comments: All the learned authors of astrology say that the position of Rahu in the 3rd Bhava [house] will give favourable results. Indeed, Rahu in the 3rd house will bring the person the ability to carry out his work quickly. The person will be able to astonish others with the force of his prudence or with his ability to take correct decisions, with his responsibility, his ability to create plans and so on.