नमो नमो राहुकेतुभ्याम् ।
रवि शशि ग्राहकाभ्याम् ।
राक्षस शरीरार्ध भागाभ्याम् ।। (पल्लवी)
Salutations to the Rāhu and the Ketu, the capturers of the planet Sun and the planet Moon, with a single demonic body cut into two parts as head and torso.
महा सर्पमस्तक कायाभ्याम् ।
महीवलयच्छाया ग्रहाभ्याम् ।
महा महा पराक्रमाभ्याम् ।।1।।
The first part with serpent head is known as Rāhu and the second part with serpent torso is known as Ketu of the cut-off portions of the demon. They roam around the earth and known to be called as ‘chāyā grahas’ – shadow planets, since the shadow of the earth is circular (valaya). Salutations to the Rāhu and Ketu endowed with great prowess.
दुष्कर्म फलदान दूताभ्याम् ।
दुर्जन गुणपरिवर्तन दक्षाभ्याम् ।
दीन जनार्ति भक्ति दायकाभ्यम् ।।2।।
They act like the ambassadors to coordinate and award the souls bad fruits for bad deeds, accordingly. They are capable of altering the attitudes of the people going on wrong path. Salutations to Rāhu and Ketu who bestow devotion on the distressed people afflicted with pain.
अपसव्य जीवार्थमपसव्य चराभ्याम् ।
तमोगुणनाशाय तमोग्रहाभ्याम् ।
असुररूप जनार्थमसुरायिताभ्याम् ।।3।।
They go on the reverse side to tame the people going on reverse side of Pravṛtti (the ethical behavior ordained for human beings). They are called ‘Tamo-grahas’ to eliminate the lethargic side of Tamas quality in the souls. Salutations to Rāhu and Ketu who dawned the robes of demons to control the nature of demonic people in the world.
कया नश्चित्रकेतुं कृण्वन्मन्त्र मन्दिराभ्याम् ।
माषपूप-कुलुत्थपाक दान प्रशमिताभ्याम् ।
भानुवासर नागरूप स्कन्द पूजाप्रियाभ्याम् ।।4।।
They are worshiped by reciting the the Vedic hymns – ‘Kayā naścitra ābhuvadūtī sadāvṛdhaḥ sakhā । Kayā śaciṣṭhayā vṛtā’ and ‘ketuṃ kṛṇvanna ketave peso maryā apeśase । samuṣadbhirajāyata,’ respectively. People struggling with bad fruits of Karma prepare a dish fried in oil, made out of black gram, to offer to poor people in order to pacify the influence of Rāhu. Similarly, people cook an item made out of horse gram to offer to poor people in order to pacify the influence of Ketu. Salutations to Rāhu and Ketu who are immensely pleased by worshipping the serpent idols, the representatives of Lord Subrahmanya, exclusively on Sunday.
परमपद सोपानमार्ग परीक्षा पन्नगाभ्याम् ।
कुटिल कुण्डलिनी वृत्ति भुजगीशासकोरगाभ्याम्
कष्टप्रदान परिणति परिणाम मोक्षप्रदाभ्याम् ।।5।।
In the form of serpents, they test the luck of the players that jump to higher levels in the ‘Snakes and Ladders’ game. They are the controllers of the Kuṇḍalinī (thought waves in the mind) in the form of a serpent crooked movement. Salutations to the Rāhu and Ketu who, in fact, help the souls by giving them difficulties, so that souls are matured and developed in spiritual knowledge to attain the liberation.
दुर्गुण शमन धर्ममार्ग प्रवृत्ति कारकाभ्याम् ।
महार्ति भवपरम भक्ति निवृत्ति दायकाभ्याम् ।
दुष्टभूयिष्ठ कलियुग सर्वजन गुरुवराभ्याम् ।।6।।
The duo eliminate bad qualities in the souls and motivate them to act on the ethical path of Pravṛtti. They bless the souls with Nivṛtti – ultimate spiritual knowledge, through a devotion resulted from affliction with miseries confronted by the souls. Salutations to Rāhu and Ketu, the best teachers of all souls on the earth that is full of wicked people in this Kali age.