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Sri Rahu Ashtottara Shatanamavali

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Sri Rahu Ashtottara Shatanamavali

1. Om Saimhikeyaaya Namah
2. Om Vidhuntudhaaya Namah
3. Om Surashatrave Namah
4. Om Tamase Namah
5. Om Praanine Namah
6. Om Gaargyaayanaaya Namah
7. Om Suraagave Namah
8. Om Neelajeemootasankaashaaya Namah
9. Om Chaturbhujaaya Namah
10. Om Khadgakhetakadhaarine Namah
11. Om Varadaabhayahastakaaya Namah
12. Om Shoolaayudhaaya Namah
13. Om Meghavarnaaya Namah
14. Om Krishnadhvajapataakavate Namah
15. Om Dakshinaashaamukharataaya Namah
16. Om Teekshna Damshtraadharaaya Namah
17. Om Shoorpaakaaraasanasdhaaya Namah
18. Om Gomedhaabharana Priyaaya Namah
19. Om Maashapriyaaya Namah
20. Om Kaashyaparshinandanaaya Namah
21. Om Ulkaapaatajanaye Namah
22. Om Shooline Namah
23. Om Nidhipaaya Namah
24. Om Krishnasarparaaje Namah
25. Om Vishajvaalaavritaasyaaya Namah
26. Om Ardhashareeraaya Namah
27. Om Jaadyasampradaaya Namah
28. Om Raveendubheekaraaya Namah
29. Om Chhaayaasvaroopine Namah
30. Om Vishnuchakrachchheditaaya Namah
31. Om Kathinaangakaaya Namah
32. Om Dvishachchakrachchhedakaaya Namah
33. Om Karaalaasyaaya Namah
34. Om Bhayankaraaya Namah
35. Om Kroorakarmane Namah
36. Om Tamoroopaaya Namah
37. Om Shyaamaatmane Namah
38. Om Neelalohitaaya Namah
39. Om Kireetine Namah
40. Om Neelavasanaaya Namah
41. Om Shanisaamantaavartmagaaya Namah
42. Om Chandaalavarnaaya Namah
43. Om Ashvyarabhavaaya Namah
44. Om Meshabhavaaya Namah
45. Om Shanivatphaladaaya Namah
46. Om Shoolaaya Namah
47. Om Apasavyagataye Namah
48. Om Uparaagakaraaya Namah
49. Om Sooryahimaamshuchchhavihaarakaaya Namah
50. Om Grahashreshthaaya Namah
51. Om Ashtama Grahaaya Namah
52. Om Kabandhamaatradehaaya Namah
53. Om Yaatudhaanakulodbhavaaya Namah
54. Om Govindavarapaatraaya Namah
55. Om Devajaatipravishtakaaya Namah
56. Om Krooraaya Namah
57. Om Ghoraaya Namah
58. Om Shanimitraaya Namah
59. Om Shukramitraaya Namah
60. Om Agocharaaya Namah
61. Om Dyoonegangaasnaanadaatre Namah
62. Om Svagraheprabalaadhyakaaya Namah
63. Om Sadgrihe Anyasyabaladhrite Namah
64. Om Chaturthe Maatrinaashaaya Namah
65. Om Chandrayukte Chandaalajanma Soochakaaya Namah
66. Om Janmasimheraajyadaatre Namah
67. Om Mahaakaayaaya Namah
68. Om Janmakartre Namah
69. Om Vidhuripave Namah
70. Om Mattakaaya Namah
71. Om Janmakanyaaraajyadaatre Namah
72. Om Janmahaanidaaya Namah
73. Om Navame Pitrinaashaaya Namah
74. Om Panchameshokadaayakaaya Namah
75. Om Dyoonekalatrahantre Namah
76. Om Saptamekalahapradaaya Namah
77. Om Shashthevittadaatre Namah
78. Om Chaturdhe Vairadaayakaaya Namah
79. Om Navamepaapadaatre Namah
80. Om Dashame Shokadaayakaaya Namah
81. Om Aadau Yashahpradaatre Namah
82. Om Antevairapradaayakaaya Namah
83. Om Kaalaatmane Namah
84. Om Agocharacharaaya Namah
85. Om Dhane Aasyakakutpra Daayakaaya Namah
86. Om Panchamedrishanaa Shringadaaya Namah
87. Om Pradaayine Namah
88. Om Svarbhaanave Namah
89. Om Baline Namah
90. Om Mahaasaukhyapradaayine Namah
91. Om Chandravairine Namah
92. Om Shaashvataaya Namah
93. Om Soorashatrave Namah
94. Om Paapagrahaaya Namah
95. Om Shaambhavaaya Namah
96. Om Poojitaaya Namah
97. Om Paatheenapooranaaya Namah
98. Om Paitheenasakulodbhavaaya Namah
99. Om Deerghaaya Namah
100. Om Krishnaaya Namah
101. Om Ashirase Namah
102. Om Vishnunetraaraye Namah
103. Om Devaaya Namah
104. Om Daanavaaya Namah
105. Om Bhaktarakshaaya Namah
106. Om Bhaktavatsalaaya Namah
107. Om Raahumoortaye Namah
108. Om Sarvaabheeshtaphalapradaaya Namah
Iti Shree Raahu Ashtottara Shatanaamaavali

Meaning

Rahu Ashtottara Shatanamavali is the list of 108 names of Rahu, the northern lunar node counted among the navagraha. It opens Om Saimhikeyaya Namah, son of Simhika, and Om Vidhuntudaya Namah, the one who strikes at the moon. Rahu has no physical body. He is a chaya graha, a shadow, and the names keep returning to that fact rather than working around it.

Significance

Vidhuntuda is the name to start with, because it is an eclipse in one word. Vidhu is the moon and tud is to strike or torment, so the name says plainly what Rahu is famous for. Behind it sits the account from the Puranas: at the churning of the ocean the asura Svarbhanu slipped in among the devas and drank the amrita, the sun and the moon saw him and told Vishnu, and the Sudarshana took his head off. The amrita had already passed his throat, so the head did not die. It became Rahu, the trunk became Ketu, and he has been going after the sun and the moon ever since. What is striking is that the astronomy agrees. The nodes are the two points where the moon path crosses the sun path, and eclipses can only happen when the sun and the moon are near those points. The story and the sky are pointing at the same place. Saimhikeya, the other opening name, marks his descent from Simhika. Read the rest of the list and you notice that it does not flatter him; it names him for what he is, including the asura half. Tradition holds that this is the point of a namavali for a graha like Rahu, that he is named plainly rather than feared quietly.

How and when to chant

Rahu kala is the usual slot, the roughly ninety minute period that falls at a different hour on each weekday, so check the day panchanga rather than assuming a fixed time. Saturday and Tuesday are the most common days. Ordinary auspicious work is avoided during rahu kala, but Rahu worship and Durga worship are exactly what many families do in it, which surprises people the first time they hear it. Light a lamp with sesame or mustard oil, and keep urad dal, a coconut, and dark or blue flowers. Durga is commonly named as Rahu adhidevata, and many households recite the namavali in front of her rather than a separate Rahu image. For families who travel for parihara, Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is the Rahu sthala of the navagraha kshetras and draws crowds during rahu kala.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Rahu Ashtottara Shatanamavali open with Saimhikeya?
Saimhikeya means son of Simhika, the asura woman the Puranas name as Rahu's mother. The list introduces him by lineage first and then by Vidhuntuda, the one who torments the moon, which is the eclipse in a single word.
Which names in the Rahu namavali refer to the churning of the ocean?
Svarbhanu is his asura name, and Vishnuchakra-chchhedita, cut by Vishnu's discus, and Ardhasharira, the half-bodied one, recall how Vishnu severed his head after he drank the amrita. Govinda-vara-patra, the one who received a boon from Govinda, is also in the list.
What are the astrological names in the middle of the Rahu namavali?
A run of names such as Shashthe Vittadatre, giver of wealth from the sixth house, and Saptame Kalahaprada, bringer of quarrels from the seventh, state jyotisha rules about Rahu by house. They describe classical chart positions and are not a forecast for the person reciting; only a jyotishi can read an individual chart.
How does the Rahu Ashtottara describe Rahu's form?
It gives him the colour of a dark rain cloud (Nilajimutasankasha), four arms with sword, shield and trident, and the boon and fearlessness gestures. He wears a crown and blue garments, flies a black banner and sits on a seat shaped like a winnowing basket (Shurpakarasanastha).
When is the Sri Rahu Ashtottara Shatanamavali usually recited, and how long does it take?
Most families chant it during rahu kala, especially on Saturdays, on eclipse days or through a Rahu dasha. All 108 names take roughly ten minutes at an unhurried pace.

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