Fiery Mars had been waging its push and pull battle with icy Saturn in Libra. Last week, Mars passionately exited the balanced sign of Libra and blazed back home into its intense sign of Scorpio. In Vedic astrology or Jyotish, Mars owns the signs of Scorpio and Aries. A planet is always comfortable residing in its own sign. Here, Mars joins an exalted North node Rahu. (Note: Not all Vedic astrologers agree on where the nodes are exalted). Mars and Rahu are a powerful pairing in Scorpio.
Mars is the planet of ambition, aggression, battles, conflict, and heated competition. It is forward moving and constantly engaged in activity. Rahu is the shadowy planet of desire, unending questing, and an insatiable appetite. The nodes take on the qualities of the planets which inhabit the same house that they do.
With Mars and Rahu together, there will be the courageous pursuit of goals which are larger than life, a desire to succeed at all costs, and rushing into situations without a plan. This combination creates the aspiration of achieving for personal gain, and puts attainment above else. Victories on a large scale are the target. There is the power to involve and enlist others en masse.
Scorpio is the eighth sign of the natural zodiac. It is intense, secretive, and transformative. Scorpio can be the most individualistic of all twelve zodiac signs. It enjoys making the rules, not following them. Rahu and Mars in Scorpio can lead to innovative research and insight. There can be strong alliances forged with foreigners. Great risks can be taken to achieve the desired outcome. Social situations take a back seat to prioritized projects.
As the ruler of the eighth house in the natural zodiac, there is potential for chronic health issues to surface. In terms of Ayurveda, Mars is a Pitta planet. Pitta is the energy of digestion, assimilation and transformation. Mars rules rakta dhatu or the blood. It can cause inflammatory conditions, infections, cuts, and burns. Scorpio also relates to the pelvic region, reproductive organs, and the bladder. The eighth house can also signify surgery. With Rahu, there can be illnesses which are difficult to diagnose. However, in Vedic astrology, a planet in its own sign protects the matters of that house. Thus, any complications should be resolvable.
Those in a Mars or Rahu planetary cycle (dasha or bhukti) in Vedic astrology are most impacted. How this planetary pairing will manifest depends primarily on what an individual’s ascendant or rising sign in Vedic astrology is.
Adding some wisdom and discernment is a retrograde Jupiter in Taurus, which is influencing this Mars / Rahu pairing. Jupiter can add a magnanimous bent to dynamic activities. Mars leaves Scorpio on November 8, 2012 in Vedic astrology and brings its heat to Sagittarius.