රාහු, n. The ascending node considered as a demon. In H. myth. his mother was සිංහිකා; he was a dragon-tailed demon whom Vishnu decapitated in his wars with the demons during his incaruation as රාමචන්ද්ර, but as Ràhu was immortal his head and tail retained their separate existence and in the stellar sphere became the cause of eclipses, especially the head by attempting from time to time to swallow the sun and moon. The B. account differs considerably from the above, but agrees that Ràhu causes the eclipses as above said. Ràhu's head went to the North and his tail, කේතු, to the South and became respectively the ascending and descending nodes. See Hardy's Manual of Buddhism.
