Week 13 · Unit 3 · The Capstone
Milestone 2 of 5: An unfamiliar chart
An Unfamiliar Chart
The same fifteen steps, on a life you know nothing about, with prompts and no worked answers.
Assumes you have done: Units 1 and 2 of this week
Why this matters
Everything until now has been on charts you know. Rama since Week 1, Einstein since Week 3, DiCaprio since Week 4, and your own throughout. That familiarity was useful and it has been quietly doing work for you — supplying context, suggesting which factors matter, and letting you recognise rather than derive. This unit takes it away. It is the first real test of whether you learned a method or three charts.
Learn
Everything until now has been on charts you know.
Rama since Week 1. Einstein since Week 3. DiCaprio since Week 4. Your own throughout.
That familiarity was useful and it has been doing work for you that did not feel like work. It supplied context. It suggested which factors would turn out to matter. It let you recognise things rather than derive them, and it quietly checked your conclusions for plausibility against a life you already knew.
This unit takes all of it away.
Why this is the real test
The course has claimed since Week 1 that it teaches a method rather than three charts. This is where that claim gets tested, and it is the first time it can be.
Getting the chart
The constraints are not incidental.
Works: a chart cast by someone else for a person you do not know and will not be told about. A chart from a collection with the identity removed by someone other than you. A chart for a randomly chosen date, time and place, treated as hypothetical.
Does not work: a public figure you might recognise. Anyone whose life you could guess at from the birth date and place. A chart you have seen before.
A chart you can half-identify is worse than a familiar one, because you will use the recognition without noticing that you are using it.
If you are unsure whether a chart is genuinely unfamiliar, it is not. Get another.
Getting the question
Have whoever supplies the chart supply a real question with it.
If the chart is hypothetical, choose the question before you look at the chart. That ordering matters more than it appears: a question chosen after seeing the chart will be one the chart happens to answer well, which defeats the exercise.
What will happen
Steps 1 to 11 will feel roughly as difficult as usual. They are chart-internal operations and nothing about them depends on knowing the person.
Steps 13, 14 and 15 will feel considerably harder.
That asymmetry is the finding. The natal reading is a closed operation; the weighing, the confidence grading and the answer are where a reader imports outside knowledge without noticing. If your Step 14 felt much harder than it has in any clinic, that is exactly the expected result and it tells you where the familiarity was going.
Saying what you cannot determine
You will hit things you cannot resolve. Write them down properly.
“I cannot say” on its own is a formula. The useful version names the obstacle:
- The birth time is good only to the hour, so I cannot use the Lagna degree or anything that depends on it.
- BPHS does not settle how these two indications combine, so I am reporting both.
- This would need a Ṣaḍbala figure I have not computed.
Each of those tells a reader something and points at what would fix it. That is a finding rather than a shrug.
If you turn out to be wrong
You may eventually learn something about the person. If your reading was substantially wrong, do one thing before anything else: identify which step failed.
Promise, lordship reading, condition assessment, weighing, or timing. One of them.
The most common by a wide margin is the promise — too generous, too broad, or resting on a factor that looked stronger than it was. That has been true in every clinic in this course and it will be true in practice.
Do not explain why you were nearly right. That move is available for every wrong answer ever produced, it feels like analysis, and it teaches nothing.
How long this takes
About an hour, for a first complete unaided pass. Possibly longer.
That is normal and it is not a sign of anything. Fifteen steps in writing on a chart with no context is slow the first time. It gets much faster with repetition, which is precisely what the future practicum is for — this course produces first competence, and speed comes from doing it many times.
What you should have at the end is a written answer of two or three hundred words, with a confidence level on each claim, and half a page on where you found yourself reaching for something that was not there.
The second of those is the real output.
Read BPHS
This is the source itself. The teaching above prepares you for it; it does not replace it.
अथाऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि ग्रहानात्मादिकारकान् ।
सप्तरव्यादिशन्यन्तान् राह्वन्तान् वाऽष्टसंख्यकान् ॥ १ ॥
अंशैः समौ ग्रहौ द्वौ चेद्राह्वान्तान् चिन्तयेत् तदा ।
सप्तैव कारकानेवं केचिदष्टौ प्रचक्षते ॥ २ ॥
1-2. Now I speak of Atma etc. Karakas of the planets. There are 7 from Sun to Saturn or 8 Karakas from the Sun to Rahu. Some say that if there are equal degrees etc. of two planets Rahu should be considered as Karaka only then. In this way there only 7 planets. But some say that there are 8 planets including Rahu irrespective of such a state.
आत्मा सूर्यादिखेटानां मध्ये ह्यंशाधिको ग्रहः ।
अंशसाम्ये कलाधिक्यात् तत्साम्ये विकलाधिकः ॥ ३ ॥
बुधै राशिकलाधिक्याद् ग्राह्यो नैवात्मकारकः ।
अंशाधिकः कारक: स्यादल्पभागोऽन्त्यकारकः ॥ ४ ॥
मध्यांशो मध्यखेट: स्यादुपखेटः स एव हि ।
विलोमगमनाद्राहोरंशा: शोध्या: खवह्नितः ॥ ५ ॥
अंशक्रमादधोऽधःस्थाश्चराख्याः कारका इति ।
आत्माख्यकारकस्तेषु प्रधानं कथ्यते द्विज ! ॥ ६ ॥
स एव जातकाधीशो विज्ञेयो द्विजसत्तम ! ।
यथा भूमौ प्रसिद्धोऽस्ति नराणां क्षितिपालकः ॥ ७ ॥
सर्ववार्ताधिकारी च बन्धकृन्मोक्षकृत् तथा ॥ ८ ॥
3-8. ATMA KARAKA DEFINED: The Atma Karaka planet is that one whose degress are the greatest in number among the planets the Sun etc. If the degrees are identical the one having more kalas {minutes} and if the Kalas are also identical, the one having more vikalas (seconds) will be the Atma Karaka planet. The learned astrologer should not accept as Atma Karaka planet that one who has more signs and minutes. The planet who has the highest number of degrees is the Atma Karaka, the one who has the lowest number is the Antyakaraka and the one who has neither the highest nor the lowest number of degrees is the Madhyakheta and he is also the upakheta. Due to his retrograde motion the degrees of Rahu should be deducted from 30 and the remainder should be considered as the Atma Karaka Situated lower and still lower in the order of degrees, kalas and vikalas the planets are Chara karakas. O Brahmin, of these it is the Atam Karaka who is called the Principal Karaka. O excellent of the Brahmins it is he who should be regarded as the king of the natives. As in the country the king is the most famous of all the men there, he is the head of all the affairs of the country and is entitled to arrest and release men.
यथा राजाज्ञाया विप्र ! पुत्रामात्यादयो जनाः ।
समर्था लोककार्येषु तथैवाऽन्येपि कारकाः ॥ ९ ॥
आत्मानुकूलमेवात्र भवन्ति फलदायकः ।
प्रतिकूले यथा भूपे सर्वेऽमात्यादयो द्विज ! ॥ १० ॥
कार्यं कर्तुं मनुष्याणां न समर्था भवन्ति हि ।
तथाऽऽत्मकारके क्रूरे नाऽन्ये स्वशुभदायकः ॥ ११ ॥
अनुकूले नृपे यद्वत् सर्वेऽमात्यादयो द्विज! |
नाशुभं कुर्वते तद्वन्नान्ये स्वाऽशुभदायकाः ॥ १२ ॥
9-12. IMPORTANCE OF ATMA KARAKA: O Vipra, just as by the order of the king his son, and his ministers etc. are capable of doing public works, in the same manner the other Karakas also become effects giving in confirmity with the Atma Karaka planet. O Brahmin, just as, the ministers etc. are not capable of doing public works if they are adverse to the king, in the same way if the Atma Karaka is inauspicious the other Karakas are unable to give auspicious effects. O Brahmin, just as all the ministers etc. are favourable if the king is favourable, in the same way the other Karakas also donot exert their malefic influence if the Atma Karaka is favourable.
आत्माकारकभागेभ्यो न्यूनांशोऽमात्यकारकः ।
तस्मान्नयूनांशको भ्राता तन्नयूनोमातृसंज्ञकः ॥ १३ ॥
तन्नयूनांशः पितातस्मादल्पांशः पुत्रकारकः ।
पुत्रान्नयूनांशको ज्ञातिर्ज्ञातेयू॑नांशको हि यः ॥ १४ ॥
स दरकारको ज्ञेयो निर्विशंक द्विजोत्तम ! ।
चराख्यकारका एते ब्राह्मणा कथिताः पुरा ॥ १५ ॥
मातृकारकमेवाऽन्ये वदन्ति सुतकारकम् ।
द्वौ ग्रहौ भागतुल्यौ चेज्जायेतां यस्य जन्मनि ॥ १६ ॥
तदग्रकारकस्यैवं लोपो ज्ञेयो द्विजोत्तम ! ।
स्थिरकारकवशात्तस्य फलं ज्ञेयं शुभाऽशुभम् ॥ १७ ॥
13-17 OTHER KARAKAS: O excellent of the Brahmins, the planet next to Atma Karaka in his degrees is called Amatya Karaka, the planet having fewer degree than the Amatyakaraka is called Bhratra Karaka, the next to Bhratra Karaka in degrees is Matrikaraka and next to him in degrees is Pitri Karaka, next Putra Karaka, next Jaati Karaka (Caste Factor) and next to Jaati Karaka in degrees should be undoubtedly is the streekaraka (wife). Since the olden times the Brahmins have spoken of them as charakarakas (inconstant significators). Some other Astrologers call the Matri Karaka and Putra Karaka as one and the same. If the degrees etc. of two planets are identical, both of them are considered as one Karaka and O excellent of the Brahmins, in this case the former Karaka is eclipsed. In such a state the auspicious or inauspicious effects of that former planet should be known from the constant karaka (significator).
अधुना सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि स्थिराख्यान् कारकग्रहान् ।
स पितृकारको ज्ञेयो यो बली रवि-शुक्रयोः ॥ १८ ॥
चन्द्रारयोर्बली खेटो मातृकारक उच्यते ।
भौमतो भागिनी श्याल: कनीयान् जननीत्यपि ॥ १९ ॥
बुधान्मातृसजातीया मातुलाद्याश्च बान्धवाः ।
गुरोः पितामहः शुक्रात् पतिः, पुत्रः शनैश्चरात् ॥ २० ॥
विप्रान्तेवासिनः पत्नी पितरौ श्वशुरौ तथा ।
मातामहादयश्चिन्त्या एते च स्थिरकारकाः ॥ २१ ॥
18-21.CONSTANT OR FIXED KARAKAS: Now | speak of the constant or fixed Karakas. The stronger between the Sun and Venus will be the Pitri Karaka, the stronger between the Moon and Mars is called the Matri Karaka. Sister, brother in law (wife's brother) and younger brother are also considered from Mars and from Mercury are considered relatives equal to mother (such as aunt or uncle's wife) and the relatives to the mother, maternal uncle etc. From Jupiter the grandfather, from Venus husband, from Saturn the son and from Ketu are considered the wife, father, mother, father in law and mother's father etc.
अथाऽहं कारकान् वक्ष्ये खेटभाववशाद्विज ! ।
रवितः पुण्यभे तातश्चन्द्रान्माता चतुर्थके ॥ २२ ॥
कुजात् तृतीयतो भ्राता बुधात् षष्ठे च मातुलः ।
देवेज्यात् पञ्चमात् पुत्रो दाराः शुक्राच्च सप्तमे ॥ २३ ॥
मन्दादष्टमतो मृत्युः पित्रादीनां विचिन्तयेत् ।
इति सर्व विचार्यैव बुधस्तत्तत् फलं वदेत् ॥ २४ ॥
22-24 HOUSES RELATED: O Brahmin, now I speak of the Karakas as they are derivable from the significator planets and the significator Houses. The 9th from the Sun denotes father, the 4th from the Moon mother, the third from Mars brothers, the 6th from Mercury maternal uncle, the 5th from Jupiter sons, the 7th from Venus wife and the 8th from Saturn death and Pitras (forefathers who have died). In this way the learned astrologer should predict the effects related to the relatives after duly considering all these Karakas.
अथाऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रसङ्गाद्योगकारकान् ।
खेटान् जन्मनि जातस्य मिथः स्थितिवशाद् द्विज ! ॥ २५ ॥
स्वर्क्षे स्वोच्चे च मित्रर्क्षे मिथः केन्द्रगता ग्रहाः ।
ते सर्वे कारकास्तेषु कर्मगस्तु कर्मगस्तु विशेषतः ॥ २६ ॥
यथा लग्ने सुखे कामे स्वोर्क्षेच्चस्था ग्रहा द्विज ! ।
भवन्ति कारकाख्यास्ते विशेषेण च खे स्थिताः ॥ २७ ॥
स्वमित्रोच्चर्क्षगो हेतुरन्योऽन्यं यदि केन्द्रगः ।
सुहृत् तद्गुणसम्पन्नः सोऽपि कारक उच्यते ॥ २८ ॥
नीचान्वयैऽपि यो जातः विद्यमाने च कारके ।
सोऽपि राजसमो विप्र ! धनवान् सुखसंयुतः ॥ २९ ॥
राजवंशसमुत्पन्नो राजा भवति निश्चयात् ।
एवं कुलानुसारेण कारकेभ्यः फलं वदेत् ॥ ३० ॥
25-30. YOGA KARAKAS (OR MUTUAL CO-WORKERS): O Brahmin, now I speak of those Karakas who are Karakas due to reference to the position of planets at the time of the native's birth. Their own signs, their signs of exaltation and their friends' signs mutually in angle, all these positions of the planets make them significators. Among all these Karakas or significators the Karaka planet situated in the 10th House is the most significant Karaka. O Brahmin, the planets in the Ascendant, the 4th House, the 7th House, in their own signs and in their signs of exaltation are all yoga karaka planets. But among them it is the planets situated in the 10th house from the Ascendant that are the most significant Karakas. And falling in an angle from the Ascendant will not become Yoga Karaka. If planets are in their own signs, in their friends signs and in their exaltation signs and then mutually in an angle (1-4-7-10) the planets who are endowed with these qualities are also called Yoga Karaka planets. O Brahmin, the native who has these Yoga Karaka planets in his horoscope is blessed with wealth and comforts like those of a king inspite of being low-born. The native born in a royal family will certainly become a king. In this way the effects of the Karakas should be predicted according to the birth of the native.
अथाऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि विशेषं भावकारकान् ।
जनस्य जन्मलग्न यत् विन्द्यादात्मकारकम् ॥ ३१ ॥
धनभावं विजानीयाद् दारकारकमेव हि ।
एकादशेऽग्रजातस्य तृतीये तु कनीयसः ॥ ३२ ॥
सुते सुतं विजानीयात् पत्नीं सप्तमभावतः ।
सुतभावे ग्रहो यः स्यात् सोऽपि कारक उच्यते ॥ ३३ ॥
सूर्यो गुरुः कुजः सोमो गुरुर्भौमः सितः शनिः ।
गुरुश्चन्द्रसुतो जीवो मन्दश्च भावकारकाः ॥ ३४ ॥
31-34 HOUSE SIGNIFICANCE: Now | explain the special Karakas of the Houses. The ascendant House of the native is for him to be known his Atma Karaka. The 2nd House from the ascendant denotes his wife, the 11th House the elder brother, the 3rd House younger brothers and sisters, the 5th House sons and the 7th House wife. It is also said that the planet which is the 5th from the Ascendant becomes the Karaka or the significator of wife. The Karakas of the Houses are as follows: The Sun, Jupiter, Mars, the Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn respectively.
पुनस्तन्वादयो भावाः स्थाप्यास्तेषां शुभाऽशुभम् ।
लाभस्तृतीयो रन्ध्रश्च शत्रुसंज्ञधनव्ययाः ॥ ३५ ॥
एते भावाः समाख्याताः क्रूराख्या द्विजसत्तम ! ।
एषां योगेन यो भावस्तस्य हानिः प्रजायते ॥ ३६ ॥
भावा भद्राश्च केन्द्राख्या: कोणाख्यौ द्विजसत्तम! ।
एषां संयोगमात्रेण ह्यशुभोऽपि शुभो भवेत् ॥ ३७ ॥
35-37. AUSPICIOUSNESS OR INAUSPICIOUSNESS OF THE HOUSES: O excellent of the Brahmins, after the above procedure, the astrologer should establish the planets in the Houses beginning from the Tanu (the First or the Ascendant House) and so on and then should know the good or evil effects of them. Of these Houses the 11th, the 3rd, the 8th, the 6th and the 2nd and the 12th are named as malefic or cruel Houses. The house with which these will be associated will inflict evils. And the House of Angles (1-4-7-10) and those of trines (5-9) are auspicious House. The House which will have association with these Houses will be endowed with auspiciousness even though it is inauspicious.
Show the full passage — 20 verses
बहुधाऽऽयुर्भवा योगाः कथिता भवताऽधुना ।
नृणां मारकभेदाश्च कथ्यन्तां कृपया मुने ! ॥ १ ॥
- O Sage, you spoke of the many yogas causing longevity. Now kindly tell me of the kinds of yogas that are Marakas or killers.
तृतीयमष्टमस्थानमायुःस्थानं द्वयं द्विज ! ।
मारकं तद्व्ययस्थानं द्वितीयं सप्तमं तथा ॥ २ ॥
- (The Sage Parasara replies to Maitreya) O Vipra, the 3rd and the 8th are the two houses of longevity. The 12th House from these (the 3rd and 8th) Houses, the 2nd and the 7th Houses are marakas or killers.
तत्रापि सप्तमस्थानाद् द्वितीयं बलवत्तरम् ।
तयोरीशौ तत्र गता: पापिनस्तेन संयुताः ॥ ३ ॥
ये खेटा: पापिनस्ते च सर्वे मारकसंज्ञकाः ।
तेषां दशाविपाकेषु सम्भवे निधनं नृणाम् ॥ ४ ॥
अल्प-मध्यम-पूर्णायु: प्रमाणमिह योगजम् ।
विज्ञाय प्रथमं पुंसां मारकं परिचिन्तयेत् ॥ ५ ॥
3-5. Of the two Marakas (Killers) the 7th House is stronger Maraka than the 2nd. The Lords of these two Houses (the 2nd, the 7th), the malefic planets situated there and the malefics that are in conjunction with the Lords of these two Houses all these are called Marakas. The death of native is possible in the Dasa and Antardasa periods of these Marakas (the major and sub periods). The possibility of death will depend on whether the native has long life, medium life or short life. Therefore, it is after knowing the measure of the native's life that his Maraka should be considered.
अलाभे पुनरेतेषां सम्बन्धेन व्ययेशितुः ।
क्वचिच्छुभानां च दशास्वष्टमेशदशासु च ॥ ६ ॥
केवलानां च पापानां दशासु निधनं क्वचित् ।
कल्पनीयं बुधैर्नृणां मारकाणामदर्शने ॥ ७ ॥
6-7. (According to the Ayuradaya yoga) Sometimes the native's death may occur even before the time of the Maraka has come. This happens in the Dasa or Antardasa periods of the benefics. Who are related to the 12th Lord and sometimes in the Dasa and Antardasa periods of the 8th Lord or of malefic planets alone. In this way the wise Astrologer should decide the killers of the natives even when the time of the Marakesh has not arrived.
सत्यपि स्वेन सम्बन्धे न हन्ति शुभभुक्तिषु ।
हन्ति सत्यप्यसम्बन्धे मारकः पापभुक्तिषु ॥ ८ ॥
- Even the Maraka does not cause death in his Antardasa period when he is related to a benefic, he can cause death in the Antardasa of a malefic planet when he is not related to a benefic.
मारकग्रहसम्बन्धान्नहन्ता पापकृच्छनिः ।
अतिक्रम्येतरान् सर्वान् भवत्यत्र न संशयः ॥ ९ ॥
- Ill disposed Saturn when he is related to a Maraka planet becomes a Maraka himself. In that condition he crosses all the Marakas and becomes Maraka himself there is no doubt in it.
अथाऽन्यदपि वक्ष्यामि द्विज! मारकलक्षणम् ।
त्रिविधाश्चायुषो योगाः स्वल्पायुर्मध्यमोत्तमाः ॥ १० ॥
द्वात्रिंशत् पूर्वमल्पायुर्मध्यमायुस्ततः परम् ।
चतुष्षष्टया: पुरस्तात् तु ततो दीर्घमुदाहृतम् ॥ ११ ॥
उत्तमायुः शतादूर्ध्व ज्ञातव्यं द्विजसत्तम! ।
जैनर्विशतिवर्षान्तमायुर्ज्ञातुं न शक्यते ॥ १२ ॥
जप-होम-चिकित्साद्यैर्बालरक्षां हि कारयेत् ।
प्रियन्ते पितृदोषैश्च केचिन्मातृग्रहैरपि ॥ १३ ॥
केचित् स्वारिष्टयोगाच्च त्रिविधा बालमृत्यवः ।
ततः परं नृणामायुर्गणयेद् द्विजसत्तम ! ॥ १४ ॥
10-14. O Brahmin, now I tell you of the other features also of Marakas. The yogas of longevity (or longevity causing combinations) are of three kinds-those giving short, medium and long life. The yoga which causes the death of the native before and upto 32 years is called the Alpayu, after 32 and before 64 Madhyamayu, after 64 but before or upto 100 years Dirghayu and after 100 years Uttamayu. The astrologers cannot know the Longevity of a native before 20 years. During these years the native should be protected by performing Japas (recitation of Mantras), homas (fire sacrifice) and medical treatments etc. During these years some children die due to the sins of fathers, some of mothers and some due to their own Arishtayogas.. In this way children's death may occur in three ways. O excellent of the Brahmins. It is after 20 years that the longevity of the native is to be calculated.
अथाऽन्यदपि वक्ष्यामि नृणां मारकलक्षणम् ।
अल्पायुर्योगजातस्य विपद्धे च मृतिर्भवेत् ॥ १५ ॥
मध्यायुर्योगजस्यैवं प्रत्यरौ च मृतिर्भवेत् ।
दीर्घायुर्योगजातस्य वधभे च मृतिर्भवते ॥ १६ ॥
द्वाविंशत्र्यंशपश्चैव तथा वैनाशिकाधिपः ।
विपत्तारा-प्रत्यरीशा वधभेशस्तथैव च ॥ १७ ॥
आद्यान्तपौ च विज्ञेयौ चन्द्राक्रान्तगृहाद् द्विज !।
मारकौ पापखेटौ तौ शुभौ चेद्रोगदौ स्मृतौ ॥ १८ ॥
षष्ठाधिपदशायां च नृणां निधनसम्भवः ।
षष्ठाष्टरिष्फनाथानामपहारे मृतिभवेत् ॥ १९ ॥
मारका बहवः खेटा यदि वीर्यसमन्विताः ।
तत्तद्दशान्तरे विप्र! रोगकष्टादिसंभवः ॥ २० ॥
उक्ता ये मारकास्तेषु प्रबलो मुख्यमारकः ।
तदवस्थानुसारेण मृतिं वा कष्टमादिशेत् ॥ २१ ॥
15-21. O Vipra, now I will speak of the other features. The native born with the short life combinations may die due the Dasa denoted by the vipat star (the 3rd from the birth star), the one born with the medium life combinations due to the Dasa denoted by the Pratyari star (the 5th from the birth star) and, the one with the long life combinations due to the Dasa denoted by the Vadha star (the 7th from the birth star). The Dasa of the Lord of the 22nd Decanate from the Lagna Decanate or the dasa of the Lord of the 23rd, 3rd, 5th or 7th asterism may also cause death. The Lords of the 2nd and 12th Houses counted from the Moon when they happen to be malefics may cause death, when they are benefics they will cause only diseases and not death. Death may occur in the Dasha of the 6th Lord and in the antardasha of the 6th/8th/12th Lords. There are many planets that are Marakas provided that they are endowed with the strength (of killing). O Vipra, during the dasa periods of these planets diseases and miseries to the native are possible. The predominant Maraka among the Marakas described above is the strongest of them all. And it is he who gives death or disease according to his Dasa or Antardasa periods.
राहुश्चेदथवा केतुर्लग्ने कामेऽष्टमे व्यये ।
मारकेशान्मदे वाऽपि मारकेशेन संयुतः ॥ २२ ॥
मारक: स च विज्ञेयः स्वदशान्तर्दशास्वपि ।
मकरे वृश्चिके जन्म राहुस्तस्य मृतिप्रदः ॥ २३ ॥
षष्ठाऽष्टरिष्फगो राहुस्तद्दाये कष्टदो भवेत् ।
शुभग्रहयुतो दृष्टो न तदा कष्टकृन्मतः ॥ २४ ॥
22-24. RAHU AND KETU AS MARAKAS : Rahu and Ketu in the Ascendant, the 7th, 8th, or 12th House or in the 7th House from the Marakesha or in conjunction with the Markesha become Marakas in their Dasa or Antardasa periods. Rahu becomes a Maraka for the natives born in the Capricorn and Scorpio Ascendants. Rahu gives pain and misery in his Dasa period in the 6th and 12th House. But he does not cause pain or misery if he is in conjunction with or aspected by a benefic planet.
लग्नात् तृतीयभावे तु बलिना रविणा युते ।
राजहेतोश्च मरणं तस्य ज्ञेयं द्विजोत्तम ! ॥ २५ ॥
तृतीये चेन्दुना युक्ते दृष्टे वा यक्ष्मणा मृतिः ।
कुजेन व्रणशस्त्राग्नि-दाहाद्यैर्मरणं भवेत् ॥ २६ ॥
तृतीये शनि-राहुभ्यां युक्ते दृष्टेऽपि वा द्विज! ।
विषार्तितो मृतिर्वाच्या जलाद्वा वह्निपीडनात् ॥ २७ ॥
गर्तादुच्चात् प्रपतनाद् बन्धनाद् वा मृतिर्भवेत् ।
तृतीये चन्द्रमान्दिभ्यां युक्ते वा वीक्षिते द्विज ॥ २८ ॥
कृमिकुष्ठादिना तस्य मरणं भवति ध्रुवम् ।
तृतीये बुधसंयुक्ते वीक्षिते वापि तेन च ॥ २९ ॥
ज्वरेण मरणं तस्य विज्ञेयं द्विजसत्तम! ।
तृतीये गुरुणा युक्ते दृष्टे शोफादिना मृतिः ॥ ३० ॥
तृतीये भृगुयुगदृष्टे मेहरोगेण तन्मृतिः ।
बहुखेटयु तस्मिन् बहुरोगभवा मृतिः ॥ ३१ ॥
25-31. THE THIRD HOUSE AND DEATH: O excellent of the Brahmins, if there is strong Sun in the 3rd House from the Ascendant, the death of the native is caused due to the king. If the Moon is situated in or aspects the 3rd House, the death will occur due to consumption, if there is Mars it will occur due to ulcers, weapons, fire etc. If Saturn and Rahu are in conjunction with or aspect the 3rd House, O Brahmin, the death will occur due to poison, water or fire or fall from heights or fall in a ditch or due to confinement. If the 3rd House is occupied by or aspected by the Moon and Saturn, the death will certainly occur due to worms or insects or leprosy. If the 3rd House is occupied by or aspected by Mercury, then O excellent of the Brahmins, the death will be caused by fever. If the 3rd House is occupied by aspected by Jupiter the death is caused by swelling or tumours. If the 3rd House is occupied by or aspected by Venus, the death will occur due to urinary diseases. If the 3rd House is occupied by many planets, the native's death will occur due to many diseases.
तृतीये च शुभैर्युक्ते शुभदेशे मृतिर्भवेत् ।
पापैश्च कीकटे देशे मिश्रेमिश्रस्थले मृतिः ॥ ३२ ॥
- THE PLACE OF DEATH : If the 3rd House is occupied by a benefic, death will be in an auspicious place (like a temple) and if by a malefic in sinful places, and if by a benefic and a malefic both, in mixed places (that is places that are both auspicious and in auspicious).
तृतीये गुरु-शुक्राभ्यां युक्ते ज्ञानेन वै मृतिः ।
अज्ञानेनाऽन्यखेटैश्च मृतिर्ज्ञेया द्विजोत्तम ! ॥ ३३ ॥
- O excellent of the Brahmins, if there are Jupiter and Venus in the 3rd House, the native will remain conscious at the time of death while if there are other planets in it the death will occur in unconscious state.
चरराशौ तृतीयस्थे परदेशे मृतिर्भवेत् ।
स्थिरराशौ स्वगेहे च द्विस्वभावे पथि द्विज! ॥ ३४ ॥
- If there is a movable sign in the 3rd House the death will occur in a foreign land, in the case of a fixed sign being there it will occur at home and in that of a dual sign, on the way.
लग्नादष्टमभावाच्च निमित्तं कथितं बुधैः ।
सूर्येऽष्टमेऽग्नितो मृत्युश्चन्द्रे मृत्युर्जलेन च ॥ ३५ ॥
शास्त्राद् भौमे ज्वराज् ज्ञे च गुरौ रोगात् क्षुधा भृगौ ।
पिपासया शनौ मृत्युर्विज्ञेयो द्विजसत्तम! ॥ ३६ ॥
35-36. OCCUPANTS OF THE 8TH HOUSE: The wise astrologers have spoken of the occurrence of death due to the 8th House from the Ascendant. If the 8th House is occupied by the Sun death will occur due to fire, if by the Moon due to water, if by Mars, due to weapon, if by Mercury, due to fever, if by Jupiter due to diseases, if by Venus due to hunger and, if by Saturn due to thirst.
अष्टमे शुभदृग्युक्ते धर्मपे च शुभैर्युते ।
तीर्थे मृतिस्तदा ज्ञेया पापाख्यैरन्यथा मृतिः ॥ ३७ ॥
- If there are in the 8th House benefics or if this house is aspected by benefics and the 9th House is occupied by a benefic the occurrence of death should be known at some place of pilgrimage.
अग्न्यम्बुमिश्रभत्र्यंशैर्ज्ञेयो मृत्युर्गृहाश्रितैः ।
परिणाम: शवस्याऽत्र भस्मसंक्लेदशोषकैः ॥ ३८ ॥
व्यावर्गकाणैस्तु विडम्बो भवति ध्रुवम् ।
शवस्य श्वश्रृगालाद्यैर्गृध्रकाकदिपक्षिभिः ॥ ३९ ॥
38-39. FATE OF THE CORPSE: If there is a decanate of a fiery planet in the 8th House, the corpse will be burnt in the fire, if there is the decanate of a watery planet it will be thrown away in water and, if there is a decanate of dual nature planet it will dry up. If there is a serpent decanate in the House, the corpse will certainly be grossly humiliated. It is then eaten away by kites, crows, ravens etc birds and dogs, jackals etc animals,
कर्कटे मध्यमोऽन्त्यश्च वृश्चिकाद्यद्वितीयकौ ।
मीनेऽन्तिमस्त्रिभागैश्च व्यालवर्गा: प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ४० ॥
- SERPENT DECANATES : The 2nd and 3rd decanates in Cancer, the 1st and the 2nd decanates in Scorpio and, the 3rd decanate in Pisces are called serpent decanates.
रविचन्द्रबलाक्रान्तत्र्यंशनाथे गुरौ जनः ।
देवलोकात् समायातो विज्ञेयो द्विजसत्तम! ॥ ४१ ॥
शुक्रेन्द्वोः पितृलोकात्तु मर्त्याच्च रविभौमयोः ।
बुधाऽऽक्यर्योर्नकादेवं जन्मकालाद् वदेत् सुधीः ॥ ४२ ॥
41-42. PRENATAL ABODE :- O excellent of the Brahmins, if the Sun and the Moon are strong and they are in the decanate of Jupiter, then the native has come upon this earth from the abode of gods and his descent in this world should be known respectively from the world of the Manes, of the dead (of Yama) and from the hell if they (the luminaries) are in the decanates of Venus and the Moon, in those of the Sun or Mars and in those of Mercury or Saturn.
गुरुश्चन्द्रसितौ सूर्यभौमौ ज्ञार्की यथाक्रम् ।
देवेन्दुभूम्यधोलोकान् नयन्तत्यस्तारिरन्ध्रगाः ॥ ४३ ॥
अथ तत्र ग्रहाभावे रन्ध्रारित्र्यंशनाथयोः ।
यो बली स निजं लोकं नयत्यन्ते द्विजोत्तम ! ॥४४ ॥
तस्य स्वोच्चादि-संस्थित्या वरमध्याऽधमाः क्रमात् ।
तत्तल्लोकेऽपि सञ्जाता विज्ञेया द्विजसत्तम ! ॥ ४५ ॥
43-45. ASCENT AFTER DEATH : If Jupiter, the Moon and Venus the Sun and Mars, Mercury and Saturn are there in the 12,6,7,8 Houses respectively the native will respectively be taken after death into the Devaloka, Chandraloka, Mritayu loka and Adholoka (World of the gods, World of the Moon, World of yama and the world of Satan). If there is no planet in the said 4 Houses the native will go after death in the world of the stronger Lord of decanates of the 6th and the 8th House. In that loka or world also the native after death will get high, medium and low status relative to the planets' exaltation etc.
अन्यान् मारकभेदांश्च राशिग्रहकृतान् द्विज! |
दशाध्यायप्रसंगेषु कथियष्यामि सुव्रत ! ॥४६ ॥
- O Suvrati! the other kinds of Marakas that are Marakas according to planets and signs will be discussed in the Dashavastha Adhyaya (the chapter dealing with the major and sub periods of the planets) when such contexts will be there.
Practice
What did the familiar charts supply that this one does not?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Context, plausibility checks, and a sense of which factors would turn out to matter — all of which had been doing analytical work without being counted as analysis.
On Chart B you knew the life was one of intellectual achievement, so a strong 5th or 10th "fitted" and a weak one prompted a second look. That feedback is unavailable now, and its absence is exactly what this unit is testing. Most people discover they had been using it more heavily than they realised.
Why does the course insist the chart be genuinely unidentifiable?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Because a chart you can identify supplies exactly the context the exercise is designed to remove.
A public figure you half-recognise is worse than a familiar chart, because you will use the recognition without noticing you are using it. If in doubt about whether a chart is truly unfamiliar, it is not — get a different one.
Without biographical context, which steps get harder and which stay the same?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Steps 1 to 11 stay almost the same — they are chart-internal. Steps 13, 14 and 15 get considerably harder, because you have nothing to sanity-check against.
That asymmetry is informative. The natal reading is a closed operation on the chart; the weighing and the answer are where a reader has been quietly importing outside knowledge. If your Steps 4 to 10 felt about as difficult as usual and Step 14 felt much harder, that is the expected result and it tells you where the familiarity was going.
You cannot determine something from the chart. What do you write?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: What you cannot determine, and why — which factor is missing, which data quality prevents it, or which question the method does not answer.
"I cannot say" is not a failure and it is not a formula either. The useful version names the obstacle: the birth time is only good to the hour, so I cannot use the Lagna degree, or BPHS does not settle how these two indications combine, or this would need a strength measure I have not computed. Each of those tells the reader something and points at what would fix it.
Your answer turns out to be substantially wrong when the person's actual circumstances are described. What is the correct response?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Identify which step failed, before considering anything else.
Promise, lordship reading, condition assessment, weighing, or timing — one of them. The most common by a wide margin is the promise: too generous, too broad, or resting on a factor that looked stronger than it was. Do not explain why you were nearly right. That move is available for every wrong answer and it teaches nothing.
Apply it to a chart
An unfamiliar chart — No prior knowledge of this life. Read what is in front of you. · about 50 min
You will need a chart you have never seen and know nothing about. How you obtain it matters, and the constraints below are not incidental — an "unfamiliar" chart you can identify is not unfamiliar.
- Get the chart. Options that work: ask someone to cast a chart for a person you do not know and will not be told about; use a chart from a collection with the name removed by someone else; or use a chart for a randomly chosen date, time and place, treating it as hypothetical. Options that do not work: a public figure you might recognise, or anyone whose life you could guess at.
- Get a question. Have whoever supplies the chart also supply one real question. If the chart is hypothetical, choose a question yourself before you look at the chart — that ordering matters.
- Now run all fifteen steps in writing, with no worked answers available and no biography to check against.
- Steps 1 to 11 before anything else. Write the natal promise down.
- Then 12 to 15. Produce a written answer of two to three hundred words with confidence levels on each claim.
- Finally, and separately: write half a page on where you found yourself reaching for something that was not there. That is the real output of this unit.
Check your understanding
Answer from memory first. Looking back at the reading before you try turns a memory test into a copying exercise.
Why is this unit placed after the guided analysis rather than before it?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Because you need to have seen the whole method run once before running it unaided.
The guided analysis showed the joints, the hesitations and the confidence grading. Attempting an unfamiliar chart without that would test improvisation rather than method — and the point is transfer of a method, not resourcefulness.
What is the difference between this unit and the blind practice later in the week?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Here the chart is unfamiliar and there is no outcome to check against at all. In blind practice the chart and the period are given and a specific outcome is withheld and then revealed.
Two different tests. This one asks whether you can read a chart without context. Blind practice asks whether a prospective statement survives contact with a known fact. You need both, and the second is only meaningful once the first is possible.
How long should this take?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Around an hour for a first complete pass, and that is the point of doing it.
Fifteen steps in writing, on an unfamiliar chart, is not a fifteen-minute exercise the first time. It gets much faster with repetition — the future practicum exists for exactly that — but the first complete unaided run is slow and should be.
What you carry forward
Two things grow across the whole course. This unit adds to both.
To your chart-analysis process
- **The whole process, unaided.** Where a step cannot be completed, record what is missing rather than substituting an assumption.
To your field manual
- An 'unfamiliar' chart you can identify is not unfamiliar. If in doubt, get another.
- Steps 1–11 are chart-internal and stay roughly as difficult. Steps 13–15 get harder without context — that is where familiarity was doing hidden work.
- "I cannot say" should always name the obstacle: which factor, which data quality, or which question the method does not answer.
- When a reading is wrong, identify the failed step. It is usually the natal promise.
- A first complete unaided run takes about an hour. That is normal.
By now you should be able to
- Run the fifteen steps unaided on a chart with no biographical context
- Notice where familiarity had been substituting for analysis
- Produce a written answer to a stated question with confidence levels
- Say what you cannot determine and why