Week 7 · Unit 3 · Yogas, Wealth, Longevity and Condition
Milestone 3 of 5: Mārakas, and how to talk about this
What Ends It
Mārakas — how they are identified, what they actually indicate, and how to talk about this responsibly.
Assumes you have done: Unit 2 of this week — the longevity bands, which the timing rules depend on
Why this matters
Chapter 46 is short, precise and easy to misuse. It identifies the planets through which an ending arrives, and it does so with a derivation clean enough that anyone can apply it in thirty seconds — which is exactly the problem. This unit teaches the doctrine accurately and then spends real time on the part that matters more: what you actually say to a person.
Learn
Chapter 46 is short, precise, and unusually easy to misuse — which is exactly why it needs careful handling rather than avoidance.
The derivation
Verse 2 is elegant enough to be worth quoting: the 3rd and the 8th are the two houses of longevity. The 12th House from these, the 2nd and the 7th Houses, are Mārakas or killers.
The 12th from any house is that house’s loss or dissolution. So the 12th from a house of longevity is where longevity is lost. Count twelve from the 3rd and you land on the 2nd; count twelve from the 8th and you land on the 7th.
This is the “houses counted from houses” technique at its cleanest, and it is worth understanding rather than memorising, because the same move explains a great many derivations elsewhere in the book.
Verses 3 to 5 then widen the set: the lords of the 2nd and 7th, malefics situated in those houses, and malefics conjunct those lords. The 7th is the stronger of the two houses.
Verse 9 adds that an ill-disposed Saturn related to a Māraka becomes a Māraka himself, and crosses all the Mārakas — the strongest of them.
So in most charts the Māraka set is not two planets. It is four or five.
The qualifications, which dissolve the formula
Verses 6 to 8 are where the chapter stops being a rule and starts requiring judgment.
Sometimes the native’s death may occur even before the time of the Māraka has come — in the periods of benefics related to the 12th lord, or of the 8th lord, or of malefics alone.
Even the Māraka does not cause death in his Antardaśā period when he is related to a benefic; he can cause death in the Antardaśā of a malefic when he is not related to a benefic.
Read those two together. The Māraka may not act at its own time. Something else may act first. And a benefic connection redirects when it acts.
Parashara gives a clean derivation and then qualifies it into something that cannot be applied mechanically. That is the same architecture as everything else in this book — and it matters most here, where the stakes are highest and the temptation to stop reading after the derivation is strongest.
The compounding uncertainty
Verses 15 to 21 key the timing rules to the longevity band — Alpāyu, Madhyamāyu or Dīrghāyu — with a different nakshatra-based rule for each.
Follow the chain of dependence:
The band comes from Chapter 45’s three systems, which disagree with each other, selected by a strength comparison, after reductions computed against the exact degree of the ascendant.
The timing rule depends on which band you landed in.
So a birth time uncertain by half an hour can change the reductions, which can change the figure, which can change the band, which changes which timing rule applies.
That is a chain of inference with a weak first link and several joints. Anyone producing a confident date from it has not traced the chain — and now you have.
What you actually say
This is the part of the unit that will still matter to you in ten years, and it is why the apply section ends in a paragraph rather than a chart judgment.
Someone asks whether there is anything they should be worried about. What do you say?
Not the date. The reasoning is on the record and it is drawn from inside the material: the author calls the knowledge difficult even for the gods, his own three systems disagree, the corrections need a birth time nobody has, the downstream output is a thirty-two-year band, and the cost of being wrong lands entirely on the person who trusted you.
Not evasion either. “I don’t do that” delivered flatly leaves someone frightened and unhelped, and they came to you already worried or they would not have asked.
What you can say is genuinely substantial:
- Whether the chart shows constitutional strength or fragility, and on what evidence.
- Where the Lagna lord and the 8th house stand, and what that suggests about resilience.
- Which periods carry more strain and which less — and why strain is the right word rather than a stronger one.
- What is well supported in this chart, because that is also true and is also the answer to the question.
- Where the evidence is thin, said out loud.
One unit left in the week, and it closes the last of the course’s open forward references.
Read BPHS
This is the source itself. The teaching above prepares you for it; it does not replace it.
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
How does Parashara derive the Māraka houses, and which is stronger?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: The 3rd and 8th are the houses of longevity; the 12th house from each of those — the 2nd and the 7th — are the Mārakas. The 7th is the stronger.
Elegant derivation. The 12th from a house is its loss or dissolution, so the 12th from a house of longevity is where longevity is lost. Counting twelve from the 3rd gives the 2nd; twelve from the 8th gives the 7th. This is the "houses counted from houses" technique used at its cleanest, and worth understanding rather than memorising, because the same move explains a great deal elsewhere.
Source: BPHS 46.2–5
Beyond the two lords, who else counts as a Māraka?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Malefics situated in the 2nd or 7th, and malefics conjunct the lords of those houses.
So the Māraka set is usually larger than two planets, and in a busy chart it can be several. That breadth is itself a caution: a category that includes a third of the chart is not a precision instrument. Verse 9 adds that an ill-disposed Saturn related to a Māraka becomes the strongest Māraka of all.
Source: BPHS 46.3–5, 46.9
Verses 6 to 8 add substantial qualifications. What are they?
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Show the answer and why
Answer: Death may occur before the Māraka's time, in the periods of benefics related to the 12th lord, or of the 8th lord, or of malefics alone. And a Māraka does not act in its own Antardaśā when it is related to a benefic — it acts in a malefic's Antardaśā instead.
Read those together and the "formula" dissolves. The Māraka may not act at its own time; something else may act first; and a benefic connection redirects when it acts. Parashara has given a derivation and then immediately qualified it into something requiring judgment. That is the same architecture as every other doctrine in this book, and it is particularly important here because the stakes are highest.
Source: BPHS 46.6–9
What does identifying a Māraka actually tell you?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Which planets are structurally associated with endings in this chart — and therefore which periods deserve attention. It does not tell you when anything will happen.
Be precise about this, because the gap between the two statements is where the harm lives. A Māraka is a lordship fact. The 7th lord is a Māraka in every chart ever cast, including the charts of everyone who lives to ninety. What varies is the condition, the connections, and how the daśā sequence interacts with the longevity band. Identifying the Māraka is the beginning of a judgment, and on its own it is not even weak evidence about timing — it is a category membership.
A client mentions that someone told them their Venus daśā would be dangerous because Venus is their 7th lord. What do you say?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: That Venus being the 7th lord makes it a Māraka by definition in that chart, that this is true of the 7th lord in every chart, and that Chapter 46 attaches several conditions which that statement ignores.
Then give them the conditions. Is Venus related to a benefic — because verse 8 says a Māraka so related does not act in its own Antardaśā. What is the longevity band, because verses 15 to 21 key the timing rules to it. Is the natal chart's promise consistent with a serious event at all. You are not reassuring them by softening the doctrine; you are applying more of the doctrine than the person who frightened them did. That is the difference, and it is worth being able to make plainly.
Apply it to a chart
Chart B — Albert Einstein, the synthesis chart — A whole documented life, where the evidence pulls in more than one direction. · about 24 min
| Graha | Sign | House | Degree | Nakshatra | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | Pisces | 10 | 1°20'30" | Purva Bhadrapada 4 | neutral |
| Moon | Scorpio | 6 | 21°47'54" | Jyeshtha 2 | debilitated |
| Mars | Capricorn | 8 | 4°44'52" | Uttara Ashadha 3 | exalted |
| Mercury | Pisces | 10 | 10°58'43" | Uttara Bhadrapada 3 | debilitated |
| Jupiter | Aquarius | 9 | 5°19'05" | Dhanishtha 4 | neutral |
| Venus | Pisces | 10 | 24°49'11" | Revati 3 | exalted |
| Saturn | Pisces | 10 | 12°01'26" | Uttara Bhadrapada 3 | neutral |
| Rahu | Capricorn | 8 | 9°18'36" | Uttara Ashadha 4 | not assigned in BPHS |
| Ketu | Cancer | 2 | 9°18'36" | Pushya 2 | not assigned in BPHS |
| Lagna | Gemini | 1 | 19°38'02" | Ardra | lord Mercury |
This exercise ends in writing rather than in a chart judgment. The chart work is the setup; the paragraph is the assessment.
- Identify the Mārakas in Chart B: the 2nd and 7th lords, any malefics in those houses, and any malefics conjunct those lords. List them.
- Do the same for Chart C. Note that the two charts differ in how many planets qualify.
- For Chart B, check Chapter 46's qualifications: is any Māraka related to a benefic? Is Saturn related to a Māraka? Write down which of verses 6 to 9 apply.
- Now the exercise that matters. Someone whose chart this is asks you: is there anything I should be worried about? Write your actual answer, in plain language, in under two hundred words. No jargon that you do not immediately explain. No number.
- Read your paragraph back and check three things: is everything in it true; would you be comfortable if it were read aloud to you; and does it leave the person better off than before they asked?
Check your understanding
Answer from memory first. Looking back at the reading before you try turns a memory test into a copying exercise.
Which houses are the houses of longevity, and why are they not the Mārakas?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: The 3rd and 8th are the houses of longevity. The Mārakas are the 12th from each — the 2nd and the 7th — because the 12th from a house is its loss.
Keeping these apart matters. The 8th is where you assess how long; the 2nd and 7th are where you assess by what agency it ends. Two different questions, and conflating them is the commonest structural error in this area.
Source: BPHS 46.2
Verses 15 to 21 give different timing rules depending on the longevity band. Why does that structure matter?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: Because it makes the whole apparatus depend on the band, which is itself uncertain — so the uncertainty compounds rather than cancelling.
Trace it through. The band comes from Chapter 45's three disagreeing systems, which depend on reductions computed against the exact Lagna degree. The timing rule then depends on the band. So an error in the birth time can change the band, and changing the band changes which timing rule applies. That is a chain of inference with a weak first link, and anyone producing a confident date from it has not traced the chain.
Source: BPHS 46.15–21
What makes a written answer on this subject a good one?
Write your answer down before opening the explanation.
Show the answer and why
Answer: That everything in it is true, that it does not exceed what the evidence supports, and that it leaves the person better off than before they asked.
Those three tests are the assessment criteria in Week 13, and they are not soft. "Everything in it is true" rules out reassurance you cannot support. "Does not exceed the evidence" rules out the date. "Leaves them better off" rules out a technically accurate answer delivered in a way that frightens someone to no purpose. It is entirely possible to fail the third while passing the first two, and doing so is one of the ways this subject does real harm.
What you carry forward
Two things grow across the whole course. This unit adds to both.
To your chart-analysis process
- **Step 8 (continued) — assess condition.** Identify the Mārakas as part of the standing chart picture, and check Ch. 46's qualifications before treating any of them as active.
- **Step 15 (foreshadowed) — answer in plain language.** On sensitive material, what you say and how you say it is part of the analysis, not an afterthought to it.
To your field manual
- Māraka derivation (46.2): the 3rd and 8th are houses of longevity; the 12th from each — the 2nd and 7th — are the Mārakas. The 7th is stronger.
- The Māraka set includes: the 2nd and 7th lords, malefics in those houses, and malefics conjunct those lords. An ill-disposed Saturn related to a Māraka becomes the strongest (46.9).
- Qualifications (46.6–8): death may come earlier through benefics related to the 12th lord, the 8th lord, or malefics alone. A Māraka related to a benefic does not act in its own Antardaśā.
- Timing rules are keyed to the longevity band (46.15–21), so the uncertainty in the band propagates into the timing.
- A Māraka is a lordship fact, not a prediction. The 7th lord is a Māraka in every chart ever cast.
- Three tests for a written answer on sensitive material: is it true; does it stay within the evidence; does it leave the person better off.
By now you should be able to
- Derive the Mārakas for any chart and explain the derivation
- State the conditions under which a Māraka does and does not act
- Say precisely what a Māraka indicates and what it does not
- Write the answer you would actually give a person who asked about this