Bhavartha Ratnakara Part 24: Combinations for Death - A Modern Guide
A modern English guide to the classical Vedic astrology text by Sri Ramanujacharya, translated and annotated by B.V. Raman.
Part 24 of 28
Chapter X
Combinations For Death
The 2nd lord becomes a Maraka in the Dasa of the 12th lord. The 12th lord becomes a Maraka in the Dasa of the 2nd lord.
If the 12th lord is aspected by or is in conjunction with the 2nd lord, he becomes a powerful Maraka in his Dasa.
The planets in the 12th house which are aspected by the 12th lord become powerful Marakas during the Dasa of the 2nd lord.
Maraka or death is an important event in the life of an individual. I have dealt with this question fairly exhaustively in my books Hindu Predictive Astrology and How to Judge a Horoscope. The ancient seers have given a number of methods—mathematical as well as predictive—for finding the duration of life of an individual. As far as my humble experience goes, the mathematical methods have their own pitfalls and do not seem to yield correct results in the majority of cases. The predictive processes, on the other hand, if handled properly by an expert who has developed intuition, will be very helpful in finding the time of death.
Whatever be the combinations given for finding the maraka planets, one should first ascertain whether a horoscope in question indicates Balarishta (early death), Ayupara (short life), Madhyayu (middle life), or Purnayu (full life). Generally speaking, if the majority of the planets are disposed in Kendras or quadrants, one will live a long life; if in Panapara (succedent houses), middle life; and if in Apoklima (cadent houses), short life. This is only a general principle and it should be applied with great care. There are well-known principles which will enable my reader of average intelligence to judge the kind of Ayurdāya, and they can be studied from any standard book.
The author of this work, Sri Ramanuja, has given beautiful combinations. According to him—
(a) The 2nd lord becomes a maraka in the Dasa of the 12th lord and vice versa. This means that death will be caused in the sub-period of the 2nd lord if the 12th lord happens to be a maraka. Similarly, death will be caused in the sub-period of the 12th lord if the 2nd lord happens to be a maraka. The 12th and 2nd lords become marakas by virtue of association with or being aspected by the 7th or 2nd lords. I have been a little confused about my explanation because death is caused in the Dasa of the 12th lord and the sub-Dasa of the 12th lord. How can the 2nd lord cause maraka unless it was sub-lord in the Dasa of the 12th lord? This certainly means that the 12th lord must also become a maraka.
(b) The 12th lord becomes a powerful maraka in his Dasa if he is associated with or aspected by the 2nd lord.
(c) Maraka can take place in the sub-periods of the malefics occupying the 12th and who are aspected by the 12th lord within the Dasa of the 2nd lord.
Malefic planets who are in the 2nd house in conjunction with the 12th lord will cause death in their own Dasa and Bhukti.
Death will be caused in the Dasa periods of malefics placed in the 12th house. Planets in association with the 2nd lord will also become evil.
to 6 inclusive are an extension of the principles given in the last three stanzas, with slight variations, suggesting the circumstances under which the 12th and 2nd lords become marakas. The author seems to be inclined to the view that the 12th lord gets empowered to kill, by his association with the 2nd lord or (evil) planets in the2nd house. Obviously it means that good planets in the2nd house, even if they are aspected by or associated with the 12th lord, cannot become marakas (unless of course they get death inflicting power otherwise).
Death will be caused by the 8th lord in his own Dasa and Bhukti. Death will also be caused in the sub-period of the 8th lord within the Dasa of the 6th lord.
Astrologers opine that death will be caused by malefics in the 6th, in their sub-periods.
Astrologers predict death to the native in the Dasa of the 6th lord and sub-period of the 8th lord.
Planets who are aspected by the 8th lord and planets who are associated with the 8th lord become marakas in the Dasa of the 8th lord.
Death will be caused in the Dasa of a malefic occupying the 8th and the sub-period of the 6th lord.
Death will happen in the Dasa of a malefic occupying the 6th house and the sub-period of the 8th lord.
Death will occur in the Dasa of a malefic occupying the 6th, and in the sub-period of the 8th lord placed in the 8th house.
Death will happen in the Dasa of a malefic occupying the 8th and in the Bhukti of a malefic posted in the 6th.
to 14 inclusive describe combinations which cause death by certain dispositions of the 6th and 8th lords.
The 6th is the house of disease and the 8th is the house of life or Ayus. In all the above principles, the reference is made to the 8th lord. For a number of the several rules in the work, the general principles governing marakas, the author of this work has given some prominence to the lords of the 6th and 8th. But in the general principles, the 6th and 8th lords seem of utter importance because death will be predicted in their Dasas provided the Dasas of other planets declared as Marakas are not likely to operate first. S. Satyamurti Rao's English Translation of Jataka Chandrika makes these principles very clear.
(1) Lord of the 2nd or 7th is a maraka.
(2) Malefic occupants of these two houses.
(3) Malefic planets in association with these lords.
(4) Benefics in association with the 2nd and 7th lords.
(5) Lords of 7 and 8.
(6) Lord of 3 or 8 associated with the 2nd or 7th lord.
(7) Saturn if association with a maraka.
(8) Lord of the 6th or 8th whether or not he is associated with a maraka.
(9) The least powerful planet in the horoscope.
According to this author, death may occur in the Dasas and Bhuktis of the following planets which we are tabulating, for the information of the reader.
Dasas or period Bhukti or sub period
(1) Lord of the 8th Lord of the 8th
(2) Lord of the 6th Lord of the 8th
(3) Lord of the 6th Malefic in the 6th
(4) Lord of the 6th Planet in the 8th
(5) Lord of the 8th Planets in association with
the 6th lord, planets
aspected by the 8th
lord
(6) A malefic occupant The 6th lord
of the 8th
(7) A malefic occupant The 8th lord
of the 6th
(8) A malefic occupant 8th lord occupying the 8th
of the 6th
(9) A malefic occupant A malefic occupant of
of the 8th the 6th
If Mercury and Venus are in the 5th house, they become mutual Marakas.
If Mercury and Venus are together in the 5th, then death may occur in the Bhukti of Budha within the Dasa of Sukra and vice versa. The combination is vague and it naturally implies that when these two planets are in the 5th and if according to the usual rules of maraka determination Budha becomes a Maraka in his Dasa, then Sukra will cause death in his Bhukti. If Sukra becomes a maraka in his Dasa, Budha kills the native in his Bhukti.
Mars causes death in his own Dasa if he has evil lordship and is placed in the 5th house.
Evil lordship means owning 6th, 8th and 12th houses. Mars can happen only when the Lagna is Meena, Vrishabha, Kanya, Vrischika and Dhanu. Mars should not only own either the 6th, 8th, or the 12th house but should also be placed in the 5th to cause death in his Dasa.
Even though Saturn may own favourable houses, he becomes powerful in causing death by being in conjunction with other marakas.
Saturn is Ayush-karaka and the power to kill devolves on him if he joins death-inflicting planets. The good influences contributed by his favourable ownership cannot remove Saturn's power to cause death. Saturn becomes favourable by virtue of owning a kendram or an angular, and by owning a benefic and a maraka together, which is possible in case of Vrishabha and Thula Lagnas.
Astrologers opine that death will be caused in the Dasa of the lord of the 8th who occupies Lagna.
If two or three sons of the native undergo Rahu Dasa simultaneously, then the person will die in this Dasa. And he will enjoy ordinary results.
is clear and requires no explanation. According to stanza 19, death of the person will happen in Rahu Dasa if two or three sons—if they are to enjoy the usual second usual tatwams.
Thus ends the Eleventh Chapter entitled Combinations for Death in Bhavartha Ratnakara of Sri Ramanujacharya.