Ch. 44. Marak Grahas

1. O Maharishi Parashar, you have mentioned a lot about longevity. Be kind enough to throw light on Marakas, or killers.

2-5. O Brahmin, Sahaj and Randhr Bhava are the two Bhavas of longevity. The Bhavas, related to death, are the 12^th from each of these, i.e. Dhan and Yuvati Bhava are Marak Bhavas.

3. Out of the two, Dhan Bhava is a powerful Marak Bhava. The Lords of Dhan and Yuvati Bhava, malefics in Dhan and Yuvati Bhava and malefics, yuti with Dhan’s Lord and yuti with Yuvati’s Lord are all known, as Marakas. The major and sub-periods of these Grahas will bring death on the native, depending on whether he is a long life, medium life, or short life person.

6-7. The Dasha of a benefic Grah, related to Vyaya’s Lord may also inflict death. End may descend on the native in Randhr’s Lord’s Dasha. The Dasha of a Grah, which is an exclusive malefic, may also cause death.

9. Should Śani be ill-disposed and be related to a Marak Grah, he will be the first to kill in preference to other Grahas.

10-14. O Brahmin, I tell you further about Marakas. Narrated earlier are three kinds of life-spans, viz. short, medium and long. Short life is before 32 years, later on up to 64 it is medium life and from 64 to 100 it is long life. Beyond 100 the longevity is called supreme. O excellent of the Brahmins, it is impossible to decide upon longevity till the native is 20 years old. Till such year the child should be protected by sacred recitations, religious offerings (of Ghī etc.) to consecrated fire, as prescribed in the Vedas etc. and through medical treatments, for premature death may descend on the child due to sins of father and mother, or of its own (in the previous birth).

15-21. I further mention about the Marak Grahas. One born with short life combinations may face death in the Dasha, denoted by Vipat star (3^rd from the birth star), one of medium life may die in the Dasha, denoted by Pratyak star (5^th from the birth star). In the Dasha, denoted by Vadh star (7^th from the birth star), one with long life may obtain his end. The Dasha of the Lord of the 22^nd Dreshkan, or 23^rd, or 3^rd, or 5^th, or 7^th asterisms may also cause death. The Lords of the 2^nd and the 12^th, counted from Kark, may bring death. This is true, when Candr is a malefic. If he happens to be a benefic, there will be diseases (not death). Death may come to pass in the Dasha of Ari’s Lord and in the subperiods of Ari’s, Randhr’s and/or Vyaya’s Lords. Should there be many Marakas and, if these Marakas are strong, there will be diseases, miseries etc. in major and sub-periods. Thus these are Marakas and are primarily related to bring death upon the native. According to their dispositions there may be death, or difficulties.

22-24. Rahu and Ketu, as Marakas. If Rahu, or Ketu are placed in Tanu, Yuvati, Randhr, or Vyaya Bhava, or happen to be in the 7^th from a Marak Lord, or are placed with such a Grah, they acquire powers of killing in their major, or sub-periods. For one born in Makar, or in Vrischik, Rahu will be a Marak. Should Rahu be in Ari, Randhr, or Vyaya Bhava, he will give difficulties in his Dasha periods. He will not, however, do so, if Rahu receives a Drishti from, or is yuti with a benefic.

25-31. Sahaj Bhava and Death. O excellent of Brahmins, if Sūrya, being with strength, is in Sahaj Bhava, one will obtain his death, due to a king (legal punishments). Candr in Sahaj Bhava will cause death, due to tuberculosis, while wounds, weapons, fire and thirst will cause death through Mangal in Sahaj Bhava. If Sahaj Bhava receives a Drishti from, or is occupied by Śani and Rahu, death will be through poison, water, or fire, or fall from heights, or confinement. Death will surely come to descend through insects, or leprosy, if Candr and Gulik occupy, or give a Drishti to Sahaj Bhava. Budh, giving a Drishti to, or occupying Sahaj Bhava, will bring death, followed by fever. Guru in Sahaj Bhava, or giving a Drishti to Sahaj Bhava, will cause death by swelling, or tumours. Urinary diseases will cause death, if Śukr is in, or gives a Drishti to Sahaj Bhava. Many Grahas, giving a Drishti to, or occupying Sahaj Bhava, will bring death through many diseases.

32. If Sahaj Bhava is occupied by a benefic, death will be in an auspicious place (like a shrine) and, if Sahaj Bhava is occupied by a malefic, death will be in sinful places. Mixed occupation of Sahaj Bhava will yield mixed results with regard to the place of death.

33. Consciousness will prevail at the time of death, if Guru, or Śukr are placed in Sahaj Bhava. With other Grahas in Sahaj Bhava there will be unconsciousness before death.

34. According to Sahaj Bhava being a Movable, a Fixed, or a Dual Rashi, death will be, respectively, in a foreign place (other than native birth place), in one’s own house, or on the way.

35-36. Occupants of Randhr Bhava. Note the occupant of Randhr Bhava. If it is Sūrya, death will be through fire, if Candr is in Randhr Bhava, through water, if Mangal, through weapons, if Budh, through fever, if Guru, through diseases, if Śukr, through hunger and, if Śani, through thirst.

37. If Randhr Bhava is occupied by, or receives a Drishti from a benefic, while Dharm’s Lord is yuti with a benefic, the native will die in a shrine. If Randhr Bhava is occupied by, or receives a Drishti from a malefic, while Dharm’s Lord is yuti with a malefic, death will be in a place, other than a shrine.

38-39. Fate of the Human Physical System. Should there be a benefic’s Dreshkan in Randhr Bhava (22^nd Dreshkan), the body will be burnt in fire (as prescribed in Shastras). If a malefic’s Dreshkan happens to be in Randhr Bhava, the body will be thrown away in water. If the Dreshkan in Randhr Bhava is owned by a mixed Grah, the dead body will only dry up. If the Dreshkan in Randhr Bhava is a serpent Dreshkan, the body will be eaten away by animals, crows etc.

40. Serpent Dreshkanas. The 2^nd and 3^rd Dreshkan in Kark, the initial one in Vrischik and the last one in Meen are designated, as serpent Dreshkanas.

41-42. Pre-natal Abode. O excellent of Brahmins, the stronger of the two luminaries, Sūrya and Candr, occupying a Dreshkan of Guru, denotes the descent from the world of gods. If the stronger of the luminaries occupies the Dreshkan of Śukr, or Candr, the descent is from the world of the Manes, if the stronger of the two luminaries is in the Dreshkan of Sūrya, or Mangal, the descent is from the world of Yama (world of the death) and, if in Dreshkan of Budh, or Śani, the descent is from the hell.

43-45. Ascent after Death. According to the following Grahas in Vyaya, Yuvati, Ari, or Randhr Bhava, the native will attain one of the different worlds after death: Guru heaven, Candr, or Śukr the world of Manes, Mangal and/or Sūrya earth (rebirth), Budh and/or Śani hell. In case the said Bhavas are not occupied, the native will go to the world, indicated by the stronger of the Dreshkan Lords, related to Ari and Randhr Bhava. The relative Grah’s exaltation etc. will denote the high, medium and low status the native will obtain in the said world.

46. Other Grahas and Rashis, becoming Marakas, are being discussed in the chapter, related to Dashas.