Maraka

sanskrit: मारक (Māraka)

Definition

A maraka — literally a "killer," a death-inflicting graha (planet) — is classically read as bringing death or a grave health crisis through the death-dealing houses and their lords. The maraka houses (marakasthanas) are chiefly the 2nd and 7th from the lagna (the rising sign). Each falls 12th — the house of loss — from a house of longevity: the 7th is 12th from the 8th, the 2nd 12th from the 3rd, so each marks loss of life. The lords of those houses, malefics in them, and planets tied to those lords gain maraka power.

In Tradition

Classical and modern Jyotish writers agree the 2nd and 7th are the principal maraka (death-inflicting) houses, and reckon the 2nd the more powerful of the two. Their lords, the planets sitting in them, and malefics joined to those lords are read as marakas whose dasa or bhukti (major or sub-period) can precipitate death. Most hold that a maraka generally acts only once a person's allotted span of life has run out — not in every period it rules.

In Practice

A jyotishi (Vedic astrologer) leans on the maraka mainly to time death or grave crisis within longevity (ayurdaya) analysis, read alongside the running Vimshottari dasha and bhukti. Several sources name the marakas by rising sign — for Mesha (Aries) lagna, for instance, Venus, as lord of the 2nd and 7th, is the maraka. You can reckon marakas not only from the lagna but also from the Moon and from a relevant karaka (significator) or Bhava (house), so a planet may act as maraka for one particular significator. Some authors widen the set to the lords of the 6th, 8th and 12th as secondary marakas, and hold that Saturn (and Rahu) can inflict death even without ruling a death-dealing house. Even a benefic or a yogakaraka can turn maraka when it rules or sits in one. When a maraka period threatens, the texts prescribe remedies such as Mrityunjaya Japa and charity.

Historical Origin

The doctrine runs through the classical Sanskrit texts: the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Ch.34, Ch.44), Mantreswara's Phaladeepika (Ch.20), Kalidasa's Uttara Kalamrita, Kalyana Varma's Saravali, Ramanujacharya's Bhavartha Ratnakara, and the Prasna Marga. Modern authors carry it forward and fill in the detail — among them Raman, Charak, Sutton, Levacy, Boney, Rao, deFouw and Svoboda, Behari, Kannan, and Narasimha Rao.

Definition

In Tradition

In Practice

Historical Origin

Further Reading