Maraka Sthana in horoscope in Hindu astrology is the house that brings about death. The twelve zodiac sings are divided into three categories – Mesha, Karka, Tula and Makara are chara rashis or movable signs. Vrishabha, Simha, Vrischika and Kumbha are sthira rashis (immovable signs). Mithuna, Kanya, Dhanu and Mina are the ubhaya rashis (neutral or common signs).
If the lagna of a jataka charat is a chara rashi, the lords of the 2nd and 7th houses are the Maraka and those houses are marakasthanas.
For a sthira lagna person, the lords of three and eight become markas and those houses are called marakasthanas.
Ubhaya lagna natives should treat the lords of seven and eleven houses as maracas and these houses as maraksthanas. Generally, the 3rd and 8th lords cause evil similar to death during their dasas. If they occupy 2, 3, 7, 8 or 12th houses, their dasas become fatal to the person.
The 8th house from the ascendant (lagna) is known as ayusthana, the house which indicates longevity. The 3rd house is also considered to indicate longevity. The second and seventh houses (which are the twelfth to the above-mentioned houses) are also related to maraca.
Longevity according to one system is classified as follows:
- Alpayu – life ends before 35 years
- Madhyamayu – life ends before 60 years
- Purnayu – life ends before 100 years.
If the eight lord is in the twelfth, with malefic, then the person’s span of life is very short. The person will have long span of life if the eighth lord is in his own house and the lagna is powerfully supported by auspicious planets. On the other hand, if malefic occupy panaphara houses (2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th houses from lagna), the person will have madhyamayu.
The maraca inflicting planets and houses are arrived at from various probabilities.
The planets which occupy the marakasthanas are more powerful than the lords of the marakasthanas.
The puranayusa jataka (a person with long life), meets his end during his seven or ninth dasas.
The madhyamayusa jataka reaches his final journey on earth during the 3rd, 5th or 6th dasas.
The first and third dasas become the end of life for a common sign.
The dasa of Saturn is fatal if it happens to be the fourth dasa.
Similarly, that of Mars as the fifth, Jupiter as the sixth and Rahu as the seventh are also cruel and can result in death.
Malefic planets in the fourth or tenth houses from the moon also induce death.
Generally, death is supposed to be caused by the planets which occupy the second and the seventh houses or by those who are the lords of these houses or by those who are found in combination with malefics. The owners of the third and the eighth houses are equally bad. The most powerful among the maraks may cause death, though the planet Saturn, even if remotely connected to maracas and maraksthanas is notoriously known to cause to death, he being the ayushkaraka. Saturn’s transits are also significant in this connection.
Bibliography
Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume VII page 39 - 40 - IHRF
Bibliography
Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume VII page 39 - 40 - IHRF