TIMING Of DEATH

·         The question of death should be examined from the birth and horary charts. In order to ascertain the nature of death, its cause and the time of its occurrence, the yogas, the nature of Dasas and the nature and positions of Saturn, Jupiter, the Sun arid the Moon should all be first studied.

·       Death takes place at the end of the period indicated by Yogayus. Sometimes the age as contributed by Dasas goes counter to the age given by yogas. This   should be carefully understood.

·    In the absence of any yogas in the horoscope indicating age, we have to be guided by the Dashas and determine the period of death.

Special

      From this we see that 'Dasayus' is very important. But 'Yogayus' is no less \aluable. Certain yogas as Sadhyorishta, Arishta. etc., are not said to be controlled by Dasas. Certain yogas as Rishta-Yogas, Madhyayus or Deer-ghayur yogas are to be checked by the age contributed by Dasas and Bhuktis. If Yogayus indicates, say 75 years, and according to Dasas also the same age is obtained, then one can boldly declare the length of life.

·         Death can happen in the Dasa or Antardasa of the weakest — that which occupies the 6th, 8th, 12th or that which is associated with or aspected by malefics of the following: Lords of 8th from Lagna and the Moon; planets occupying or aspecting the 8th from Lagna and the Moon; Saturn; lords of the 22nd Drekkana from Lagna and the Moon; lord of the house occupied by Gulika; lords of the houses and Navamsas occupied by these factors; and Rahu.

Special

An exhaustive list of marakas is furnished in this stanza. Wherever Lagna is mentioned, Chandra Lagna is automatically meant. A discriminating astrologer should very carefully pick out the appropriate maraka. Of all these lords, the weakest — by occupying 6th or 8th house or subject to affliction — should be selected. The marakas can be listed thus:

1. The lord of the 8th house from Lagna.

2. The lord of the 8th house from Chandra.

3. The planets that occupy the 8th house from Lagna.

4. The planets that occupy the 8th house from Chandra.

5. The planets that aspect the 8th house from Lagna.

6. The planets that aspect the 8th house from Chandra.

7. Saturn.

8. The lord of 22nd Drekkana from Lagna.

9. The lord of 22nd Drekkana from Chandra.

10. The lord of the house occupied by Gulika.

11. The lords of the houses occupied by the ten lords noted above.

12. Navamsa lords of the above-mentioned planets.

13. Rahu.

With due deference to the great author's accomplishments, it seems to us that to select a maraka out of this formidable number — almost all planets seem to get involved somehow — is a herculean task. A much simpler method would be to consider all the lords except those mentioned in 11 and 12 and then decide the weakest. Generally the 7th and 2nd are considered houses of death.

·         Death can take place in the sub-periods of malefics and the major periods of malefics. The Dasas and Bhuktis of the 3rd, 5th and 7th Nakshatras from Janma Nakshatra can also cause death. If 2 or more Dasas terminate at the same time, then that period also may be taken as time of death. Again, the end of all Dasas is not good. Especially the last period of all Dashas indicating evil has to be considered as bad.

·         The lordship of the 8th house, etc., is bad for all Dasas. The Dasas of lords of the 3rd, 5th and 7th Naksbatras from Janma Nakshatra are bad in Vimshottari Dasa.

Special

The lord of a Dasa owning the 8th is bad whatever be the type of Dasa applied — Vimshottari, Ashtottari, Kalachakra, etc. But the Dasas of the lords of the 3rd, 5th and 7th Nakshatras are bad only with reference to Vimshottari.