Chapter on the Varieties of Māraka (Killing Agents) — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 45

मारकभेदाध्यायः

The complete Chapter on the Varieties of Māraka (Killing Agents) chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 44 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Maitreya's question — request for the varieties of māraka

भगवन् ! विविधा योगा श्राविता भवता पुरा । अधुना ब्रूहि कृपया भेदान् मारकसम्मतान् ॥ १ ॥

Maitreya said — O Bhagavan! Formerly you caused many yogas to be heard by me. Now, of your grace, tell me the varieties that are reckoned as māraka (death-inflicting).

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — Parāśara's undertaking — the mārakalakṣaṇa

अतः परं च ते वच्मि शृणु मारकलक्षणम् । यज्ज्ञानतो नृणामायुर्निर्णये स्युर्बुधाः क्षमाः ॥ २ ॥

Parāśara said — Hereafter I speak to you; hear the characteristics of the māraka, by the knowledge of which the wise become competent in determining the lifespan of human beings.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — Threefold longevity — alpāyus and madhyamāyus thresholds

त्रिविधाश्चायुषो योगाः स्वल्पायुर्मध्यमोत्तमाः । द्वात्रिंशत् पूर्वमल्पायुर्मध्यमायुस्ततो भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥

The yogas of longevity are of three kinds: short-lived, middling and best. Before thirty-two [years] it is alpāyus (short life); from that point onward it is madhyamāyus (middling life).

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Dīrghāyus and uttamāyus thresholds

चतुष्षष्ट्याः पुरस्तात्तु, ततो दीर्घमुदाहृतम् । उत्तमायुः शतादूर्ध्वं ज्ञातव्यं मुनिसत्तम ॥ ४ ॥

[Middling life extends] up to sixty-four; beyond that it is called dīrgha (long life). Above a hundred it is to be known as uttamāyus (the best lifespan), O best of sages.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Lifespan indeterminate before age 24 — protective remedies

चतुर्विंशति-वर्षान्तमायुर्ज्ञातुं न शक्यते । जपहोमचिकित्साद्यैर्बालरक्षां च कारयेत् ॥ ५ ॥

Up to the end of the twenty-fourth year the lifespan cannot be ascertained. One should therefore have the child protected by japa, homa, medical treatment and the like.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Three causes of infant death

पितृदोषैर्मातृदोषैर्म्रियन्ते केचिदन्यथा । स्वकीयारिष्टयोगाच्च, त्रिविधा बालमृत्यवः ॥ ६ ॥

Some die through the faults of the father, some through the faults of the mother, and others otherwise — through their own ariṣṭa-yoga. Thus the deaths of children are of three kinds.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Mārakasthāna — the 2nd and 7th houses

तनौ रन्ध्रं तृतीयश्च स्थानद्वितयमायुषः । तद्व्ययस्थं द्वितीयं तु सप्तमं चापि मारकम् ॥ ७ ॥

Reckoned from the tanu (lagna), the randhra (8th) and the third are the two houses of longevity. The twelfth from those, namely the second and likewise the seventh, are māraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — The 2nd is stronger than the 7th; māraka lords and malefics therein

सप्तमापेक्षया तत्र द्वितीयं प्रबलं मतम् । एतयोरधिपौ चैतत्स्थानगा अशुभास्तथा ॥ ८ ॥

Of these, the second is held to be stronger than the seventh. The lords of these two, and likewise the malefics that occupy these houses [are māraka] —

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — Planets joined to the māraka lords; death in their daśā/antardaśā

एतदीशयुताश्चापि मारकाख्याः समे स्मृताः । दशान्तरदशास्वेषां नृणां मरणसम्भवः ॥ ९ ॥

— and also those planets conjoined with these lords are all alike remembered as bearing the name māraka. In their daśās and antardaśās death of human beings is possible.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Fallback māraka agents — the 12th lord, benefics, the 8th lord

अलाभे पुनरेतेषां सम्बन्धेन व्ययेशितुः । क्वचिच्छुभानां च दशास्वष्टमेशदशासु च ॥ १० ॥

Again, when these are not obtained, death sometimes occurs in the daśās of benefics that are connected with the lord of the twelfth, and in the daśās of the lord of the eighth.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Death in the daśā of malefics alone when no māraka is visible

केवलानां च पापानां दशासु निधनं क्वचित् । कल्पनीयं बुधैर्नॄणां मारकाणामदर्शने ॥ ११ ॥

And sometimes death occurs in the daśās of malefics alone. This the wise should infer for human beings when no māraka is seen [in the chart].

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Māraka does not kill in benefic bhukti; kills in malefic bhukti

सत्यपि स्वेन सम्बन्धे न हन्ति शुभभुक्तिषु । हन्ति सत्यप्यसम्बन्धे मारकः पापभुक्तिषु ॥ १२ ॥

Even though there be a relation with itself, [the māraka] does not kill during the bhuktis of benefics; but even where there is no relation, the māraka kills during the bhuktis of malefics.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Malefic Saturn related to mārakas overrides all others

मारकैः सह सम्बन्धान्निहन्ता पापकृच्छनिः । अतिक्रम्येतरान् सर्वान् भवत्येव न संशयः ॥ १३ ॥

Through relation with the mārakas, evil-working Saturn becomes the slayer, superseding all the others — of this there is no doubt.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 13

Śloka 14 — A second māraka scheme — the tārā (nakṣatra) reckoning; Vipat tārā for alpāyus

अथापरं च ते वच्मि शृणु मारकलक्षणम् । अल्पायुर्योगजातस्य विपत्तारा मृतिप्रदा ॥ १४ ॥

Now I tell you a further characteristic of the māraka; hear it. For one born with an alpāyus (short-life) yoga, the Vipat tārā is the giver of death.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 14

Śloka 15 — Pratyari tārā for madhyāyus; Vadha tārā for dīrghāyus

प्रत्यरौ मृतिमाप्नोति मध्यायुर्योगजातकः । दीर्घायुर्योगजातानां वधभे तु मृतिर्भवेत् ॥ १५ ॥

One born with a madhyāyus (middling-life) yoga meets death in the Pratyari [tārā]; and for those born with a dīrghāyus (long-life) yoga, death occurs in the Vadha star.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 15

Śloka 16 — Further māraka lords — 6th dreṣkāṇa lord, vaināśika lord, tārā lords

षष्ठद्रेष्काणपश्चैव तथा वैनाशिकाधिपः । विपत्तारा-प्रत्यरीशा वधभेशास्तथैव च ॥ १६ ॥

The lord of the sixth dreṣkāṇa, likewise the lord of the vaināśika [nakṣatra], the lords of the Vipat and Pratyari tārās, and likewise the lords of the Vadha star [are mārakas] —

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 16

Śloka 17 — Lords of the 2nd and 12th from the Moon; malefic = killer, benefic = disease

आद्यन्तपौ च विज्ञेयौ चन्द्राक्रान्तगृहात्तथा । पापग्रहा मारकौ चेच्छुभौ तावामयप्रदौ ॥ १७ ॥

— and also the lords of the first-following and the last house counted from the rāśi occupied by the Moon are to be known [as mārakas]. If they are malefic planets they are killers; if the two are benefics, they are givers of disease.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 17

Śloka 18 — Death in the 6th lord's daśā and in the antardaśā of 6/8/12 lords

षष्ठाधिपदशायां च निधनं प्रायशो नृणाम् । षष्ठाष्टरिष्फनाथानामपहारे मृतिर्द्विज ! ॥ १८ ॥

And in the daśā of the lord of the sixth, death of human beings generally occurs; and in the apahāra (antardaśā) of the lords of the sixth, eighth and twelfth there is death, O twice-born one!

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 18

Śloka 19 — Many strong mārakas — disease and distress in their periods

मारका बहवः खेटा यदि वीर्यसमन्विताः । तद्दशान्तरे विप्र ! रोगकष्टादिसम्भवः ॥ १९ ॥

If many planets are mārakas and are endowed with strength, then in their daśā and antardaśā, O Vipra, there arises disease, distress and the like.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 19

Śloka 20 — The strongest māraka decides — death or disease according to its condition

मारका ये निगदितास्तेषां यः प्रबलो भवेत् । स एव तु यथावस्थं मृत्युदो वामयप्रदः ॥ २० ॥

Among the mārakas that have been declared, whichever should be the strongest — that very one, according to its own condition, becomes the giver of death or the giver of disease.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 20

Śloka 21 — Rāhu and Ketu as māraka — placement in 1/7/8/12 or with the mārakeśa

तनावस्तेऽष्टमे रिष्फे भवेतां चेत्तमोग्रहौ । अथवास्ते मारकेशाद् मारकाधिपसंगतौ ॥ २१ ॥

If the two shadow planets [Rāhu and Ketu] should be in the tanu (1st), the asta (7th), the eighth or the riṣpha (12th); or in the seventh from the mārakeśa; or conjoined with the māraka lord —

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 21

Śloka 22 — Nodes as mārakas in daśā/antardaśā; Rāhu for Scorpio and Capricorn births

मारकौ तौ तु विज्ञेयौ दशान्तरदशास्वपि । अलौ नक्रे यस्य जन्म तस्य राहुस्तु मारकः ॥ २२ ॥

— then those two are to be known as mārakas, in their daśās and antardaśās also. And for one whose birth is in Ala (Scorpio) or Nakra (Capricorn), Rāhu indeed is the māraka.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 22

Śloka 23 — Rāhu in 6/8/12 unaspected by benefics — distress in his own daśā

राहुर्निजदशामध्ये रिपुरन्ध्रव्ययस्थितः । न सद्ग्रहेक्षितयुतस्तदा कष्टकरः स्मृतः ॥ २३ ॥

Rāhu, situated in the ripu (6th), randhra (8th) or vyaya (12th), and not aspected by or conjoined with benefic planets, is then remembered as a giver of distress in the midst of his own daśā.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 23

Śloka 24 — Cause of death from the 3rd house — strong Sun

तृतीये लग्नतोऽर्केण सबलेन समन्विते । भवेन्मैत्रेय ! जातस्य मरणं नृपहेतुकम् ॥ २४ ॥

When the third from the lagna is occupied by a Sun possessed of strength, O Maitreya, the native's death is caused by the king.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 24

Śloka 25 — 3rd house with Moon or Mars — cause of death

तृतीये चन्द्रयुग्दृष्टे मरणं राजयक्ष्मणा । व्रणेन वामिशस्त्राद्यैर्भौमेन तु मृतिर्भवेत् ॥ २५ ॥

When the third is conjoined with or aspected by the Moon, death is by consumption (rājayakṣmā); but by Mars, death occurs from a wound, or from fire, weapons and the like.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 25

Śloka 26 — 3rd house with Saturn or Rāhu — poison, water, fire, falling

मन्दाहियुतदृष्टे वा तृतीये तु मुने ! विषात् । जलाद् अनलदाहाद् वा गर्ते निपतनादपि ॥ २६ ॥

Or when the third is conjoined with or aspected by Saturn or Rāhu, O sage, [death comes] from poison, from water, from burning by fire, or even from falling into a pit —

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 26

Śloka 27 — Bondage or fall from a height; Gulika with the Moon on the 3rd

बन्धनादुच्चपाताद्वा मृतिर्जातस्य सम्भवेत् । सेन्दुना गुलिकेनैवं तत्र युक्तेऽथवेक्षिते ॥ २७ ॥

— or the native's death may come about from bondage or from a fall from a height. So too when that [third house] is conjoined with or aspected by Gulika together with the Moon,

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 27

Śloka 28 — Worms/leprosy from Gulika+Moon; fever from Mercury

निधनं क्रिमिकुष्ठादिसम्भवं निश्चितं भवेत् । तृतीये ज्ञेक्षितयुते भवति ज्वरतो मृतिः ॥ २८ ॥

— death arising from worms, leprosy and the like is certain. When the third is aspected by or conjoined with Mercury, death occurs from fever.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 28

Śloka 29 — 3rd house with Jupiter or Venus — swelling, prameha

तत्र जीवेक्षितयुते शोफप्रभृतितो मृतिः । कवियुक्तेक्षिते तत्र प्रमेहाद्वा मृतिर्भवेत् ॥ २९ ॥

There, when aspected by or conjoined with Jupiter, death is from swelling (śopha) and the like; when that [house] is conjoined with or aspected by Venus, death occurs from prameha (urinary disease).

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 29

Śloka 30 — Many planets on the 3rd — mixed causes of death

तत्रानेकग्रहयुते मृतिर्विविधहेतुभिः ॥ ३० ॥

When many planets are joined there, death is from various causes.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 30

Śloka 31 — Place of death — determined from benefic/malefic on the 3rd

तृतीये शुभयोगेन शुभदेशे मृतिर्भवेत् । पापेन कीकटे देशे मिश्रैर्मिश्रस्थले मृतिः ॥ ३१ ॥

By a benefic conjunction in the third, death occurs in an auspicious place; by a malefic, in a Kīkaṭa (reviled) region; by mixed planets, death is in a mixed place.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 31

Śloka 32 — Conscious vs unconscious death — Jupiter and Venus on the 3rd

तृतीये गुरुशुक्राभ्यां युते ज्ञानेन वै मृतिः । इतरैर्द्युचरैर्युक्ते त्वज्ञानेन स्मृता हि सा ॥ ३२ ॥

When the third is joined by Jupiter and Venus, death comes with awareness (jñāna); but when joined by the other sky-movers, that death is remembered to be in unawareness (ajñāna).

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 32

Śloka 33 — Place of death by the movability of the 3rd rāśi

तृतीयगे तु चरभे मृतिः स्यादन्यदेशजा । स्थिरभे स्वगृहे ज्ञेया द्विभे जायेत वर्त्मनि ॥ ३३ ॥

But when the third holds a movable (cara) rāśi, death should be in another country; when a fixed (sthira) rāśi, it is to be known as in one's own house; when a dual (dvisvabhāva) rāśi, it happens on the road.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 33

Śloka 34 — Cause of death from the 8th — Sun and Moon

लग्नतो रन्ध्रतो मृत्योर्निमित्तं सद्भिरीरितम् । रवौ रन्ध्रगते वह्नेर्मृतिरिन्दौ तु वारिणा ॥ ३४ ॥

The occasion of death has been declared by the good [teachers] from the lagna and from the randhra (8th). When the Sun occupies the eighth, death is by fire; but with the Moon, by water.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 34

Śloka 35 — Cause of death from the 8th — remaining five planets

भूमिजे शस्त्रतः सौम्ये ज्वराज्जीवे तु रोगतः । कवौ तु क्षुधया मन्दे मृतिः स्यात्तु पिपासया ॥ ३५ ॥

With Mars [in the eighth], death is by a weapon; with Mercury, from fever; with Jupiter, from disease; with Venus, from hunger; and with Saturn, death is from thirst.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 35

Śloka 36 — Post-mortem state of the corpse — dreṣkāṇa of the 8th

असत्सन्मिश्रखेटानां द्रेष्काणै रन्ध्रभस्थितैः । शवस्यान्ते परिणतिर्भसितक्लेदशोषणैः ॥ ३६ ॥

By the dreṣkāṇas of malefic, benefic and mixed planets occupying the randhra (8th) rāśi, the final transformation of the corpse is respectively by reduction to ashes, by wetting [immersion], and by drying up.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 36

Śloka 37 — Serpent dreṣkāṇa — the corpse devoured by animals or birds

अहिवर्गद्रेकाणैस्तु श्वानगोमायुभिर्भवेत् । शवस्य भक्षणं किंवा गृध्रादिकविहगङ्गमैः ॥ ३७ ॥

But by the dreṣkāṇas of the serpent class, the devouring of the corpse takes place by dogs and jackals, or else by sky-going birds such as vultures.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 37

Śloka 38 — Enumeration of the sarpa (serpent) dreṣkāṇas

मध्योऽन्तिमः कुलीरे स्यादलौ चादिममध्यमौ । झषे तथान्तिमस्त्र्यंशैरहिवर्गा उदीरिताः ॥ ३८ ॥

In Kulīra (Cancer) the middle and the last; in Ala (Scorpio) the first and the middle; and in Jhaṣa (Pisces) the last — by these tryaṃśas (dreṣkāṇas) the serpent-class is declared.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 38

Śloka 39 — World of previous birth — stronger of Sun/Moon in Jupiter's dreṣkāṇa

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्मध्ये यो बलाढ्यो भवेद् द्विज ! । स चेज्जीवद्रेकाणस्थो जातस्वर्गात् समागतः ॥ ३९ ॥

O twice-born one! Whichever of the Sun and the Moon is the richer in strength — if that one stands in a dreṣkāṇa of Jupiter, the native has come here from heaven.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 39

Śloka 40 — Previous world — Moon/Venus, Sun/Mars, Saturn/Mercury dreṣkāṇas

चन्द्रकव्योरिन्दुलोकाद् मर्त्यलोकादिनारयोः । शनिज्ञयोस्तु निलयादिति जन्माङ्गतो वदेत् ॥ ४० ॥

From the dreṣkāṇas of the Moon or Venus, [he has come] from the lunar world; from those of the Sun or Mars, from the world of mortals; but from those of Saturn or Mercury, from the [infernal] abode. Thus one should declare from the birth chart.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 40

Śloka 41 — World after death — planet pairs in the 6th, 7th or 8th

क्रमाज्जीवः कवीन्दू च कुजार्कौ बुधसूर्यजौ । सुरेन्दुभूमिनरकान् नेतारोऽरिमदाष्टगाः ॥ ४१ ॥

In order — Jupiter; Venus and the Moon; Mars and the Sun; Mercury and Saturn — when placed in the ari (6th), mada (7th) or eighth, are the leaders [of the departed] to the world of the gods, the lunar world, the world of earth [mortals], and hell.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 41

Śloka 42 — If no planet in 6/7/8 — strongest of the 6th/8th dreṣkāṇa lords decides

रिपुरन्ध्रद्रेकाणेशामध्ये यः प्रबलो ग्रहः । स स्वं लोकं नयेदन्ते चेन्न तत्र ग्रहस्थितिः ॥ ४२ ॥

If there is no planet posited there, then whichever planet is strongest among the lords of the dreṣkāṇas of the ripu (6th) and randhra (8th) leads [the departed] at the end to its own world.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 42

Śloka 43 — Rank in that world graded by the planet's dignity

स्वतुङ्गादिस्थितेस्तस्योत्तममध्यावराः क्रमात् । तच्छ्लोकान्तरे नॄणां स्थितयो गदिता बुधैः ॥ ४३ ॥

By that planet's standing in its own sign, in ucca and so forth, the states are respectively best, middling and low. Such are the states of human beings in that other world, as declared by the wise.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 43

Śloka 44 — Deferral — the remaining rāśi- and graha-born mārakas to the daśā chapter

मारकस्येतरे भेदा ये तु राशिग्रहोत्थिताः । वक्ष्यामि तान् दशाध्यायावसरे ते द्विजोत्तम ॥ ४४ ॥

But the other varieties of māraka, those that arise from the rāśis and the grahas — I shall declare them to you on the occasion of the chapter on daśās, O best of the twice-born.

BPHS Adhyāya 45, śloka 44