Topics Related to Longevity

Introduction

 

Many human beings are curious about how long they will live. An ethical astrologer will not scare a client by predicting death, but he may caution a client gently before critical periods and suggest some remedial measures to ward off impending danger. An estimation of longevity is also helpful in matchmaking. After all, if one person will live for 81 years and the other only for 36 years, it is not advisable to approve a match between those two people. In matchmaking, it is desirable that the bridegroom and the bride have comparable longevity.

 In this chapter, we will study some basic tools that are used in longevity determination techniques. We will cover the estimation of longevity based on natal chart and dasas. Though there are many dasas that help us in timing death, we will cover only Shoola dasa in this section.

 Marakas (Killers)

 Each chart has some rasis and planets that are called marakas (killers). Since death is an event relating to the physical existence, rasi chart is of utmost importance in seeing death. Rudramsa (D-11) shows the forces of death and destruction and it can also give insight into death. D-30 shows one’s evils and punishment for the evils. Death can be a punishment for one’s evils and so we should look at D-30 also. However, the most important chart is the rasi chart.

 The 3rd and 8th houses are the houses of life. The 3rd house shows the vitality of one’s existence and the 8th house shows the longevity. The 12th house from any house shows losses related to the matters signified by that house. So the 12th house from these two houses shows death. So the 2nd and 7th houses are the houses of death. For good longevity, the 3rd and 8th houses and their lords should be strong and the 2nd and 7th houses and their lords should be weak.

 The rasis containing the 2nd and 7th houses are called maraka sthanas (killer stations). When we use rasi-ruled dasas that can show death, dasas of these rasis can bring death. Lords of the 2nd and 7th houses are called maraka grahas (killer planets). When we use planet-ruled dasas that can show death, dasas of these planets can bring death.

 There are other maraka grahas too. If a malefic planet powerfully conjoins or aspects, using graha drishti, the 2nd and 7th houses or their lords, then it qualifies as a maraka graha. Let us look at an example. Suppose lagna is in Le, Saturn is in Sg and Mars is in Ge. Then Saturn is a maraka on account of owning the 7th house (Aq).

Mars is a malefic and he is in Ge. He aspects the 2nd house (Vi, with the 4th house aspect) and the 7th lord (Saturn in Sg – with the 7th house aspect). Because of these two factors, Mars is a maraka. Let us take another example. Suppose lagna is in Pi, Mars is in Ge, Mercury is in Cp and Saturn is in Ar. On account of owning the 2nd and 7th houses, Mars and Mercury are marakas. Look at Saturn. He is in the 2nd house and aspects the 2nd lord Mars (with the 3rd house aspect) and the 7th lord Mercury (with the 10th house aspect). So Saturn is also a maraka and he may in fact be a stronger maraka than Mars and Mercury.

 When we time one’s death using a dasa, we should look for the involvement of maraka sthanas and maraka grahas. We can also use marakas when timing death using the transits of planets.

 Rudra, Trishoola and Maheswara

 In Indian mythology, there are eleven Rudras. They are all different forms of the Lord Shiva. They bring suffering and death to a native. Trishoola or trident is the weapon of Lord Shiva. Maheswara is the Supreme form of Lord Shiva and he gives emancipation to the soul.

 For every person, there are eleven rasis that represent the eleven Rudras. These rasis bring suffering related to various areas of life.

 Out of all the eleven Rudras, the one who brings suffering to the physical self is the most important one. In each chart, there is one planet that plays this role. That planet is simply called “Rudra”. That planet stands for the suffering and destruction of the native.  There are three rasis designated as Trishoola rasis and they bring death. Let us see the astrological defintions.

                          Table 9 : Eighth House for Rudra Calculation

Rasi

Ar

Ta

Ge

Cn

Le

Vi

Li

Sc

Sg

Cp

Aq

Pi

The 8th house

Sc

Ge

Cp

Sg

Cn

Aq

Ta

Sg

Cn

Ge

Cp

Le

 

 Rudra

Consider the lord of the 8th house from (i) lagna and (ii) the 7th house. Find the 8th house using Table 9 (shown above)  and not in the normal way. The stronger of the two planets becomes Rudra. If the weaker planet is afflicted, it can also become Rudra. We say that a planet is stronger if it conjoins more planets. If both planets conjoin the same number of planets, a planet in exaltation or own rasi is stronger. A planet joining exalted planets is stronger. A planet aspected by many planets (rasi aspect) is

stronger. Finally, a planet which is more advanced in its rasi is stronger. We find the stronger planet in this manner and it becomes Rudra. However, if the weaker planet is debilitated or in an inimical sign and conjoined/aspected by malefics like Mars, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu, then it becomes Rudra.

 Trishoola Rasis

 The three trines from the rasi occupied by Rudra in rasi chart represent the three spikes of Shiva’s Trishoola/trident. They are called Trishoola rasis. Depending on whether a native has short life or middle life or long life, one of the three Trishoola rasis kills the native during its Shoola dasa.

 Maheswara

 The lord of the 8th house from AK (chara atma karaka) is called Maheswara. AK stands for the soul and the 8th lord from him stands for the liberation of soul. He represents the channels through which one’s soul strives for liberation.

 NOTE: For odd rasis, we count houses zodiacally. For even rasis, we count houses anti-zodiacally. For Brahma and Vishnu rasis, we use the regular motion. For Shiva rasis, we use Shiva’s motion. That is how the above Table 9  is constructed. 

 There are a couple of exceptions:

 (1) If the 8th lord from AK is in own rasi or exaltation rasi, then take the stronger of the 8th and 12th lords from him. Suppose AK is Mars and he is in Ge. Then the 8th house from AK is Cp and Saturn is Maheswara. Now let us say that Saturn is exalted in Li. From Saturn (Li), Venus owns the 8th house (Ta) and Mercury owns the 12th house (Vi). The stronger of Mercury and Venus becomes Maheswara.

 (2) If Rahu or Ketu joins AK or the 8th from him, then we find the 6th lord from AK instead of the 8th lord. Please note that this is equivalent to taking the 8th lord in the anti-zodiacal order. Suppose AK is Mars and he is in Taurus. Then Sg is the 8th house from Mars and Jupiter, lord of Sg, becomes Maheswara. Now, suppose Ketu is in Ta or Sg. Because of Ketu’s presence, we find the 6th house from Mars instead of the 8th house. It is Li. Venus owns it and he becomes Maheswara.

(3) If Rahu becomes Maheswara, we take Mercury instead. If Ketu becomes Maheswara, we take Jupiter instead.

 The Method of Three Pairs

This method allows us to determine the approximate range of one’s longevity. In this method, we look at 3 pairs of planets/mathematical points. We look at the two planets in each pair and see if they occupy a movable, fixed, or dual rasi. Using the Table below, we look at the longevity category corresponding to the combination. 

(1) Lagna lord and 8th lord (find the 8th house and its lord using the Table 9) 

(2) Moon and Saturn

(3) Lagna and Horalagna (HL)

                                                Longevity Category for Each Pair 

Combination 1	Combination 2	Result
Fixed + Dual Movable + Fixed Movable + Dual	Movable + Movable Dual + Dual Fixed + Fixed	Long life Middle life Short life

 

Long life means 72-108 years. Middle life means 36-72 years. Short life means 0-36 years. We learnt how to find the longevity category corresponding to each pair. Now, we should learn how the results of the three pairs can be combined for one final result.

 If all the three pairs result in the same longevity category, that will be the combined classification. If two pairs give one result and the third pair gives a different result, then the result given by two pairs dominates. Parasara gave further hints regarding this case and suggested finding the maximum longevity (paramaayush) of a person using the Table below.

                                        Table : Paramaayush Reckoner

Two Pairs Third Pair	Short life	Middle life	Long life
Short life	32 years	64 years	96 years
Middle life	36 years	72 years	108 years
Long life	40 years	80 years	120 years

  

If all the three pairs give three different results (i.e. one giving short life, one giving middle life and one giving long life), then we should give preference to the third pair of lagna and horalagna. However, if Moon is in lagna or the 7th house, then the second pair of Moon and Saturn should be given preference.

 Example : Let us say that lagna is in Ta, HL is in Ar, Moon is in Ta, Mercury is in Cn, Venus is in Cp, and Saturn is in Ge.

 Pair 1: Lagna lord Venus is in Cp, a movable rasi. The 8th house is in Ge (see Table) and Mercury owns it. He is in Cn, another movable rasi. Looking for the combination “Movable + Movable” in the table, we see that “long life” is the result.

 Pair 2: Moon is in Ta, a fixed rasi. Saturn is in Ge, a dual rasi. Looking for the combination “Fixed + Dual” in the table, we see that “long life” is the result.

 Pair 3: Lagna in Ta, a fixed rasi. Horalagna is in Ar, a movable rasi. Looking for the combination “Movable + Fixed” in the table, we see that “middle life” is the result.

 We see that two pairs indicate long life and one pair indicates middle life. So “long life” dominates and the native has long life. Using Table 9, we see that the paramaayush for this case is 108 years.

 The Eighth Lord Method:

 Parasara and Jaimini prescribed another method for estimating the longevity category. Find the stronger of lagna and 7th house and take it as the reference. Find the 8th lord from it and see where he is placed from it. If he is in a quadrant, long life is indicated. If he is in a panaphara, middle life is indicated. If he is in an apoklima, short life is indicated.