The planets occupying or ruling the 2nd and 7th houses are termed Marakas (death-inflicting). During their periods, afflicted by disease or circumstances, they bring about the event of death — judged within the limit set by the Ayurdaya. The 3rd and 8th support the maraka action.
Verse 2 — Strongest Maraka Strikes First
बलवत्तरो मारकः पूर्वं कुरुते व्यापारम् ॥
balavattaro mārakaḥ pūrvaṃ kurute vyāpāram
Among several marakas, the stronger one executes its office first. Strength is measured by degrees, dignity, conjunctions and argala. A debilitated maraka may pass through its entire period harmlessly while a dignified one — even naturally benefic — performs the grim function when its dasha arrives.
Verse 3 — Badhakesha as Co-Inflictor
बाधकेशोऽपि मृत्यौ सहकारी भवति ॥
bādhakeśo 'pi mṛtyau sahakārī bhavati
The Badhakesha — lord of the obstruction house (11th for movable lagnas, 9th for fixed, 7th for dual) — cooperates in inflicting death during his periods, especially for those already marked by weak ayur combinations. Badhaka dasas often bring terminal diagnoses even without classic maraka activation.
Verse 4 — Death Within the Dasha of the Afflicted Sign
मृत्युर्दशायां मारकबाधकयुतायाम् ॥
mṛtyur daśāyāṃ māraka-bādhaka-yutāyām
In rasi-dasa reckoning, death occurs in the period of the sign that contains or is aspected by maraka and badhaka influences — particularly when that sign also holds the eighth lord or the arudha of the eighth. The sign-period provides the stage; the afflicted grahas play the scene.
Verse 5 — Transit Triggers on the Death Point
गोचरे शनिराह्वी मारकस्थाने मृत्युं जनयतः ॥
gocare śanir āhvī mārakasthāne mṛtyuṃ janayataḥ
Transits of Saturn and Rahu over the maraka points — the second and seventh houses, their lords' natal positions, or the death-inflicting arudha — trigger the final event when the dasa is already hostile. Dasa loads the weapon; transit pulls the trigger.
Verse 6 — Manner of Death from the Eighth
अष्टमस्थैर्ग्रहैर्मृत्योः स्वरूपं कथ्यते ॥
aṣṭamasthair grahamair mṛtyoḥ svarūpaṃ kathyate
Planets occupying the eighth describe the manner of death: Sun — fever, fire, government action; Moon — drowning, wasting illness, mental collapse; Mars — wounds, surgery, accidents; Mercury — nervous disorders; Jupiter — peaceful decline, liver ailments; Venus — urinary/reproductive disease, excesses; Saturn — chronic illness, paralysis, cold; Rahu-Ketu — poison, mysterious causes, sudden endings.
Verse 7 — Third Dasas Bring Danger
तृतीयदशायां खलु व्याधिमृत्य्वादयः ॥
tṛtīya-daśāyāṃ khalu vyādhi-mṛtyv-ādayaḥ
Illness and mortal danger cluster in the third cycle of sign-dasas counted from the lagna's own period. When this third-round dasa belongs to an afflicted or maraka-laden sign, vigilance is mandatory — hospitals, surgeries and farewells crowd such spans.
Verse 8 — Benefics Delay the Inevitable
शुभाः शुभार्थे मारकाणामपि विलम्बं कुर्वन्ति ॥
śubhāḥ śubhārthe mārakāṇām api vilambaṃ kurvanti
Even designated marakas, when conjoined or supported by strong benefics, postpone their fatal duty — extending life through medicine, grace or timely intervention. This is why identical maraka configurations yield vastly different outcomes across charts: the escort determines the escorting.
Verse 9 — Maheshwara Confirms the Hour
महेश्वरः कालं निश्चिनोति रुद्रदशान्ते ॥
maheśvaraḥ kālaṃ niścinoti rudra-daśānte
Maheshwara — computed among planets connected to Rudra — confirms the final hour: when his influence ripens at the close of a Rudra-related dasa, the term of embodiment concludes. He is the appointed officer who reads out the sentence already written by karma.
Verse 10 — Discernment — Marakas Also Give Wealth
मारका धनदाः स्वदशायां यावन्न व्याधिकालः ॥
mārakā dhanadāḥ svadaśāyāṃ yāvan na vyādhi-kālaḥ
Until the season of terminal affliction arrives, maraka lords behave as ordinary wealth-givers — the second being the treasury itself. Fear-mongering about 'maraka dashas' betrays ignorance: these periods frequently deliver prosperity, marriage and family growth before ever touching mortality.