Hari Om
Sri Gurubyoh Namah!
Om Saravana Bhava!
Kuja (Mangal) Dosha is an astrological yoga or condition that occurs when Mars is in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, or 12th house from natal Moon or Lagna (Ascendant) or Venus (as per some scholars) of the Vedic Horoscope (birth chart). The intensity of dosha is more from Venus than from moon or Lagna as per some schools of Astrology. A person born with this positioning of Kuja (Mars or Sevvai or Angaraka) is termed a manglik or a candidate with Sevvai Dosham (Dosham is the term for Affliction or Arishta in South India). This Dosha is considered by some scholars to be detrimental or devastating for marriage, which can potentially cause discomfort and tension in relationship, leading to probable separation or divorce, and may in some cases, it is also believed to cause untimely death of one of the married partners.
Effects of affliction in various houses as mentioned above:
• The afflicted 2nd house may create quarrels and tension among the family members.
• Afflicted Lagna or 1st house may make a person unhappy or stressed often.
• 4th house affliction may cause problems affecting domestic happiness and may also cause tension on account of issues owing to properties or vehicles.
• Afflicted 7h house can cause harm to conjugal and marital happiness.
• When 8th house is afflicted it may bring a fatal accident if spouse at appropriate time affecting the marital happiness.
• 12th house affliction will make the person extravagant or addicted to bad habits and therefore spending habits of the person may not be disciplined resulting in unhappiness due to over indulgence.
The fiery nature of planet Mars is understood to be responsible for such afflictions at certain placements. It is also said in scriptures that If two mangliks marry, the negative effects of both cancel each other out. However, Mars is not the only planet in Vedic Astrology that can cause tension between married partners as other malefics such as Saturn, Rahu, Kethu and Sun or natural benefics Jupiter, Venus or Mercury when they become functional malefics or afflicted and afflicted moon can also cause these adverse results if overall astrological compatibility or match between horoscopes is lacking or absent.
Some scholars say that the negative consequences for a single-manglik marriage can be remedied if the manglik first performs a ceremony called a kumbh vivah, in which the manglik marries a banana tree, a peepal tree, or an icon of Vishnu. Mangal Dosha is a subject which has a lot of tales, gossips, unsubstantiated or illogical beliefs built around it.
Many misconceptions and superstition in Jyotish or Vedic Astrology unfortunately exist due to illogical beliefs promoted by some unqualified or inexperienced professionals in the field. In the land where Vedic astrology was born, most people, even a lot of astrologers, have given life to misconceptions and blind beliefs about several basic facts of astrology. Misconceptions or blind-beliefs about Kuja dosha, have a lot of far reaching effects in some sections of society which may be full of superstitions, especially in marriage related maters.
One of the greatest fears in our society with respect to marriage is the presence of strong Mangal Dosha or Kuja Dosha in the chart of a boy or a girl. We have seen a lot of excellent matches otherwise getting rejected by astrologers or other pandits just because the boy or the girl has some kind of Mangal Dosha in their birth chart.
Scriptures of Vedic Astrology of different schools differ in their views —while determining the positioning of Mars for existence of Dosha; explaining rules for Dosha exception or cancellation; and giving remedies or antidotes for neutralizing or mitigating the Dosha.
According to some commentators Mars placed in the 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12 from lagna or Moon causes Kuja Dosha. Some authorities don’t include the 1st house and some others exclude the 2nd house.
Maharishi Parashara, in his Brihat Parasara Horasastra (BPHS), chapter 81, verse 47 said the following: “If Mars is placed in the Lagna, 12th, 4th, 7th and 8th houses, without any aspect or conjunction of the benefic planets, the husband of such a woman will certainly have an early death.” So it is clear that if Mars has the aspect or association of a benefic, there is no dosha. It must be noted that in the very next verse, verse 48, he gave the other important exception as follows: “The yoga in which a woman takes birth and becomes a widow, if a male takes birth, he also becomes a widower. If a woman with the widowhood yoga marries a man with similar yoga, such yoga will be cancelled.” So the 2nd exception given by him is that this feared dosha is cancelled if both the girl and the boy have Mangal Dosha.
However by and large the majority of the astrologers include the 2nd house also in the Mangal Dosha and accept the 6 houses. As there are 12 houses in a horoscope and as Mars in 6 houses causes Mangal Dosha, it simply means that 50% of the people born have some degree or level of Kuja Dosha. Hence it goes without saying that this Mangal Dosha is not something which will ruin a person, because it is not the intention of Almighty to condemn half of mankind. The prevalent misconceptions are that, if a person has Martian affliction it will either ruin the marriage or will cause one’s death or the death of the partner. Especially if a girl has Kuja or Mangal Dosha, called “Mangalik”, she is looked down as a devil by the mother-in-law. Nothing can be farther than the truth. First let us examine what the Kuja Dosha is all about and how it affects marriage.
The planet Mars symbolizes courage, power, aggression, vitality, confidence, fighting spirit and warrior qualities. If Mars is placed in any of the above mentioned 6 houses, it gives aggressive tendencies to either the person or the spouse. In certain cases if Mars is malefic to the native, it also gives danger to life, provided that other bad maraka / bhadaka combinations are also present. These two are the main negative qualities. Hence the first reason for the “Dosha Tag” is because in the olden days the ideal wife was regarded as one who is meek, obedient and submissive. Hence a girl with the so called Martian afflictions, who is likely to have courage and fighting spirit, was considered by our society as a girl with “Dosha Tag”.
The second possible reason for the “Dosha Tag” is that during the war torn middle ages when a lot of the Shastras were written, a “Martian person”, who is normally well built, courageous, aggressive and has fighting qualities, was a prime candidate to be recruited by the king for his army and hence the chances of his death or serious injury in a battle, were quite strong. In the present changed and modern age it is utter foolishness to be scared simply because one has Mangal Dosha.
However, Mangal Dosha is not something that can be ignored. It does cause some or serious marital discord. Before marriage it is very essential to match the horoscopes for Kuja Dosha absence or cancellation . If a boy has Kuja Dosha with certain intensity in the horoscope, the spouse (girl) must also have Kuja Dosha with equal or lesser intensity. This way the Dosha is cancelled or balanced at acceptable level. Otherwise both should be without any kind of Dosha. Various scholars and experts have given a lot of exceptions for absence or cancellations of the Kuja Dosha. They are so many that almost every possibility may get cancelled. The truth is that in majority of the cases the so called exceptions or cancellations may not work.
Dr. B. V. Raman, the world-renowned astrologer and author of over 100 books in Vedic Astrology, presented a unique formula to measure the exact intensity of “Mangal-dosha”, on a scale of 100 points for each of the concerned malefic planets causing the dosha, in his books “Jaataka-Nirnay” and “How to judge a horoscope (vol. II)”. Based on this formula, maximum “Mangal-dosha” in a chart may reach up to 337.50 points.
While many astrologers in some parts of our country do not consider 2nd house while assessing the “Mangala-dosha”, Dr. B.V. Raman and many other scholars of Vedic astrology insist on considering the 2nd house also. While, the 2nd house represents family and wealth on the one hand, it is also the “Marak-bhava” of the native. Based on the principle of “Bhaavat Bhavam”, it is also the 8th from 7th house and thus represents the age of the spouse. If Mars is posited in the 2nd house, Mars aspects the “Saubhaagya sthaan” or “Mangalya sthaan” of the wife through its 7th aspect. Through its 4th aspect, Mars afflicts the 5th house (house of progeny) and through its 8th aspect, it afflicts the 9th house, the most important house representing the father, destiny and Dharma / Bhagya (Prosperity and luck) of a person.
Based on experts’ research and experiential findings, the Kuja Dosha or Mangal Dosha must be examined from the Moon, Venus (and Saturn also as per some). And the dosha can also be mathematically quantified to be present as expressed in percentage— in 8th house – 100%, in the Lagna – 50%, in the 7th house -25% in the 4th- 12.5% and in the 12th and 2nd houses – 6.66%.
It is also firmly believed that there is — No dosha if Mars is in its own house or in the house of its Moolatrikona or exaltation;
No dosha if aspected by a strong benefic Jupiter or Venus or strong benefic moon;
If a strong benefic is placed in the 5th or 9th house of Mars then the dosha of Mars in the 7th and 8th may get mitigated or cancelled.
However it is also advised that apart from the Mars, the placement of malefic planets – Saturn, Sun, Rahu or Kethu also to be studied as they may also cause similar or stronger doshas. From the point of view of causing dosha, if Mars causes 100% dosha, Saturn causes 75% dosha, Sun causes 50% dosha and Rahu /Kethu causes 25% dosha for marriage aspects. These doshas must also be evaluated in the same way.
For kuta matching, one should give more importance to Dina, Gana, Rasi, Yoni and Rajju aspects and less to the others including nadi.
The ascertaining of matching of horoscopes and especially the calculation of extent of Mangal Dosha is the job of an experienced and intelligent Vedic astrologer and must be done after thorough analysis of both the horoscopes of the boy and the girl.
According to Dr. B. V Raman and others, the following points also to be considered for cancellation or mitigation of dosha, while evaluating Kuja Dosha for matching:
1. No Dosha whatsoever for Leo (Simha) and Aquarius (Kumbha) rasis or signs;
2. No Dosha when Mars is in 2nd house, in the signs of Gemini (Mithuna) and Virgo (Kanni);
3. No Dosha when Mars is in 4th house, in the signs of Aries (Mesha) and Scorpio (Vrischika);
4. No Dosha when Mars is in 7th house, in the signs of Cancer (Kataka) and Capricorn (Makara);
5. No Dosha when Mars is in 8th house, in the signs of Sagittarius (Dhanur) and Pisces (Meena) signs;
6. No Dosha when Mars is in 12th house, in the signs of Taurus (Vrishabha) and Libra (Tula).
7. Association or aspect of Mars with Jupiter or Saturn in certain cases cancels the dosha
8. Retrograde Mars does not cause strong dosha.
9. A weak Mars (e.g. combust, situated near Rashi Sandhi etc., ) loses ability to cause dosha.
10. If Mars happens to be the Lagna lord it may not cause strong dosha.
11. If the dispositor of Mars is neecha or associated with strong benefic, the dosha May be mitigated to a great extent.
12. If Mars is placed in own house, or exalted house or in a friendly house.
13. If Mars is in Movable sign, Dosha is less.
14. If dispositer (sign lord) of Mars is in Quadrant or Trine.
15. For Cancer and Leo ascendants Mars being yogakaraka, no kuja dosha.
Remedies for Kuja dosha
• The person who has got Kuja dosha in his/her horoscope should marry a person with same strength of Kuja dosha. Then the bad effect of Mars will be neutralized though it may not get fully cancelled.
• Performing remedial prayers and rituals under proper guidance at Kuke Subramanya Temple can help to some extent.
• Kuja dosha can be suppressed by reciting Lord Subrahmanya Astottaram (108 names) daily during the periods of Mars. Lord Subrahmanya is also called Skandha, Karitkeya or Muruga.
• It is said: ‘Bhaaryam Rakshatu bhairavi’ – Let my spouse be protected by Bhairavi. Goddess Durga is called Bhairavi and hence reciting Devi Suktham or Durga Suktham regularly is a remedy to mitigate the effects of Kuja dosha.
• On Tuesdays, donating to priests of Subramanya Temple, twardal, wheat breads, red color clothes and red stones will help. Also we may donate sharp objects like knives, crowbars to young workers who need them.
• To visit Hanumanji temple on Tuesdays and offer sweets and vermilion. Lighting a ghee lamp at Temple is also considered very useful.
• When Kuja dosha is very strong, it separates the couple by killing or separating the spouse. In this case, first the bride should marry a pipal tree (pippala) or banana tree and then the actual marriage can take place as per advise of a competent Vedic expert.
• In our puranaas, Savithri is a female who fought with Lord Yama, the lord of Death and got her husband alive. Hence, in case of Kuja dosha, it is recommended that the bride should perform ‘Savithri vratha’ to make her husband long-lived.
• Worshipping the Gods – Bhairava Hanumanji or Narasimha is the best remedy for pacifying Mars.
• Wearing Red Coral gem of 6-8 carats in a gold or silver ring in the right hand -ring finger will help to reduce the negative effects of Kuja dosha provided Kuja is not a maraka or bhadaka in his/her horoscope.
• Lord Muruga when worshipped at Arupadai Veedu Temples (namely at Swamimalai, Tiruttani, Palani, Thiruparankundram, Pazhamuthircholai and Tiruchendur) at one stretch within 15 days during Suklapaksha (between Dwithiyai and Poornima) may strengthen Mars to a greater extent to ease out many issues of life.
• In Palani Temple, Lord Muruga is most powerful representing Mars and the temple for planet Mars is Vaideeswarankoil near Mayuram. One can offer prayers at these temples under proper guidance.
• At Kukke, Subramanya- Lord Muruga cures devotees from generational curses associated with Sarpa dosha and Pitru doshas.
• Traditionally as per scriptures, Lord Subramanya worship is highly recommended for solving many problems arising out of Sarpa or Naga Dosha, Kuja Dosha and health or vitality related issues.
• On Tuesdays if one remains vegetarian, worships Muruga by regularly visiting His temple. Offering prayers through recitation of his Sahasranma, Skanda Shasti Kavacham, Skandha Guru Kavacham or “Om Sarava Bhava” mantra (daily one mala) he can strengthen the Mars planet in his horoscope to get appropriate benefits.
May you all receive the Bountiful Blessings of Lord Muruga and Blessings of Kuja Graha to lead a healthy and successful life.
GF’ Blessings.
