Introduction
Mars is the red planet, and astrology calls it the commander of the grahas. It crosses a sign in about a month and a half, and when retrograde it can stay in one sign for several months.
Mars owns two signs, Mesha and Vrishchika. Its special feature is its aspect: along with the usual 7th, it also looks at the 4th and 8th houses from itself.
For the discussion of Mars in marriage matching, see our separate, calm page "Mangal-vichar". Here we look only at the planet.
What it signifies
Tradition holds that Mars signifies:
- courage, initiative and the energy to begin
- younger siblings
- land, houses and property
- technical skill, sport and physical effort
For work, tradition associates Mars with fields that involve quick decisions, technology, protection, sport or land and property.
These are tendencies, not settled facts about anyone. The house, sign, aspects and running dasha give the meaning together.
Exalted, debilitated, own sign: in plain words
Mars's own signs are Mesha and Vrishchika. Exaltation is at Makara 28° and debilitation at Karka 28°, the same degree in the opposite sign. The first 12 degrees of Mesha are moolatrikona; the rest of Mesha and all of Vrishchika are own sign.
Mars's natural friends are Jupiter, the Moon and the Sun; its neutrals are Saturn and Venus; the old classification lists Mercury as an enemy. These are old labels; in shadbala they only decide how many points of positional strength a planet earns in a sign. Raman's method also adds the temporary relationship from the birth chart.
Exalted, debilitated, own sign and moolatrikona are names for a position, not a verdict on anyone's life. Debilitation by itself decides nothing; houses, aspects, dasha, the navamsa and the whole chart speak together.
Shadbala and this planet, in plain words
Shadbala is the sum of six kinds of strength: positional, directional, temporal, motional, natural and aspectual. ePandit computes it by B. V. Raman's method in Graha and Bhava Balas. The unit is the virupa; 60 virupas make 1 rupa.
Raman gives each planet a traditional required minimum. For Mars it is 300 virupas (5 rupas). We show you one simple ratio:
Ratio = Mars's total shadbala ÷ 300
- Above 1 means only that Mars has more than the traditional minimum to work with in its themes.
- Below 1 says nothing bad. It means other factors lead in that chart: another planet, the running dasha, or a house.
Mars's naisargika (natural) bala is 17.14 virupas, the same in every chart. Directional strength is full when Mars sits in the 10th house (south). Raman's aspect-strength calculation adds Mars's special 4th and 8th aspects separately.
Other software may show small differences; we follow Raman's method. Shadbala is a measure built on arithmetic; it does not decide any result on its own.
Mahadasha
In Vimshottari, Mars's mahadasha lasts 7 years. Tradition holds that initiative, effort, new beginnings, siblings and land or property come forward in this time.
The real colour depends on where Mars sits in your chart, which houses it rules and which antardasha is running. Every mahadasha holds nine antardashas.
Faith
Tradition links Tuesday with Mars. If you wish, you can chant Mars's name-mantra 11 or 108 times in the morning, with a calm mind:
ॐ भौमाय नमः (Om Bhaumāya Namaḥ) (planet name-mantra: tradition)
On a Tuesday, you may give a little red lentil (masoor dal) or jaggery to someone in need. (folk belief, optional)
This is a matter of faith, not a condition. No costly remedy is needed.