The So-called Kuja Dosha

The position of Venus and Mars is very important in judging marital relations. Mars whose element is fire rules marriage. Where he is badly situated or associated in the horoscope matching of a male or female, it follows that the sacerdotal fire gets extinguished soon. Such unfavourable situation goes under the name of Kuja Dosha. It must be noted that in determining marriage adaptability between two parties, there are several elements of much more importance than Kuja Dosha. And the evil influences accuring from the bad position of Mars is only one of the several elements. It is unfortunate that throughout South India especially in the Tamil areas, much is made of the so-called Kuja Dosham and this bugbear has been the means of destroying the happiness of many families by preventing marriages otherwise very eligible and anxiously wished for. So far as our humble experience goes it is only in the Kerala Sastra that mention is made of Kuja Dosha. The stanza runs thus: Dhana vyayecha pathale jamitre chashtame kuja; Strinam bharthru vinasamcha bharthunam strivinasanam. This means: - "If Mars is in the 2nd, 12th, 4th, 7th and 8th houses in the horoscope of the female, the death of the husband will occur; similar situation in the husband's horoscope causes the death of wife."