Timing of death is a very tricky business. Even after an Astrologer has timed the death of a person, he is forbidden to disclose it to the person concerned. At the most he can give a very subtle hint, but at the same time he should prescribe some remedial measures for relief.

Timing of death can be done in two different ways.

1. Dashayu

This is assessed according to the Maraka dasha Antar or Pratyantar dasha , after judging longevity by different methods.

1. Gochar (Transit)

Gochar (Transit) of certain planets can be death inflicting provided the dasha is also giving a similar indication. It must be remembered that Gochar (Transit) is the final clinching factor and Gochar (Transit) is subservient to dasha. It cannot act independently.

Dashayu - The Maraka Dasha

Any planet can acquire propensity for inflicting death or death like misery, if he is the lord of any of the houses which can cause death, or if he is associated with any Maraka planet. Dasha of such a planet becomes the Dasha of the Marrakesh.

The Maraka planets have already been mentioned earlier, they are being mentioned again for convenience.

Maraka Planets

1. Second house lord.
2. Seventh house lord.
3. Planets associated with Second house.
4. Planets associated with Seventh house.
5. Twelfth house lord.
6. Planets associated with twelfth house.
7. Eighth house and planets associated with it.
8. Third house and planets associated with it.
9. Saturn the unconditional Maraka.

The Maraka Dasha

Which dasha can be the marakesh dasha ?

1. The Ayu khanda of the Jatak should be decided to see whether it falls under Alpa Ayu group, Madhya Ayu group or Poorna ayu group. For determination of Ayu khanda Jaimini Ayurdaya, using Jaimini Nora Lagna can be safely relied upon.
    
2. After determining the Ayu khanda, see the dasha order:
   Tara :
          Birth Nakshatra - Birth
          Second from Birth Nak. - Sampat
          Third from Birth Nak. - Vipat
          Fourth from Birth Nak. - Keshema
          Fifth from Birth Nak. - Pratyari
          Sixth from Birth Nak. - Sadhak
          Seventh from Birth Nak. - Vadh
          Eighth from Birth Nak. - Mitra
          Ninth from Birth Nak. - Atimitra
   The dashas of the lords of the third fifth and Seventh nakshatras i.e. vipat , pratyari and vadha taras are adverse. Another way of seeing this is: Note the dasha at birth. The adverse dashas will be
   
   • Third dasha from birth dasha.
   • Fifth dasha from birth dasha.
   • Seventh dasha from birth dasha.
   If any of these dashas are falling within the Ayu khanda of the Jatak, then it can become the dasha of Marakesh.
    
3. If dasha of any of the MARAKAS is falling within the ayu determined earlier, then that dasha can become the maraka dasha.
   • If Sun or moon are lords of maraka houses and are associated with others marakas, then their dashas can also become marakesh dasha
   • If Benefics like Jupiter Venus or Mercury or full Moon are kendra lords, then they can become marakas.
     • Jupiter with kendra adhipati dosha becomes a strong maraka.
     • Venus can also become a maraka of a lesser degree than Jupiter.
     • Mercury becomes a maraka of a lesser degree than Venus.
     • Full Moon as a kendra lord becomes a maraka of even lesser degree than Mercury.
   • Saturn who is the unconditional maraka can give death in his dasha, if his dasha is falling at the appropriate time.

In this manner depending on the Ayu Khanda and the Dasha Sequence, it is possible to pinpoint which dasha (Dasha-Antardasha or pratyantar dasha) is the probable maraka dasha.

When we are dealing with a topic like death then it is better to not depend on only one dasha. Confirmation should be made by yogini dasha, char dasha, sthir dasha, kalachakra dasha or some condititonal dasha which is applicable to the horoscope.

After pinpointing the probable dasha, Gochar (Transit) should be applied to fix the probable time of death.

The Fatal Transit - Gochar (Transit)

Gochar (Transit) shows the final fructification of the promise in the horoscope. In our context it will show when actual death or death like misery (मृत्यु तुल्य कष्ट) will take place.

When planets transit (pass through) certain rashis which are considered adverse, when seen in relation to Moon, death can take place.

Caution: Rules of Gochar (Transit) should not be applied independently, because they can mislead the person. They should be applied only after:

1. Determination of Ayu khanda
2. Determination of Ayu by Pindayu, Amsayu, Nisargayu etc.
3. Determination of the maraka dasha.

When Saturn, Mars, Jupiter or Sun transit the Natal (Birth Rashi) Moon or eighth or twelfth houses from it, Ill health, trouble or death can take place.

Saturn's Transit

1. If Saturn transits the Birth Chandra or the eighth or twelfth rashi from it, Ill health or death can take place. At the same time if Mars or Jupiter are also transiting these places, then the trouble can increase.
   • Saturn is the unconditional killer or Yama himself, his role normally comes into play somehow or the other, at the time of death.
2. If Saturn transits over the below mentioned points or trines (1 st, 5th, 9th) from them, it can create trouble or death.
   • Natal Saturn
   • Natal Moon.
   • Moon's Dispositor (Rashilord)
   • Twenty second dreshkona lord.
   • Sixty fourth Navamsa lord.
   • Lagna lord.
   • Eighth lord.
   • Gulika.
   • Sixth or eighth place from Sun. 3.
3. If Saturn transits over certain crucial degrees it can produce similar results.
   1. By adding together the longitudes of sixth, eighth and twelfth house lords, a certain longitude will be got. If it becomes more than twelve signs, then deduct twelve or multiples of twelve from it to get the resultant rashi. Saturn’s transit over this longitude is adverse.
   2. By adding together the longitudes of lagna lord, Saturn and gulika, a certain longitude will be got. Saturn's transit over this longitude is adverse.
4. The Ashtakvarga Method: Multiply the shodhya pinda of Saturn, with the number of benefic bindus in 7th or 8th rashi from Saturn, in Saturn's Ashtakvarga, before trikona and ekadhipati Shodan, and divide the product by 27. The remainder obtained thus, counted from Ashwini, will indicate a certain Nakshatra.
   When Saturn transits over that nakshatra or trines from it (1-10-19), it can give death
   I.e. Shodhya Pinda Saturn X Benefic Bindus in 7th or 8th rashi from Saturn, in Saturn's A.Varga before Reductions ÷ 27
   • Remainder is counted from Ashwini.

Jupiter's Transit

1. When Jupiter transits any of the following, death or serious trouble is possible.
   1. The eighth house lord.
   2. The moon sign.
   3. Lagna.
   4. Twenty second dreshkone lord.
   5. Sixty fourth Navamsa lord.
   6. Rahu
2. Ashtakvarga Method
   Multiply the shodhya Pinda of Saturn by the benefic bindus in the rashi occupied by Jupiter in Saturn's Ashtakvarga before reductions. Divide the product by 12. The remainder counted from Aries gives a rashi, Jupiter’s transit over this rashi or its trines can prove fatal.
   Shodhya Pinda Saturn x Bindus in the Rashi occupied by Jupiter in Saturn A.V. Before Reduction ÷ 12.
   Remainder is counted from Aries.

Sun's Transit

1. When Sun transit over birth sign or the Seventh, eighth or twelfth from it, and if there are all other indications of death, then it can show the month of death.
2. Under similar circumstances, sun's transit in the sign of the eighth lord can indicate death.

Moon Transit

1. Moon's Transit over natal Moon can show timing of death within 3-4 days. It will be illustrated in Indira Gandhi's horoscope. At the time of her death-Transit moon had just passed over her natal moon.
2. Moon's transit over natal sun can give death.
3. Moon's transit over eighth lord can also indicate death.

Transit of Planets over Certain Nakshatras from Birth Nakshatra

1. When Sun transit over 26 and 27th Nakshatra from Birth Nakshatra.
2. When Mars transits over 1st and 2nd Nakshatra from Birth Nakshatra.
3. When Saturn, Rahu or Ketu transit over 22nd, 23rd.and 26th or 27th Nakshatra from Birth Nakshatra.

In all these transits, if other indications of death are also present, then death or equal to death ('Mrityu Tulya Kashta'), may take place.

Transit by Ashtakvarga

Ashtakvarga is an excellent system of analyzing transit. In Ashtakvarga it is possible to analyze the transit of a planet through every 3°45' (Kakshya) of a rashi and it brings great accuracy in prediction Prastharak of the transiting planet should be seen. If the planet is transiting through a kakshya which has a benefic Bindu, then the result will be good otherwise not. Where the Maraka is concerned, if he transits through a sensitive binduless kakshya near about the time of death, he can cause death.

Longevity Assessment

As per Amsayu method Indira Gandhi's ayu works out to be 67 yrs. 9 months.

Dasha at Death

Dasha at her death was Saturn- Rahu- Rahu

Saturn (Mahadasha Nath)

• Is her seventh and eighth lord(Maraka) placed in lagna
• He aspects the Moon, who is her lagna lord.
• From Moon, he is the second lord placed in Seventh house (Again a Maraka!)

Rahu (Antardasha and Pratyantardasha Nath)

• Rahu is placed in the sixth house from lagna (house of injury) and in twelfth house from moon.
• Rahu is accompanied by Venus who is a kendra lord and eleventh lord and is thus a malefic for cancer
• Rahu has a natural tendency to behave like Saturn. Saturn is the maraka in this case and Rahu is behaving like him.
• Rahu's dispositor is Jupiter who is also the sixth lord (of injuries).

In this manner the MDL, ADL and PDL have Marakatva (Killing propensity).

Transit at death

Saturn

• Saturn was transiting in Libra in Vishakha nakshatra, which is the 23rd nakshatra (Vainashika) from her Birth Nakshatra.
• He was closely aspecting the lagna and the natal 8L (Saturn).
• He was very close to the 22nd Dreshkone which falls in Libra and becomes a sensitive point.
• He had closely aspected the 22nd Dreshkone lord and 64th navamsa lord Venus.
• He was transiting in a binduless Kakshya in his own Prastharak.
• He was aspecting the sixth house of injuries.
• He was under no benefic influence.

Rahu

Rahu had passed over natal Jupiter.

Ketu

Ketu had just passed over natal Sun, who is the second lord.

Jupiter

Jupiter had just passed over natal Rahu.

Moon

Moon had just passed over natal moon. (It is often noticed that at the time of death the transiting moon is very close to natal moon.)

Mars

• Mars was transiting through the 6th house of injuries.
• He had passed over natal Rahu.
• He was transiting in 12th house from Moon.
• He was closely aspected by 8th Lord Saturn. Together, both Saturn and Mars were influencing the 6th house and the Lagna.

Conclusion

The entire Dasha and Transit is showing the gravity of the situation and there is no saving element anywhere in the form of any benefic association. (Position - Aspect - Conjunction)

Indira Gandhi was brutally shot dead by her Sikh body guards on the morning of 31.10.1984, and she could not be saved. Her age at the time of assassination was almost 67 years.