MARS : The Qualitative Planet: Basic Interpretation
Astronomically, Mars or Mangala is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second smallest planet in the Solar System. In English, Mars carries the name of the Roman God of War and referred as the “Red Planet” for the reddish appearance which distinct it from the other astronomical bodies.
Mars is one of the 9 Planets in Hinduism and Vedic Astrology and probably the most uttered name by the astrologers, and mostly indicating about Mangalik Dosha or Kuja Dosha or Bhoumo Dosh. Surprisingly the rituals for corrections for the above mentioned Dosha is probably posited highest among any other Graho Dosh and thus give Mars a celebrity status.
Sanskrit name ‘MANGALA’ or Lohitang means Red-bodied or Red Planet. According to Hindu mythology Mars is the God of war and celibacy and sometimes linked to Lord Kartikeya. The origin of Mars varies in different texts. In Vishnu Purana, Mars is the son of Varaha Avtar of Vishnu and In Shiv Purana, Mars was born from the sweat drop or blood drop of Lord Shiva performing Tandava.
Character:
As Mars was born due to Tandava, it has both qualities to destruct and construct, as in theosophical philosophy Tandava stands for both destruction and construction, for both stability and dissolution. This concludes Mars as unstable. Astrologically Mars possess both positive and negative quality together. Combining the both interpretation together Mars can be described as the most unstable Planet, which can perform both constructive and destructive actions in the life of a human being. Mars has both positive and negative vibes within it.
Mars holds the ownership of Aries the first house, symbolizes strength of Kalpurush. It is the natural significant for strength, fire, fist, valor, vigor, courage, warmth, conflict, victory, trail and many other things. Native gets energy for all materialistic doings and deeds from Mars. It controls the total extent of strength and enthusiasm of native to perform actions. By the influence of Mars native becomes active. By nature Mars is agile, cruel-vision and merciful, which also impact over the nature and character of the native, and influence him to perform his deeds. Mars signifies soldier, army, dominance, penalize also. This imposes fighting and combative qualifies over the native, influencing in the performing of his doings and deeds. Mars also gives flavor. It attributes special instincts and characteristics to the performing and policy of the native. Thus the results and outcomes of the performing and doings of a native can be best described by the position, strength, promises and outcomes of Mars in his or her natal chart. As compared by states of Planet or Graha Avasthas according to astrology, Mars is taken as the only Planet possessing Tamoguna. Tamoguna or Tamas is the qualities of imbalance, disorder, chaos, anxiety, Impurity, destruction, delusion, negativity, dullness, inactivity, apathy, Inertia, lethargy, violence, vicious and ignorance. These are all the negative qualities of Mars. And if we compare Mars with other Planets, we can see that the status of Mars is very much similar to the status of Sun. Sun is taken as a Rajoguni Planet, having the qualities of passion, activity, neither good or bad or sometimes the either, self-centeredness, egoistic, individualizing, moving and dynamic. Comparing these two Gunas, i.e.; Tamas and Rajas we can conclude Tamas is the preliminary or unstable state of Rajas, or RajaGuna derives from Tamoguna. Through these Gunatmak features we can conclude Mars as the unstable state of Sun, or Mars is just an unstable Sun. Along with all negative qualities, Mars possess all the positive qualities of Sun itself within it.
Tatwa & Gunatmak Concept:
Mars can be absorbed in any other Planet while being conjoined in same Rashi. Any substance is constructed by three Gunas, i.e. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These Gunas give the qualities of the substance. In similar manner every Planet is possess these three Gunas. Mars having the exorbitance of Tamoguna has the power to stimulate as the qualities of Tamoguna are the inner negative qualities. Having this power of stimulation, Mars is absorbed within the conjoined Planet and exorbitant its inner quality and intemper its nature and characteristics. Thus when a Planet is conjoined with Mars it gives the results of itself in a rough and higher manner.
No Planet other than Mars has this feature as no other Planet among 9 Planets possesses the exorbitance of Tamoguna. Sattva and Rajas are much more stable than Tamas, thus any other Planet is not being able to act and multiply like Mars. This unique feature discriminate Mars from other Planets and derives Mars as a Planet which gives quality to other Planets. All other 8 Planets are quantitative Planets in astrology but Mars only is the qualitative Planet. Being a qualitative Planet, Mars can be characterized in Tatvas while other 8 can be characterized in Gunas. This feature can also discriminate Mars from any other Planet. Thus we can conclude astrologically Mars is different from any other Planet and has unique features for itself.
Taking in consideration that Mars is the unstable state of Sun, we can describe Mars in a similar manner. Sun is the main Planet among 9 Planets. As a governor of the soul, Sun gives and governs the inner quality. And if we consider Sun as solid state, Mars can be considered as the plasma state of Sun. And in same manner as Sun gives the inner quality from outside, Mars have to be absorbed and mixed to give the inner quality as it differs from Sun by solid to plasma state. Thus taking this in consideration we can also conclude that Mars can be absorbed within a Planet to stimulate its inner qualities and effects its nature and characteristics and exorbitance its results and outcomes.
Numerological Value & Justification:
As per numerology, Mars is given the digit 9 as its root number. The number 9 has also a unique feature. Any number, if added with 9, will remain the same in result. Thus according to numerology, if the root number 9 of Mars is added to root number of any other Planet, the result will be the same and the resultant number will be the same root number and the Planet will remain the same. For example
Sun root number 1 + 9 = 10=1+0 =1
Moon root number 2 + 9 = 11=1+1=2
Jupiter root number 3+9 =12=1+2=3
Rahu root number 4 +9 =13=1+3=4
Mercury root number 5+9=14=1+4=5
Venus root number 6+9=15=1+5=6
Ketu root number 7+9=16=1+6=7
Saturn root number 8+9=17=1+7=8
Hence, we can conclude that adding or joining Mars with any other Planet will result the Planet itself. Thus, if we take the theory of numerology in consideration, we can also conclude that Mars is absorbed in any other Planet if conjoined or added with that. This also supports the above features of Mars and makes Mars unique among Planets.
Now the question may arises that is mars simply absorb within any planet and leaving no traces behind? Answer is no , as we talk earlier the other 8 planets have gunatmak character so let’s see what numerology try to point out in this context, Guna means quality and Guna means multiplication too, so let see the result. When the Root number of Sun 1 is multiplied by 9 the obvious result will be 9, likewise when the Root number of Saturn 8 is multiplied by 9 the result is 72 i.e.; 7+2 = 9 again So it proves that though the mars is absorbed when it is conjoined with any planet but the ‘Guna’ or Character of mars is very much exist within it.
It is a common fear psychosis that Saturn and Mars conjoined aspect will result a severe destruction, it is half right, as we know Saturn usually deliver good result when it is posited in 3, 6 & 11th house, so in those cases the native will find more aggressive and good results, but in other 9 houses it will definitely deliver most destructive and adverse result.
We inherited astrology from Sages and they didn’t choose the root number randomly rather every aspects of Astrology have its own clarification & Justification. In some numerological theories Mars is given different root numbers. The most popular after the previous one is root number 3. But we can say that the root number 9 for Mars is the most appropriate root number as the number 9 is the mostly associated number with the Mars. We know that Mars situated in a Rashi for 45 days. According to numerology the resultant number of 45 is 9. Besides this, Mars travels the total Rashichakra in 540 days. Here also the resultant root number is 9. These are two most important statistics of Mars. Hence we can conclude that taking the number 9 as the root number for Mars is most justified and appropriate.