The most dreaded concept of "Manglik" is known for conferring the results of early death of spouse or inharmonious relationship with the spouse.  A native is considered to be 'Manglik' when Mars is placed in the first, second, fourth, seventh, eighth or twelfth house from the natal ascendant or Moon.  Some modern savants even include these positions from Venus.  This way more than 80% of the human beings will be graded as Manglik.  This concept is far from truth.  Though, there is mention of some exceptions to the said position of Mars, yet even these are not based on any logic.

The said position of Mars in a chart does not make a native Manglik in case the Mars is a functional benefic for the natal chart.  The natal charts where Mars becomes functional malefic i.e. Virgo, Scorpio and Taurus ascendant charts, it can generate the results of the so-called Manglik yoga if the association of Mars is close/exact to the most effective point of the house and the lord of the house where Mars is posited, is weak.  Mars can cause mangal dosha even if it is placed in Aries near the MEP. There is no exception to this combination.  However, the trinal close aspects of a functional benefic Jupiter and the third aspect of a functional benefic Saturn are capable of warding off the evils generated by Mars to a large extent.

Therefore, for understanding the true impact of Mars in a natal chart we have to clearly understand the functional nature of planets.

Though the classical literature guides us that benefics owning Kendras (angles) turn functional malefics, malefics owning angles turn functional benefics, and those lords of two houses simultaneously turn neutral, yet the experience of the writer is otherwise.   Before explaining the approach for identifying the functional nature of planets, I would like to mention that we find ourselves encountered with a large number of inconsistencies and confusions prevailing in the classical predictive tools which I believe are the results of interpolations and omissions while recording the principles as enunciated by the propounding fathers.  The clues identified by the author on the functional nature of planets for particular ascendants and application of transit with reference to the natal ascendant have solved most of the confusions.  The "Systems' Approach for Interpreting Horoscopes" suggested by me in my book having the same title does not leave a single case being reported in various astrological journals unexplained with this approach.

The author is of the firm view that the functional nature of the planets should be determined on the basis of placement of the mooltrikona sign of any planet in an auspicious or inauspicious house.

Therefore, I consider those planets as functional benefics whose mooltrikona sign fall in benefic houses from the ascendant and functional malefics, whose mooltrikona sign falls in malefic houses (6th, 8th and 12th )houses from the ascendant irrespective of their natural nature. Their natural nature works only to the extent of tinting the results with the qualities of various planets.

The guidelines for identifying functional nature of planets in the basis of mooltrikona signs of the planets, render the following prevalent principles to futility :-

-That the benefic planets owning kendras turn malefics.
-That the second and seventh lords act as maraka planets (death inflicting planets).
-That the planets placed in the seventh and second houses act as   marakas.
-That the planets associated with the lords of the second and seventh houses  act as marakas.
-That the results of transit should be studied from the natal Moon.
-That the transit can be applied in isolation.
- That the planet Saturn, except in the case of ascendants ruled by it and Venus, does not act as benefic.
- That the lord of the ascendant always proves beneficial for the native. As per Systems’ Approach, Venus as lord of Taurus ascendant and Mars as lord of the Scorpio ascendant become functional malefics for the native because of their mooltrikona signs falling in the sixth houses.

A systematic approach for analyzing horoscopes on the basis of functional nature of planets, close/exact conjunctions/ aspects together with reading natal charts in conjunction with transit position of planets with reference to the ascendant and treating the degrees rising in the ascendant as the middle point of all the houses give infallible results which establishes the divine science of astrology as a super-science. The present disbelief in astrology is because of the continuous dependence of modern savants on the record of classical principles, which are full of interpolations/omissions due to the time gap between the propounding time and the recording time of the said principles. To establish it as a science, we have to demonstrate to the world the observations recorded by way of case studies based on the universal application of only the valid classical principles. We have to make a creative contribution to the enrichment of the divine science.   

The publication of my analytical work on this subject in one of the astrological journals evoked a lot of uneasiness. Some people charged that I was denouncing our ancient sages and that I had overlooked certain important points. I expected such criticism. I have neither overlooked the so-called important points nor denounced our ancient sages. I follow the method of science in adopting the prevalent predictive tools.

The method of science is recording and analyzing the observations based on the hints available in the classical and modern literature, forming testable hypothesis for logical questions and adopting those principles which stand an objective test.

While nobody can vouch the originality of the classics and ancient commentaries, I do not cling to the classics, which are full of controversies, confusions and inconsistencies.   Classics give the result of observations whereas the Systems' Approach guides one to make one's own inferences taking into account the unique combinations/planetary influences in each and every chart. The readers have to take the facts on their face-value, whether they would like to adopt interpretations of those who have not made any significant contributions for the development of the science or they would like to adopt Systems' Approach, which explains each and every chart, howsoever unique it may be.

There have been efforts by vested interests to suppress the contributions of those who try to give a systematic approach for weeding out interpolations, inconsistencies and confusions.   These efforts are being made by those who had been interpreting the classics as they are and failed to weed out confusions. The study of classics by those who have scientific bent of mind can  definitely bring many more facts to light. Basically, Systems' Approach has suggested only two major changes in classical principles, namely

1) Identifying functional nature of planets as per placement of their mooltrikona signs; and

(2) Analysis only with reference to natal ascendant.

However, the criticism of those, who want to cling to the classics and criticize without experimenting the Systems' Approach for empirical studies, cannot discourage the author in his attempts.

Birth Nov.1938
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Mars occupies the eighth house in association with the Moon causing the so-called Manglik dosha. Yet the native had a long inning of married life and is still enjoying. The lord of the seventh house, the Sun occupies the tenth house.  In spite of its being in the state of infancy, it gets some strength because of its location in an angular house. The significator for wife, Venus, is combust in this case and the seventh house is aspected by Ketu and Jupiter.  The, aspect of Jupiter to the house is quite wide, while the aspect of Ketu is close.  The weakness of the significator and the lord of the seventh house have given some amount of weak health to the wife of the native on some occasions but the presence of Manglik dosha has not cut short the married life of the native as Mars is not a functional malefic for this chart.

Birth: Oct. 1934
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Mars' presence in the ascendant gives rise to the so-called Manglik dosha.  Here again the native continues to enjoy his married life in spite of the weakness of the lord of the seventh house and the significator for wife.  Mars is a functional benefic and has close association with middle point of the house.  Here Mars acts as a protector.  The sub-periods of weak planets, when such planets are not severely afflicted by functional malefics, Rahu and Ketu in the natal chart, do not end the significations ruled by them.  However, when such weak planets form exact conjunctions/aspect by transit afflicting planets, they generate some amount of tension.  Afflicting planets are the functional malefics planets.

Birth Nov 28
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The so-called Manglik dosha is formed by placement of Mars in the twelfth house.  Mars is a functional benefic for this chart.  The native continues to enjoy the company of his spouse. The seventh house does not contain a mooltrikona sign and its significations are not under particular focus. The significator for wife is placed in the sixth house.  Both, the lord of the seventh house and the significator for wife, do not suffer close/exact afflictions.

Birth Jan 1923
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The seventh house does not contain a mooltrikona sign.  The seventh lord is placed in the second house while the significator for wife is placed in the house of losses. The placement of Venus in the twelfth house caused some amount of losses but the married life continues in spite of presence of the so-called Manglik dosha due to placement of Mars in the fourth house.  Rather Mars is a functional benefic for the native and the significations of Mars have contributed considerably in the life of the native.

Birth Sep 1932
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Manglik dosha is formed due to placement of Mars in the twelfth house. The association of Rahu with the seventh house is close.   The lord of the seventh house does not suffer from affliction. The seventh house receives close aspect of the twelfth lord, the Moon.   The impact of the affliction of the Moon is always fickle due to the fast speed of the Moon.  The married life of the native is continuing.  The aspect of Mars to Saturn had been helpful while Rahu's closeness to the mid-point of the seventh house has given indifferent health.