Mars (Mangal, also called Kuja or Bhauma) is the commander of the planetary cabinet. It is the planet of energy, courage, action and protection. A well-placed Mars gives drive and the ability to fight for what matters; a strained one can show impatience or conflict.
What Mars signifies
- Energy and courage: initiative, competitiveness, physical strength and sports.
- Siblings, especially younger brothers.
- Land and property, construction and real estate.
- Technical skill: engineering, machinery, surgery, the police and armed forces.
- The body: blood, muscles, marrow and the body's heat; injuries and inflammation.
Its day is Tuesday, its direction south, its colour red, its metal copper and its gem red coral.
Where Mars is strong or weak
| Condition | Sign |
|---|---|
| Exalted | Capricorn, deepest at 28° |
| Own signs | Aries, Scorpio |
| Debilitated | Cancer, deepest at 28° |
Mars gains directional strength in the 10th house and generally does well in the 3rd, 6th, 10th and 11th, the houses of effort and growth. Its special aspects fall on the 4th, 7th and 8th houses from where it sits.
A strong Mars
Courage, decisiveness, energy and leadership in action; success in sports, engineering, defence, surgery or property; and the ability to protect others.
A weak or afflicted Mars
Low energy or, the other way, anger, haste and accidents; disputes with siblings or over property. Mars in certain houses is also the source of the much-discussed Manglik dosha, which has many cancellations and should be checked carefully rather than feared.
Yogas involving Mars
Mars in its own or exaltation sign in a kendra forms Ruchaka, one of the five Mahapurusha yogas. Mars with the Moon forms Chandra-Mangala yoga. For Cancer and Leo ascendants Mars is the yogakaraka.
The Mars mahadasha
Mars runs for 7 years in the Vimshottari cycle. It is usually an active, results-driven period: property, competition, technical work and new initiatives, with a need to manage stress and avoid conflict.
Simple remedies
- Regular physical exercise: the healthiest outlet for Mars.
- Tuesday Hanuman worship, the Hanuman Chalisa, and the Mangal mantra.
- Patience in speech; count to ten before reacting.
- Donate red lentils (masoor dal) or help those in uniform or labour.
- Red coral only on advice; see gemstones.
See your Mars in your free birth chart.