How to predict your time of marriage

Introduction

I time marriage from late-marriage yogas first (Saturn on 1/5/7/10, Saturn ruling the 7th), then the dasha of the 7th-lord / Venus / occupant of the 7th, in a 2–3 year window — not a date.

Start with Saturn

The first thing I do is identify whether a person has combinations for late marriage. The main combinations are related to Saturn. Saturn in the first, fifth, seventh or 10th house strongly indicates late marriage. A Cancer or Leo Ascendant also indicates late marriage because Saturn becomes the ruler of the seventh house, the house of marriage. For those unfamiliar with their chart, the number at the top of the first house is the Ascendant.

Why the house matters

Irrespective of the Ascendant, Saturn in the first, fifth or 10th house aspects the house of marriage and creates delay for different reasons. From the 10th house, the reason can be career. The person thinks, “My career is not yet built. How can I think of getting married?” The person might also have to toil very hard to find the right partner, as Saturn is placed 10 houses away from the house of marriage.

With Saturn in the fifth house, the person may be meant to shoulder the responsibility of parenthood late in life. If someone is meant to have a child and family later, the marriage would naturally also be late. The person may go through long phases of being either in a relationship or single. With Saturn in the first house, the person might have to become more mature to handle the responsibility of a marital bond. For different reasons, Saturn's placement and rulership create a strong possibility of late marriage.

Marriage delay in perspective

If we calculate the probability of Saturn influencing the house of marriage, two of the 12 Ascendants have Saturn as the seventh-house ruler. Of the other 10, Saturn can occupy one of the four relevant houses. Combining those probabilities gives four out of nine. In my view, four out of nine people have Saturn's influence on the house of marriage and are therefore likely to marry close to the age of 30 or beyond. I understand that discovering a late-marriage combination in your early 20s can be disappointing.

A quotation from the Bhagavad Gita says that which seems like poison at first, but nectar at the end, is happiness in the mode of goodness. The delay you are experiencing might seem like poison at the beginning. When you find the right person, marry for the right reasons and respect the timelines, it might seem like a blessing in disguise.

More Saturn factors

There are other combinations that I classify as contributing factors. Saturn as Darakaraka is one. The planet occupying the lowest degree in your birth chart is the Darakaraka, and if that planet is Saturn, it is another late-marriage combination in my view.

We should also study the Navamsha chart. A Cancer or Leo Ascendant in the Navamsha is a contributing combination. Saturn in the seventh house of the Navamsha is another. If Saturn is conjunct the ruler of the house of marriage in the main chart, or if they occupy the same sign in the Navamsha, that is also a late-marriage combination. The same applies to Saturn conjunct Venus in the main chart or Saturn and Venus together in the Navamsha. I divide the Saturn combinations into main and contributing factors.

Ketu and individuality

Ketu is another planet that can create delay. If it is in the seventh house in the main chart or the Navamsha, the person is likely to marry very late. If Saturn influences the house of marriage, the reason for the delay could lie in a past life. I know this is mythology, but my view is that the person did not value companionship and partnership in a past life and must therefore work hard to find the right person in this life.

When Ketu is involved, the person may have been so involved in marriage and family in a past life that this life offers an opportunity to build individuality. When Ketu is in the seventh house, I recommend prioritising your career, building your personality and travelling the world. Once you feel you have fulfilled your career purpose, grown as a person and become financially independent, that could be a better time to consider marriage.

The person may repeatedly encounter circumstances that move them away from a serious relationship, or may feel detached from the idea of marriage. I understand that this is difficult for someone who wants to marry. However, if Ketu is in the seventh house, Rahu is in the first, which to me indicates that the person can achieve extraordinary things. Every cloud has a silver lining. Do not look only at what is missing; be grateful for what you have accomplished.

Choose a broad window

We have first checked whether the person has combinations for late marriage so we know where to look. If those combinations are present, I look at periods around the age of 30 and beyond. If they are not, I look at the early to mid-20s.

Start with the Dashas

I start with the Dashas. The Dashas are supreme. The planetary time periods are organised at three levels: the Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantardasha. At birth, the Moon's Nakshatra and its ruler determine the Mahadasha under which you are born. In the example used here, the person has Moon in Dhanishtha. Dhanishtha is ruled by Mars, so she was born during Mars Mahadasha.

You do not need to worry about the calculations, as they have already been done for you. If you would like the theory behind planetary time periods, look for the article on the Vimshottari Dasha system on the blog.

Check for Mahadasha changes

Identify any change of Mahadasha in the person's 20s or 30s. It indicates a change in life circumstances and could be the time of marriage. This is the easiest way to identify a future marriage period. Every Mahadasha lasts between six and 20 years, so it is a long phase. If a phase change occurs within the next few years when the person is looking to marry, that could be the time.

Some phase changes are more promising. Moving from Ketu Mahadasha to Venus Mahadasha, or from Rahu Mahadasha to Jupiter Mahadasha, signifies a change in personal circumstances. Venus is a natural signifier of relationships and marriage, so the move from Ketu to Venus can indicate the development of one's personal life. Jupiter's introduction indicates the fulfilment of desires, particularly for women, as Jupiter signifies a life partner. For a woman, moving from Rahu to Jupiter is a strong indication of the period around which she is likely to marry.

Study the Antardasha planet

If there is no Mahadasha change in the near future, study the Antardashas. Examine the Antardasha planet's house, sign and Nakshatra. Does it connect with or aspect the seventh house? Is it conjunct the seventh-house ruler in the main chart, or placed with that ruler in the Navamsha? This can be complex for someone unfamiliar with the chart. Material on how to read a birth chart and the examples below may help build the basics.

As a basic rule, identify whether the Antardasha planet rules the seventh house. In the chart table, a number seven appears next to the planet if it rules that house. Venus and Jupiter are also promising Antardashas. Naturally, look within the period likely for that person. If Venus Antardasha occurs in the early 20s but the person has late-marriage combinations, I would instead look after the age of 30.

Thirdly, study the relationship between the Antardasha and Mahadasha planets. An Antardasha planet placed seven or 11 houses away from the Mahadasha planet strongly indicates the possibility of marriage. Rahu Mahadasha with Venus Antardasha, or Venus Mahadasha with Rahu Antardasha, is also a very promising phase because Rahu and Venus fulfil our desires.

Use transits to narrow timing

Once I have identified a probable Mahadasha and Antardasha, I study transits across that period. A 10-year transit table gives the planetary positions for every day. I look for the ruler of the house of marriage transiting the seventh or 11th house. The third, seventh and 11th are Kama houses that fulfil desires, but in my experience the seventh and 11th are more relevant.

If the seventh-house ruler transits the seventh or 11th house, or the 11th-house ruler from the main chart transits the seventh or 11th, that is a promising transit within a promising Dasha. The Dashas approve the time of marriage, and the transits narrow the period.

Purva Phalguni and 7–11

There are more generic combinations too. Given its nature, I associate Purva Phalguni directly with marriage. The ruler of the house of marriage, Venus or Jupiter transiting Purva Phalguni is a promising phase.

Lastly, examine the relationship between the Antardasha and Mahadasha planets in transit. If the Antardasha planet is seven or 11 houses away from the Mahadasha planet, that also creates a strong possibility of marriage. The combinations are many, but applying them should help. We first decide whether to look in the early to mid-20s or near 30 and beyond, then use the Dashas and transits to narrow the time.

Diana: Rahu to Jupiter

Princess Diana's chart does not have combinations for late marriage, so we look in her early to mid-20s. Around that time she was moving from Rahu Mahadasha, a long phase of about 18 years, into Jupiter Mahadasha. Could this period promise marriage? Yes. Jupiter aspects the house of marriage in her chart.

She was not married at the beginning of Jupiter Mahadasha, but near the end of Rahu Mahadasha and close to the transition. She married on 29 July 1981. On 30 July, the next day, Venus transited into Purva Phalguni. Purva Phalguni is about a time for celebration. The Dashas and transits make sense together: she was going through a major phase change, which can change life circumstances.

Venus in Purva Phalguni is important because Venus rules and occupies the house of marriage in her chart and is also the Darakaraka. Venus's transit is not uncommon, as its orbital cycle is seven and a half months. Around the Rahu-to-Jupiter transition, just as Venus was about to enter Purva Phalguni, she married.

Queen Elizabeth II: Ketu to Venus

Queen Elizabeth II also has no major Saturn-related combination for late marriage. She does, however, have a strong Rahu influence on marriage, which is possibly one reason she married someone who was not from England. Prince Philip was born into Greek and Danish royal families. In my view, Rahu in her seventh house indicates that foreign background.

She married during the transition from Ketu to Venus. After seven years of Ketu Mahadasha, Venus Mahadasha began on 12 December 1946. They became engaged on 9 July 1947 and married in late November that year, right at the beginning of Venus Mahadasha. At the time of marriage, Mercury, which rules the house of marriage in her chart, was transiting the 11th house, one of the combinations described above.

There is another interesting point in her chart. Jupiter, identified later in the transcript as the ruler of the house of marriage, is in Dhanishtha. I see this as a combination for massive fame. Narendra Modi is another global leader with Jupiter in Dhanishtha, although we do not know his time of birth. Jupiter was transiting Dhanishtha on the day of his birth. The combination's connection with massive fame is visible in the lives of Queen Elizabeth and Narendra Modi.

Ramanujan: Jupiter Antardasha

Srinivasa Ramanujan also married very young. His chart has no major late-marriage combination, but he was not going through a major Mahadasha change. Within Mercury Mahadasha, we therefore look for a promising Antardasha.

The ruler of the house of marriage is Jupiter, which is also the Darakaraka. Jupiter is strongly linked to the house of marriage and represents the partner. He married during Jupiter Antardasha. At the time of marriage, Jupiter was also transiting Purva Phalguni. The Dashas and transits make perfect sense for the timing in my view.

Bill Gates: delay factors

Bill Gates's chart is more complicated from the point of view of calculating marriage time. He is likely to attract a Saturn- and Jupiter-like partner because Jupiter is the Darakaraka and Saturn rules the house of marriage. He immediately has a late-marriage combination: Cancer Ascendant. Saturn and Venus are also conjunct, a contributing factor, and Saturn rules the house of marriage in the D9 chart.

I would therefore look around the age of 30 and beyond, and study the Antardashas of Saturn, Jupiter and Venus. Saturn rules the house of marriage, Jupiter is the Darakaraka, and Venus signifies a wife in a man's chart as well as relationships and marriage.

He moved from Ketu to Venus Mahadasha on 12 March 1982. This could create the possibility of marriage, but with many late-marriage combinations it might still be early. I would not look at Venus-Sun because Sun is not connected with his marriage houses, nor Venus-Moon or Venus-Mars, as Mars is more closely linked to his career. I would look closely at Venus-Rahu because I have found that Venus and Rahu can fulfil the desire to marry.

Rahu is in the house of marriage in the Navamsha. Venus-Rahu, beginning in mid-May 1989, could therefore have been promising. Saturn, however, transited the house of marriage from 15 December 1990 to 5 March 1993, during that broad period. In my view, Saturn's transit could have delayed marriage, while Rahu in the house of marriage and Rahu Antardasha could have made him uncertain and undecided about his partner.

Bill Gates: January 1994 marriage

During Rahu Antardasha he was in a relationship with his life partner, although he had not made up his mind. Later, during Jupiter Antardasha, he did. I think he proposed in 1993. They married on 1 January 1994 during Venus Mahadasha and Jupiter Antardasha. Jupiter is the Darakaraka and represents the partner. On the marriage date, Jupiter was also 11 houses away from Venus in transit.

Everything in the methodology comes together. We saw late-marriage combinations and looked near his 30s. There was no Mahadasha change, so we stayed within Venus Mahadasha and studied the Antardashas. Rahu Antardasha coincided with Saturn transiting the house of marriage, which could create further delay. As soon as he entered the favourable Jupiter phase, with Jupiter as Darakaraka, he married.

Indira Gandhi and free will

Indira Gandhi's chart is interesting because, despite Saturn ruling the house of marriage, she chose to marry in her mid-20s. I believe we all have free will to decide when to marry. If your chart has late-marriage combinations, my advice is to marry close to the age of 30 or beyond, but you can choose to marry earlier. In my view, marrying before the time meant for you can bring challenges, just as starting a job without the necessary skills naturally brings struggle. This does not mean you will face the same challenges she did.

In 99% of my readings where people disclose their marriage time and I see late-marriage combinations, I generally find that they married after or close to 30. These combinations come from my experience. Although this example concerns someone who married early, I am not advising a person with late-marriage combinations to marry early.

Indira Gandhi married during Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha. Saturn rules the house of marriage, and a person is likely to have an active personal life during the Antardasha of that ruler, even when it is Saturn. An active personal life under Saturn could mean that the relationship is not easy. I understand that she struggled hard to convince her father about the relationship.

On the day she married, Rahu, which is conjunct Venus in her chart, was the Mahadasha planet and was transiting Purva Phalguni. This is rare because Rahu's orbital cycle is 18 years. Saturn Antardasha and its link with the house of marriage, Rahu Mahadasha, Rahu's conjunction with Venus and Rahu's transit over Purva Phalguni together created the possibility of marriage.

Because it occurred during Rahu Mahadasha and Rahu's transit, I think she was in a rebellious phase and married to rebel against her father rather than for the right reasons. Venus was also transiting the house of marriage. This is how I see from her chart why she could marry at that time, although I am not sure it was the right time for her.