Mars Retrograde Dates

Mars turns retrograde about once every two years and stays retrograde for two to three months, which makes it the least frequent retrograde of the visible grahas, and it is at its brightest and closest to the Earth while it lasts. Jyotish calls the state vakra and reads a retrograde Mars as a strong Mars.

Parashara's shadbala gives a retrograde graha full chesta bala, and Uttara Kalamrita counts a vakri graha as strong as an exalted one. The tradition reads a retrograde malefic as giving its harsh results with more force. Mars is the graha of action, and a strong Mars turned inward is action that cannot find an outlet.

Its fields are courage, anger, brothers, land, machines, surgery, disputes and the blood. During the retrograde, effort meets resistance, and anger turns inward or arrives late. Accidents and quarrels happen more often. Projects started with force stall. Someone who spends the period on training, repair and planning finds that the direct motion carries all of it forward quickly.

The house Mars retrogrades through, counted from the Moon and from the lagna, names the field. In the third, sixth and eleventh, which Phaladeepika lists as Mars's favourable transit houses, the retrograde sharpens competitive strength. In the first, fourth, seventh or eighth it calls for restraint.

The period brings two habits into view, pushing and avoiding, and teaches steady effort without haste. Where there is a choice, schedule surgery outside it.

• Train the body and repair the tools; begin nothing that needs a fast result.
• Worship Hanuman on Tuesday and give red lentils or copper, the dana Parashara names for Mars.
• Recite Om Angarakaya Namah, and count to ten before every sharp word.