Nadi dosh

For assessing married life of bride and bridgegroom, there is an elaborate system in Astrology called Nakshatra Melapak. In north India, under this system eight factors or kootas are taken into considration viz. (i) Varna (ii) Vashya (iii) Tara (iv) Yoni (v) Graha Maitri (vi) Gana (vii) Bhakoot and (viii) Nadi

Each of these factors carry compatability points commencing from one for Varna, two for Vashya etc. increasing in that order with Nadikoot carrying maximum 8 points out of a total of 36 points or Gunas. From this it is evident that maximum importance is attached to Nadi with 8 points, Bhakoot with 7 and Gana with 6 points. Thus the last three kootas account for 21 out of maximum 36 points, i.e. more than 58%. That is why these 3 Doshas are termed as Mahadoshas in Guna Milan system.

Effects of Nadi Dosha

एक नाड़ी विवाहश्च गुणैः सर्वे समन्वितः।
वर्जनीय प्रयत्नेन दाम्पत्योः निधनं यतः।।-नारद

That means according to sage Narada, even if all other kootas are compatible, Nadi Dosha till needs to be avoided because this dosha is highly inauspicious and deadly for the couple.

अधैक नाड़ी कुरूते वियोगं, मध्याख्य नाड्यामृतयोर्विनाशं।
अन्ते च वैधव्यमतीव्र दुःखं, तस्माच्च तिस्रः परिवर्जनीयाः।।-वराह मिहिर

According to Varahminir if both have Aadi Nadi, it would result in separation or divorce, if they have Madhya Nadi then both would be destined to death and if they have Antya Nadi, it would result into extremely miserable married life with widowhood.

अग्रनाड़ी व्यधेभर्ता मध्य नाड़ी व्यधेद्वयम्।
पृष्ठनाडी व्यधेत्कन्या म्रियतेनात्र संशय।।-ज्योतिष सार

That means Aadi Nadi is deadly for the husband, Madhya is deadly for both while Antya Nadi would result into death of wife.

Sage visishtha is said to differ from the above views. he professed death of husband in case of Madhya Nadi and death of wife in case of Aadi and Antya Nadi.

नाड़ी दोषस्तु विप्राणां, वर्ण दोषस्तु क्षत्रिये।
गण दोषश्य वैश्येषु, योनि दोषस्तु पादजान्।।

Source of the above shloka is not known but this shloka is often quoted. It means Nadi Dosha matters most for Brahmins, Varna Dosha for Kshatriyas, Gana Dosha for Vaishyas and Yoni Dosha for Shudras. In this context, it is also pertinent to note that 12 Rashis are divided in 4 Varnas. Karka, Vrishchika and Meena Rashis are Brahmin Rashis. Perhaps this shloka is meant for Brahmin Rashis rather than Brahmin caste. According to some scholars, Nadi Dosha affects the health of progeny.

It is widely accepted fact, among majority of Hindus, that same Gotra marriage shouldn't take place. The idea is that even if the race or caste is the same, genetically the distance between husband and wife should be as wide as possible. To ensure this, the more conservative Brahmins believe in different "Shashan" of the two families ("shashan" represents to the place where the ancestors of Gotra used to live or originated from). In modern science also, it is believed that health of cross breed children is always better. Perhaps the Nadi matching is the astrological endorsement of cross breeding for good health of the next generation. In nutshell, we can infer that Nadi Dosha is the most serious Dosha among the 8 kootas of matching. The couple would be deprived of marital happiness either due to separation or loss of partner or due to severe health problem to them or their children.

Exceptions to Nadi Dosha or Cancellation are there.

According to Muhurta Martanda

विभैक चरणे भिन्नर्दां राश्यैककं भिन्नाङध्रयेक भमेतयोर्गण खगौ नाड़ी नृदूरंचन- मुहूर्त मार्तण्ड 4/6

This means, if

-the bride and bridegroom have same Nakshatra but different charans

- same Nakshatra but different Rashis

- same Rashis but different Nakshatras

then this would destroy the ill effects of gana, graha maitri, Nadi and Nridoor Doshas.

In accordance with the above mentioned rules, Keshwark has given example of Krittika and Rohini Nakshatras. Both these nakshatras belong to Antya Nadi and lie in Vrisha Rashi. The same rule can be extended to Swati and Vishakha, Uttarashada and Shravan which lie in Tula and Makar Rashis respectively and are free from Nadi Dosha.

Ardra and Punarvasu (Mithun), Uttar Phalguni and Hasta (Kanya) and Shatbisha - Poorva Bhadrapada (Kumbha Rashi) belong to Aadi nadi but exempted from Nadi Dosha.

We have got nine Nakshatras viz. Krittika, Mrigshira, punarvasu, Uttarphalguni, Chitra, Vishaka, Uttarshada, Dhanishtha and poorva Bhadrapad which fall in two Rashis and thus are exempted from Nadi Dosha.

राश्यैक्ये चेद् भिन्नमृक्षं द्वयोः स्यान्नक्षत्रैक्ये राशियुग्मं तथैव।
नाड़ी दोषों नो गणानां च दोषो नक्षत्रैक्ये पादभेदे शुभंस्यात्।।-मुहूर्त संग्रह दर्पण

The above shloka also endoreses the same conditions that is - if both have same Rashi but different Nakshatras, or same Nakshatra but different RAshis, or same nakshatra but different charans then Nadi Dosha gets nullified.

एक नक्षत्र जातानां नाड़ी दोषो न विद्यते। अन्यक्र्षनाड़ी वेधेषु विवाहो वर्जितः सदा।।- ज्योतिष तत्व प्रकाश

Though same Nakshatra or same Rashi of the bride and bridgroom amounts to cancellation of Nadi Dosha but if the nakshatra charans are same or there is "padavedha" then marriage cannot take place.

आद्यांशेन चतुर्थांश चतुर्थांशेन यादिमम्।
द्वितीयेन तृतीयं तु तृतीयेन द्वितीयकम्।।
ययो भांशव्यधश्चैवं जायते वर कन्ययौ।
तयो मृत्युर्न सन्देहः शेषांशाः स्वल्प दोषदाः।।-नरपतिजयचर्या

Accordingly 'Pada Vedha' extends to Charan 1&4, 2&3, 4&1 and 3&2 while the ill effect is negligible in case of charan 1&3, and 2&4.

रोहिण्याद्र्रा मृगेन्द्राग्नी पुष्यश्रवणपौष्णमम्।
अहिर्बुध्न्यक्र्षमेतेषां नाड़ी दोषो न विद्यते।।-ज्योतिष चिन्तामणि

Accordingly if bride and bridgegrooms Nakshatra belongs to Rohini, Mrigshira, Ardra, Jyeshtha, Krittika, Pushya, Shravan, Revati or utar Bhadrapada, then Nadi Dosha is not applicable.

Keshwark has stated in Vivah Vrindavan

पराशरः ग्राहनवांरा भेदादेकक्र्ष राश्योरपि सोमनस्यम।- विवाह वृन्दावन ¾

If the Navamsha falls in different Rashis, in case of same Nakshatra of bride and bridegroom, Nadi Dosha is cancelled.

एक राशि पृथक्धिष्ण्येऽप्युत्तमं पाणिपीडनम्।
एकधिष्ण्ये पृथग्राशौ, सर्वेक्तोऽपि मृत्युदम्।।-वसिष्ठ संहिता 32/194

According to sage Vashishtha, same Rashi but different Nakshatras and same Nakshatra but different Rashis are auspiicous but same Rashi, same Nakshatra and same charan will be inauspicious like death.

न वर्ग वर्णों न गणो न योनिः द्र्विद्वादशे चैव षडष्टकेवा।
तारा विरोधे नव पंचमे ना मैत्री यदास्याच्छुमदो विवाहः।।-बृहज्जयोतिषसार

न वर्ण वर्गो न गणो न योनिद्र्विद्वादशे चैव षडष्टके वा।
वरेऽपि दूरे नवपंचमे वा मैत्री यदि स्याच्छुभदो विवाहः।।-ज्योतिर्निबन्ध

नाड़ी विविेद्ये यदि स्याद्विवाहः करोति वैधव्य युतां च कन्याम्।
स एव माहेन्द्र -दिनादि युक्तो राशीश-योनि सहितो न दोषः।।-वसिष्ठ संहिता

एकाधिपत्ये त्वथ मित्रभावे स्त्री पुंसराश्योर्न रज्जुदोषे।
षड्काष्टकादिष्वपि शर्मद स्यादुद्वाह कर्माचरतोस्तयोश्च।।-वसिष्ठ संहिता

राशीशयोः सुहृदभावे मित्रत्वेवांशनाथयोः।
गणादिदौष्ट्येऽप्युद्वाह पुत्र-पौत्र विवर्धनः।।-अत्रि

The above quoted shlokas lay high emphasis on natural friendship of Rashi lords, same Rashi Lords, friendship of Navmansha lords and same Navamsha lords for nullifying the adverse effects of various koot Doshas including Nadi Dosha. Now this is an important addition to the Nadi Dosha cancellation conditions stated earlier viz.

1. When the Rashi of bride and bridegroom is same but nakshatras are different.

2. When both have same Nakshatra but Rashis are different.

3. When Nakshatra is same but charans are different.