Saturn in 8th House
Eighth house of the horoscope is the most mysterious. It is a house of transformation, death, longevity, sudden gains, inheritance, upheaval, all things hidden, mysteries. It is a house of abrupt, unexpected and enforced changes. Occult knowledge and mysticism also come in 8th house. This house is second from your 7th house, and so it represents your in-laws, as well. Position of planets in 8th house and placement of it's lord can also show depression, delay and defame, a native might experience in this lifetime. When Shani dev is sitting in the 8th house, the native behaves like Bhishma Pitahma of Mahabharat. Shani is the karak of delay, and the 8th house is of death, so natives with this placement, usually have a long life. Shani is also loneliness, so when placed here, people might outlive their counterparts and feel loneliness in old age. It is a tough placement to have. The native might feel that they are always being held liable for everything and are giving some examination to prove themselves. Professionally, such natives can do work related to petroleum and oil. If they are from the medical profession, they make good surgeons.
Story of Bhishma Pitahma - Bhishma is one of the central characters of the Mahabharata. Bhishma was born as Devevrata, son of Shantanu (king of Hastinapur) and River Ganga (holy river). He was cursed from past life to endure a long life in the human realm.
Once the eight Vasus visited Vashishta's ashram with their wives, one of the wives took a fancy to Nandini and asked her husband Prabhasa, to steal it from Vashishta. Prabhasa the vasu, stole it with the help of the others, and was cursed by Vashishta to be born in the world of men. The seven Vasus who assist in stealing Nandini have their curse softened to be liberated from their human birth as soon as they are born, but Prabhasa, due to his being instrumental in the theft, is cursed to endure a longer life on the earth, though the curse is softened so that he becomes one of the most illustrious men of his times. Prabhasa was born as Bhishma the youngest son of Shantanu, The other 7, were born as the older siblings of Bhishma, who were drowned by their mother Ganga as soon as they were born, thus fulfilling the softened curse on them. Bhishma was an exceptionally skilled administrator, as well as an undefeatable warrior. Bhishma is considered to be one of the greatest examples of a duty bound officer.
'Bhishma' means 'He of the terrible oath', referring to his vow of life-long celibacy. Devavrata became known as Bhishma because he took the bhishan pratigya — the vow of life-long celibacy and of service to whoever sat on the throne of his father (the throne of Hastinapur). This was because when his father Shantanu wanted to marry a fisherwoman Satyavati, her father refused, on the grounds that his daughter's children would never be rulers as Shantanu already had a son (Devavrata). This made Shantanu despondent. To placate Satyavati's father, Devavrata promised that he would never stake a claim to the throne, and will never marry, so his progeny could not stake claim to the throne. This gave him immediate recognition among the gods and his father granted him the boon of Ichha Mrityu (control over his own death — he could choose the time of his death, but not, as may be suggested, one of immortality).
Please refer to placement of Shani dev in 7th house, in order to understand, reasons for his death and role of Ambe in the same.
He fougth the kurukshetra war from the side of the kauravas and was wounded by Arjun on the 23rd day. He lay on the 'bed of arrows' till the end of the battle, and chose to die only after learning that the Pandavas had won, as he was now assured that the throne of Hastinapura was in safe hands.
Jyotish Nidhi