Hindu Predictive Astrology Chapter 10: The Shadvargas - A Modern Guide

A single zodiacal sign spans 30 degrees, but Vedic astrology does not treat those 30 degrees as uniform. By dividing each sign into smaller portions -- halves, thirds, ninths, twelfths, and thirtieths -- astrologers create sub-charts that reveal finer details about a person's life. These six divisions are collectively called the Shadvargas (from Sanskrit shad meaning "six" and varga meaning "division" or "group").

"The Shadvargas are the six-fold divisions of a zodiacal sign. A consideration of the Shadvargas will enable us to estimate the strength of planets."

Think of it like examining a city on a map. The Rasi chart is the whole city viewed from a satellite -- you can see the general layout, the major roads, and the rough location of each district. But to know whether a specific neighborhood has good schools, reliable water supply, or commercial zoning, you need to zoom in. Each divisional chart is a different zoom level, optimized for a specific question about life.

Of these six divisions, the Navamsa (ninth division) is by far the most important and widely used. Raman advises beginners to focus on the Rasi and Navamsa charts first, and only later expand to the other divisional charts as their understanding deepens.

"Generally most of the astrologers mark the Rasi and the Navamsa diagrams and base their predictions on these two."

This chapter walks through each of the six divisions with clear rules, worked examples, and tables so you can calculate any divisional chart position by hand. Raman also briefly touches on the Sapthamsa (seventh division) and mentions that Parasara's full system actually includes sixteen divisions, though beginners need not worry about all of them at once.

Before diving into each division individually, it helps to see the complete picture. The table below summarizes what each division does, how many parts it creates, the size of each part in degrees, and the primary life area it is used to investigate.

Notice how the divisions grow progressively finer. Each successive division slices the zodiac into smaller pieces, requiring more precise birth-time data. This is why the Rasi chart (which needs only approximate birth time) is universally used, while the Trimsamsa (which can shift with a difference of just a few minutes) demands very accurate birth records.

There is a practical hierarchy here. A planet's Rasi placement tells you the broad theme. Its Navamsa placement tells you the quality and depth of that theme. And the remaining divisions add specialized layers -- wealth (Hora), siblings (Drekkana), parents (Dwadasamsa), and hidden tendencies (Trimsamsa).

Rasi -- The Foundation

"The arc of 30 degrees forming a zodiacal sign is called Rasi. The twelve zodiacal signs are the twelve Rasis."

Rasi is simply the full 30-degree sign itself -- the basic chart you already know from earlier chapters. Every planet occupies one of twelve Rasis at the moment of birth, and this placement forms the backbone of all Vedic astrological analysis. The lordships, natural friendships, and exaltation points of the twelve Rasis have already been covered in previous chapters.

The Rasi chart answers the big questions: Which houses are activated? Where do the benefics and malefics fall? What kind of Yogas (planetary combinations) form? All subsequent divisional charts are derived from the Rasi positions and serve to refine, confirm, or nuance the readings obtained from this primary chart.

Hora -- The Wealth Division

"In odd signs like Aries, Gemini, etc., the first hora is governed by the Sun and the second by the Moon. In even signs like Taurus, Cancer, etc., the first hora is governed by the Moon and the second by the Sun."

Hora divides each sign into two halves of 15 degrees. The word Hora is derived from Ahoratri (day and night) by dropping the first and last syllables -- symbolizing the two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, who govern all Horas.

In practical interpretation, planets placed in the Sun's Hora tend to acquire wealth through personal effort, authority, government connections, or independent enterprise. Planets in the Moon's Hora suggest wealth through public dealings, trade, agriculture, liquids, or inherited property. When most planets in a chart fall in one Hora, it gives a strong indication of the native's primary wealth-acquisition pattern.

Example: Ascendant at 11 deg 34' Aquarius. Since 11 deg is within the first 15 degrees, and Aquarius is an odd sign, the Ascendant falls in the Sun's hora. This suggests the native tends to earn through self-effort, leadership roles, or government-related work rather than through public-facing commerce.

"The first drekkana is governed by the lord of the Rasi; the second by the lord of the 5th from it; and the third by the lord of the 9th from it."

Each sign is divided into three equal parts of 10 degrees. The lordship follows a trinal pattern -- the three fire houses (1st, 5th, 9th) counted from the sign in question. This trinal connection is not accidental; it reflects the deep Vedic principle that the 1st, 5th, and 9th houses form a harmonious triangle (Trikona) that supports and strengthens each other.

• 1st Drekkana (0-10 deg): Lord of the sign itself (1st from it)
• 2nd Drekkana (10-20 deg): Lord of the 5th sign from it
• 3rd Drekkana (20-30 deg): Lord of the 9th sign from it

Drekkana Lordship for All 12 Signs

Example: Ascendant at 11 deg 34' Aquarius falls between 10 and 20 degrees, so it is in the 2nd Drekkana. The 5th from Aquarius is Gemini, whose lord is Mercury. So the Ascendant is in Mercury's Drekkana.

The Drekkana chart is traditionally associated with the 3rd house -- the house of siblings, courage, short journeys, and self-effort. When analyzing questions about brothers and sisters, or when assessing a person's initiative and willpower, experienced astrologers always cross-reference the Drekkana chart with the Rasi chart. A planet well-placed in both charts delivers its sibling-related or courage-related results more reliably.

"The most important sub-division of a zodiacal sign is the navamsa."

Each sign is divided into 9 equal parts of 3 degrees 20 minutes. The Navamsa is so important that experienced Vedic astrologers will not make a major prediction without consulting it. While the Rasi chart shows what life presents to you, the Navamsa shows the inner strength behind those presentations -- whether the promises of the Rasi chart will actually materialize or remain unfulfilled.

The Navamsa is especially critical for marriage analysis. The 7th house of the Navamsa, the planets in and aspecting it, and the Navamsa position of the 7th lord from the Rasi chart together paint a detailed picture of the spouse, the quality of the marriage, and the timing of marital events.

Starting Points by Element

The Navamsa lordships follow a cyclical pattern based on the element (tattva) of the sign:

Notice the elegant symmetry: each element group starts from the first sign of that element. Fire signs start from Aries (the first fire sign), Earth from Capricorn (the first earth sign in the natural order of Navamsa counting), Air from Libra, and Water from Cancer. This means that across all twelve signs, the 108 Navamsas (12 signs x 9 parts) map exactly onto the 27 Nakshatras with their 4 padas each (27 x 4 = 108).

How to Calculate Step by Step

Method 1 -- The Degree Method: Multiply the planet's degree position within its sign by 3, then divide by 10. The quotient gives the number of Navamsas passed. Count that many signs from the starting point for the element group, and the next sign is where the planet falls.

Example: Sun at 24 deg 25' 52" Cancer.

The Nakshatra Shortcut

"Each pada is equal to a navamsa. The Sun has passed 3 signs from Aries and 7 padas or navamsas in the 4th sign Cancer."

Method 2 -- The Nakshatra-Pada Method: Since each Nakshatra quarter (pada) equals exactly one Navamsa, you can skip degree calculations entirely:

1. Identify the Nakshatra and pada of the planet (from Chapter VIII tables).
2. Count the total padas from the beginning of Aswini up to and including the planet's pada.
3. Divide by 9. The remainder tells you which Navamsa within the current sign cycle.
4. Use the element-based starting point to find the exact Navamsa sign.

Example: Sun in the 2nd pada of Aslesha. From Aswini to Pushyami = 8 complete Nakshatras = 32 padas. Add 2 padas in Aslesha = 34 total. Divide 34 by 9 = 3 remainder 7. The Sun has passed 3 complete sign cycles and 7 padas in the 4th sign (Cancer). For Water signs, count from Cancer. The 7th from Cancer = Capricorn. The Sun is in Saturn's Navamsa.

Special Navamsa Positions

Certain Navamsa placements carry special significance:

A planet that is debilitated in the Rasi chart but occupies its exaltation Navamsa can still deliver surprisingly good results, especially during its main Dasha period. Conversely, an exalted planet in the Rasi chart that falls in a debilitated Navamsa may promise much but deliver little. This is why the Navamsa is sometimes called the "chart of inner truth."

"When a sign is divided into twelve equal parts each portion is called a Dwadasamsa getting 2 1/2 degrees. The lords of the 12 Dwadasamsas are the lords of the 12 signs from the sign in question."

Each sign is divided into 12 equal parts of 2 degrees 30 minutes. The assignment of lords is straightforward: the 12 Dwadasamsas of any sign are ruled by the lords of the 12 signs starting from that sign itself. So the first Dwadasamsa of Aries is ruled by Mars (lord of Aries), the second by Venus (lord of Taurus), the third by Mercury (lord of Gemini), and so on through all twelve signs.

This elegant simplicity makes the Dwadasamsa the easiest divisional chart to compute. You simply need to know which 2.5-degree slice the planet occupies, then count that many signs forward from the planet's Rasi sign.

Calculation Method

Divide the planet's degree position within its sign by 2.5. The integer part tells you how many Dwadasamsas have been completed. Add 1 to find which Dwadasamsa the planet currently occupies, then count that many signs from the original sign.

Example: Sun at 24 deg 26' Cancer.

The Dwadasamsa chart is primarily used for studying matters related to parents. The 4th house of the Dwadasamsa relates to the mother, while the 9th house relates to the father. Benefic planets in these houses, or lords of these houses placed in strength, indicate a good relationship with parents and their general well-being.

Some authorities also use the Dwadasamsa to study past-life karma, reasoning that the 12 sub-divisions of a sign symbolize the 12 signs of the zodiac in microcosm -- a compressed map of the soul's journey through all possible experiences.

Dwadasamsa Quick-Reference for Cancer

Unlike the other divisions, the Trimsamsa is not equally divided. The 30 degrees are distributed among five planets (excluding the Sun and Moon) in unequal portions. The distribution reverses between odd and even signs, creating a complementary pattern:

Notice the pattern: Jupiter gets the largest share (8 degrees) in both odd and even signs, Mercury gets 7 degrees, and Mars, Saturn, and Venus each get 5 degrees. The order simply reverses between odd and even signs. Jupiter's larger share reflects its role as the greatest benefic, while Mars and Saturn (the two chief malefics) bookend the sequence.

The Trimsamsa is traditionally used for assessing general misfortune, hidden tendencies, and moral character. Some texts specifically associate it with diseases, accidents, and the nature of one's adversities. In female horoscopy, the Trimsamsa is given special weight for evaluating character and chastity.

Because the Sun and Moon do not govern any Trimsamsa, this chart focuses exclusively on the five "material" planets -- those that represent tangible, worldly forces rather than the luminaries' spiritual and psychological dimensions.

Raman briefly mentions the Sapthamsa (7th division), where each sign is divided into 7 equal parts of 4 2/7 degrees each. In odd signs, the seven portions are governed by the lords of the seven signs starting from the sign itself. In even signs, counting begins from the 7th sign.

The Sapthamsa is specifically used for studying children -- their number, gender, health, and relationship with the native. Just as the Dwadasamsa zooms into parental matters and the Navamsa into marriage, the Sapthamsa provides a focused lens for progeny.

Beyond the six (or seven) divisions covered here, the classical tradition recognizes a much larger system. Parasara described sixteen divisions (Shodasavargas) in total, each serving a specific life area:

"It is not necessary for a beginner to bother himself with these technicalities at this stage."

Raman's advice here is practical and humane. Attempting to master all sixteen divisions at once would overwhelm any student. The Rasi and Navamsa together cover the vast majority of predictive needs. As competence grows, the student can gradually incorporate the Drekkana (for sibling and health questions), the Dwadasamsa (for parental matters), the Dasamsa (for career analysis), and eventually the full Shodasavarga system.

Modern software can compute all sixteen charts instantly, but interpretation still requires the same step-by-step mastery that Raman prescribes. A student who deeply understands the Rasi and Navamsa will get better results than one who superficially scans all sixteen charts without understanding any of them properly.

One crucial practical consideration that Raman implies but does not spell out is the relationship between birth-time accuracy and divisional chart reliability. The finer the division, the more sensitive it is to birth-time errors:

This is why Raman wisely recommends starting with Rasi and Navamsa. The Rasi chart is robust enough to tolerate moderate birth-time uncertainty. The Navamsa, while more sensitive, is still usable with a birth time known within about 5-10 minutes. The finer divisions should only be relied upon when the birth time has been verified or rectified using the methods discussed in the next chapter (Chapter 11: Birth Verification and Rectification).

"The readers will do well at the beginning to cast the Rasi and Navamsa diagrams and see how accurate some of the predictions based on these two charts turn out."

This advice remains as relevant today as when it was first written. Even with modern software that generates all divisional charts at the click of a button, the interpretive skill needed to read those charts meaningfully can only be built gradually -- starting with the two most important charts and expanding outward as experience and confidence grow.