Mastering Ashtakavarga Part 3: Reducing the Charts - Trikona and Ekadhipatya Sodhana
A comprehensive modern guide to B.V. Raman's "Ashtakavarga System of Prediction" — the most powerful predictive technique in Vedic astrology. Learn to calculate, reduce, and interpret benefic points for precise life forecasts.
Part 3 of 20 • Chapter II Part 2 • Topics: Trikona Sodhana, Ekadhipatya Sodhana, Reduction Methods
After constructing the Bhinnashtakavarga charts for all seven planets and the combined Sarvashtakavarga, the raw numbers must be refined through reduction processes. These reductions eliminate redundant benefic points to reveal the true strength of each sign. Think of it as filtering signal from noise — the unreduced charts show potential, but the reduced charts show reality.
There are two sequential reduction methods: Trikona Sodhana (I Reduction) based on trinal groups, and Ekadhipatya Sodhana (II Reduction) based on dual-sign ownership. The reduced figures are critical for longevity determination and precise predictions in birth chart analysis.
"The figures in the Bhinnashtakavarga of each planet are subjected to two types of reductions, viz., Trikona and Ekadhipatya. These reduced figures are made use of both for the purpose of longevity determination and for making certain predictions in the birth horoscope."
Trikona Sodhana — I Reduction
The first reduction method leverages the trinal nature of signs. In Vedic astrology, the 12 signs form four trinal groups (trikonas) based on elemental qualities:
Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Dharma Trikona — action, initiative, leadership
Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Artha Trikona — wealth, resources, practicality
Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Kama Trikona — desires, relationships, intellect
Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Moksha Trikona — emotions, spirituality, liberation
Four Rules of Trikona Reduction
Rule (a) — Unequal Figures: When the three signs in a trinal group have different numbers of bindus, subtract the smallest number from all three and retain the remainders.
Example: Aries=5, Leo=4, Sagittarius=5 → Subtract 4 from all → Result: 1, 0, 1
Rule (b) — Zero in One Sign: If one sign has zero bindus, no reduction is performed on that trinal group.
Example: Taurus=3, Virgo=4, Capricorn=0 → No reduction → Result: 3, 4, 0
Rule (c) — Zero in Two Signs: If two signs have zero bindus, eliminate the figure in the third sign as well.
Example: Gemini=5, Libra=0, Aquarius=0 → Eliminate all → Result: 0, 0, 0
Rule (d) — All Equal: If all three signs have identical numbers, eliminate all figures in that entire group.
Example: Cancer=3, Scorpio=3, Pisces=3 → Eliminate all → Result: 0, 0, 0
Worked Example: Sun's Trikona Reduction
Let's apply Trikona Sodhana to the Sun's Bhinnashtakavarga from the Standard Horoscope (Chart 9 from Part 2):
| Trinal Group | Before Reduction | Rule Applied | After I Reduction | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sign 1 | Sign 2 | Sign 3 | Sign 1 | Sign 2 | Sign 3 | ||
| Fire Signs | Aries: 5 | Leo: 4 | Sag: 5 | Rule (a) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Earth Signs | Taurus: 3 | Virgo: 4 | Cap: 0 | Rule (b) | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Air Signs | Gemini: 5 | Libra: 3 | Aqua: 5 | Rule (a) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Water Signs | Cancer: 4 | Scorpio: 5 | Pisces: 5 | Rule (a) | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Detailed Calculation Steps:
- Fire Trikona (Aries 5, Leo 4, Sagittarius 5): Smallest = 4. Subtract 4 from each → 5-4=1, 4-4=0, 5-4=1.
- Earth Trikona (Taurus 3, Virgo 4, Capricorn 0): One sign has zero → No reduction per Rule (b) → Unchanged.
- Air Trikona (Gemini 5, Libra 3, Aquarius 5): Smallest = 3. Subtract 3 from each → 5-3=2, 3-3=0, 5-3=2.
- Water Trikona (Cancer 4, Scorpio 5, Pisces 5): Smallest = 4. Subtract 4 from each → 4-4=0, 5-4=1, 5-4=1.
Ekadhipatya Sodhana — II Reduction
The second reduction addresses dual-sign ownership (Ekadhipatya). Each of the five non-luminaries rules two signs, while Sun and Moon each rule one:
Since Cancer and Leo have single ownership, Ekadhipatya Sodhana applies only to the other 10 signs. The reduction rules depend on whether the signs are occupied by planets.
Three Scenarios with Sub-Rules
Scenario I — No Reduction Required
I(a): Planets are present in both signs owned by the same planet.
I(b): There is no figure in one of the two signs, whether occupied or unoccupied.
Scenario II — One Sign Occupied, Other Not
II(a): If figure in occupied sign > unoccupied sign → Eliminate the unoccupied sign's figure.
II(b): If figure in occupied sign < unoccupied sign → Make unoccupied sign equal to occupied sign.
II(c): If figures are equal → Eliminate the unoccupied sign's figure.
Scenario III — Both Signs Unoccupied
III(a): If figures are equal → Eliminate both.
III(b): If figures are not equal → Make the larger equal to the smaller.
Worked Example: Sun's Ekadhipatya Reduction
Applying Ekadhipatya Sodhana to the Sun's chart after I Reduction. The Standard Horoscope has: Sun and Venus in Virgo, Moon in Capricorn, Mars in Scorpio, Mercury in Libra, Jupiter in Gemini, Saturn in Aquarius.
| Planet | Signs Owned | After I Reduction | Occupation Status | Rule | After II Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries / Scorpio | 1 / 1 | Scorpio occupied, Aries not | II(c) | 0 / 1 | |
| Gemini / Virgo | 2 / 4 | Both occupied (Jupiter in Gemini, Sun+Venus in Virgo) | I(a) | 2 / 4 | |
| Sagittarius / Pisces | 1 / 1 | Neither occupied | III(a) | 0 / 0 | |
| Taurus / Libra | 3 / 0 | Libra has zero figure | I(b) | 3 / 0 | |
| Capricorn / Aquarius | 0 / 2 | Capricorn has zero figure | I(b) | 0 / 2 |
Detailed Logic:
- Aries/Scorpio (Mars): Scorpio occupied (Mars present), Aries not. Figures equal (1, 1) → Rule II(c) → Eliminate Aries → Result: 0, 1.
- Gemini/Virgo (Mercury): Both occupied (Jupiter in Gemini, Sun+Venus in Virgo) → Rule I(a) → No reduction → Result: 2, 4.
- Sagittarius/Pisces (Jupiter): Neither occupied. Figures equal (1, 1) → Rule III(a) → Eliminate both → Result: 0, 0.
- Taurus/Libra (Venus): No figure in Libra (zero) → Rule I(b) → No reduction → Result: 3, 0.
- Capricorn/Aquarius (Saturn): No figure in Capricorn (zero) → Rule I(b) → No reduction → Result: 0, 2.
Complete Table I — All Planets Before/After Reductions
After performing both I and II reductions on all seven planets in the Standard Horoscope, we compile Table I showing Before (B) and After (A) figures across all 12 signs:
| Sign | Sun | Moon | Mars | Mercury | Jupiter | Venus | Saturn | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | A | B | A | B | A | B | A | B | A | B | A | B | A | B | A | |
| Aries | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 8 |
| Taurus | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 8 |
| Gemini | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 14 |
| Cancer | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 7 |
| Leo | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 3 |
| Virgo | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 6 |
| Libra | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 7 |
| Scorpio | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 6 |
| Sagittarius | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 4 |
| Capricorn | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 7 |
| Aquarius | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 8 |
| Pisces | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 5 |
Legend: B = Before Reduction, A = After Reduction. Yellow-highlighted cells show significant reductions. Notice how the total SAV reduces from 337 bindus to just 83 after reductions — this eliminates redundancy and reveals true strength.
Sarvashtakavarga Reductions
The combined Sarvashtakavarga (SAV) also undergoes reduction, but with an additional preliminary step called Mandala Sodhana:
Expunge multiples of 12 from each sign's bindu count. Since the zodiac has 12 signs, completing full circles (12, 24, 36...) is considered redundant energy that must be eliminated.
Apply the same four Trikona rules to the corrected SAV to get Chart No. 20.
Apply the three Ekadhipatya scenarios to get the final reduced SAV (Chart No. 21). The results after both SAV reductions:
Rekha Sarvashtakavarga — The Malefic Inverse
Every sign contains exactly 56 total points (benefic + malefic). Bindus are benefic points; Rekhas are malefic points. They form complementary halves:
Formula: Rekhas = 56 - Bindus
If Aries has 33 bindus in the original SAV, it has 56 - 33 = 23 rekhas. Rekhas represent malefic influence, obstacles, and delays. High rekhas in a sign indicate struggle during transits through that sign.
Rekha Charts Before and After Reductions
(After expunging multiples of 12)
Notice how several signs have zero rekhas after reduction (Taurus, Gemini, Libra, Pisces after II Reduction). These signs become entirely benefic — transits through them produce pure positive results. Conversely, Aries (6 rekhas) and Cancer (4 rekhas) retain significant malefic influence.
Key Takeaways
- Two sequential reductions: Trikona Sodhana (I) → Ekadhipatya Sodhana (II)
- Trikona Reduction balances the four elemental trikonas using 4 rules: subtract smallest, zero exemptions, all-equal elimination
- Ekadhipatya Reduction addresses dual-sign ownership with 3 scenarios based on occupation status
- Occupation = physical presence of planets in signs (check birth chart, not Ashtakavarga)
- Cancer and Leo exempt from Ekadhipatya (single ownership by luminaries)
- Table I compiles Before/After figures for all 7 planets across 12 signs — foundational reference
- SAV undergoes Mandala Sodhana first (expunge multiples of 12), then Trikona + Ekadhipatya
- Rekhas = 56 - Bindus — the malefic inverse, showing obstacles and delays
- Reduced charts reveal true strength — unreduced shows potential, reduced shows reality
- These reduced figures are critical for longevity calculations and transit predictions (covered in later parts)
- Next: Prasthara Ashtakavarga — isolating each planet's contribution for granular predictions