Divisions of zodiac signs vedic astrology
- The ten-fold divisions of zodiac signs is known as Dasa vargas (Vargas mean divisions). Under the scheme of Dasavarga the various divisions are as Under :—
(1) Rasi Each Rasi 30°
(2) Hora 2 parts of a Rasi of 15° each.
(3) Drekkana 3 parts of a Rasi of 10° each.
(4) Trimsamsa 5 parts of 5°, 7° or 8° each. (All parts are not equal)
(5) Saptamsa 7 parts of 4°-17″-8″ each.
(6) Navamsa 9 parts of 3°-20 each.
(7) Dasmamsa 10 parts of 3°each.
(8) Dwadasamsa 12 parts of 2°-30′ each.
(9) Shodasamsa 16 parts of l°-16′-52″ each.
(10) Shastyamsa 60 parts of 30′ each.
Vargottama is the name given to that particular Navamsa in a Rasi which bears the same zodiac sign as that of Rasi itself.
- If amongst the ten vargas only the Rasi, Hora, Drekkana, Navamsa, Dwadasamsa and Trimsamsa are taken into consideration, the divisions are known as Shad vargas. If we add Saptamsa division to them, the 7 kinds of divisions are known as Sapta vargas.
Some learneds have taken the view that the effect emanating from Navamsa is equal to that of Rasi and Bhava.
- In Rasis the effect is full. In the Shodasamsa, Dasmamsa and Shastyamsa divisions (Vargas) it is one-fourth. In the other vargas it is half. In an odd Rasi, the planets are said to be in ‘infancy, in boyhood, youth, in middle age and in very old age (near death), according to first, second, third, fourth and last six degree portions respectively reached by them in a sign. But in an even sign this is in the reverse order.
Notes — In Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius and Aquarius there is infancy up to 6 degrees, up to 12° boyhood, from there to 18° it is youth and up to 24° it is middle age and the last 6° comprise the very old age. It is reverse in the case of even zodiac signs viz., Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces.
- Hora is half of a Rasi. In an odd zodiac sign, the halves belong, to the Sun and the Moon and to the Moon and the Sun when the sign is an even one. The Drekkana or third portions of a sign belong to the lords of the sign itself, of the 5th house and of the 9th house.
The owners of the Dwadasamas or l/12th portion of a sign are counted from that zodiac sign.
In an odd zodiac sign the Trimsamsas or degrees, that is, l/30th portions belonging to Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus are respectively 5, 5, 8, 7 and 5. In an even sign it is reversed. Then Venus. Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars have 5, 7, 8, 5 and 5 degrees respectively.
The first Navamsa in the zodiac signs from Aries onwards begins respectively with Aries, Capricorn, Libra and Cancer.
- In an odd zodiac sign in Krura Shastyamsas or inauspicious l/60th portions are 1st. 2nd, 8th, 9th. 10th, 11th. 12th. 15th, 18th, 30th, 31st. 32nd. 33rd. 34th, 35th, 39th. 40th, 42nd, 43rd, 44th. 48th, 51st. 52nd and 59th. The rest are Saumya or auspicious ones. In the case of an even sign it is necessary, that is, the Shastyamsa portions stated Krura in the odd signs are the Saumya ones in the even signs and vice versa.
- The Saptamsas or the l/7th portion are in the case of an odd zodiac sign, counted regularly from the sign itself. In the case of an even zodiac sign, they are counted from 7th sign onwards.
In the case of an odd sign, the Dasamamsas or 1/10th portions are counted from the sign itself. In the case of an even sign, they are counted from the 9th onwards. The lords of the Shodasamsas or the 1/16th portions in the case of an odd sign are those of the 12th sign counted from that sign Brahma, Vishnu, Hora and Ravi. In an even zodiac sign this is reversed.
If we have to assess the comparative strength of a planet, we should find out whether he is in a kendra, trikona, in his own zodiac sign, in his moolatrikona sign, in his sign of exaltation or is vargottama. Then we should scrutinize its portion in Dasavarga or Saptavarga. Some make the assessment only from Dasavarga, others assess the strength and auspiciousness of a planet from thirteen vargas.
- The position of a planet has to be considered with reference to 13 vargas to ascertain whether he is in his friend’s house, his own house or in his house of exaltation. The number of such vargas obtained by the planet will result in the attainment of the following kinds of vaiseshikamsas. The combination of 2, 3. 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 vargas are respectively called Parijat, Uttama, Gopura, Simhasana, Parvata. Devaloka, Suraloka and Airavata.
Shri V. Subrahmanya Sastri in his English Translation and Commentary of this work has given the following example. Suppose Jupiter’s position is 8-l°-25′-l” or the 2nd Degree of Dhanus. He occupies his (1) Moolatrikona (2) Drekkana (3) Saptamsa (4) Dasamsa (5) Dwadasamsa and (5) Shodasamsa. Thus Jupiter should be declared to have attained a Parvatamsa.
8-9. The results of a planet attaining various Vaiseshikamsas are as follows:
Parijat amsa — Respectability, good qualities, wealth, happiness, authority and dignity.
Uttamamsa — Modest, clever and well-behaved.
Gopuramsa — Intelligence, wealth, acquisition of lands, cows and house.
Simhasanamsa — Makes the native friend of a king or equal to him.
Paravatamsa — Acquisition of good houses, elephants, vehicles and other princely appendages.
Devalokamsa — Kingship, renown for good qualities.
Suralokamsa — Endowment with good fortune, acquisition of wealth, grains, and kingship and birth of children.
- If in a nativity a planet be weak in all the 10 vargas the result will be the death of the native. If the planets be weak in 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 out of the 10 vargas the results will be as follows: —
9 Vargas — Destruction of the native.
8 Vargas — Grief to the native.
7 Vargas — Calamity.
6 Vargas — Unhappiness.
5 Vargas — Love of kinsmen
4 Vargas — Foremost in the family
3 Vargas — Friend of a king
2 Vargas — Wealthy
1 Varga — Kingship
If a planet be strong in all the 10 Vargas, the native will be a king of kings.
A planet in infancy makes the native progressing. If he is in boyhood the native achieves happiness. If the planet be adolescent, he endows the native with kingship. The native suffers from ill health If the planet be in middle age. The planet in old age causes death of the native.
Notes — This means that a planet from infancy to youth gives progressively auspicious results and from middle age to old age the results are inauspicious.
Also Read : Divisions of zodiac signs – Part 2
