Although ancient astrological texts mention how to work out the divisional charts and importance of their study, nowhere is an integrated approach for study of the divisional charts available. Solitary principles (sutras) indicating that if a particular planet is in a particular sign in a particular divisional chart then the results would be so and so, find place in the text and commentaries of ancient astrological writers. These texts and commentaries are suffering from both omissions and interpolations because of the absence of recording facilities in ancient times. Therefore, we have to be careful in adopting only such classical principles, which have stood the test of time. These classical principles have to be read in conjunction with one another and not in isolation.

1. First of all, the birth-data should be correct for study of any divisional chart. In D-charts we take into account the analysis of position changing with a difference of even one minute in the time of birth.
2. As there is every possibility of some amount of error in recording the time of birth even in cases where utmost care has been taken to record the correct time of birth, it is imperative that divisional analysis is taken up only up to (D-XII). For divisional analysis beyond (D-XII) only the position of lord of the corresponding houses and the natural significator planets should be considered in the concerned D charts. The ascendant as well as its lord in the divisional charts beyond D-XII could prove to be unreliable.
3. The longitudes of ascendant and planets should be correctly worked out along with divisional charts.
4. The study of the divisional charts should be taken up along with the main chart. The divisional charts are used for trying the strength of the planets. In the divisional charts the strength of the following is studied:

(i) the lord of the house of a particular significations in D-I;
(ii) the significator of the particular aspect of life; and
(iii) the lord of the ascendant of the concerned divisional chart if it contains an MT sign is examined.
5. A planet that is weak on account of debilitation or for that matter on any other account in D-I until and unless strengthened, during the course of its sub-periods, would hardly be of any help to the significations of its concerned divisional charts. In this connection the readers may please refer to Chapter 4 on ‘Analyzing Debilitated Planets’ for detailed study.
6. A natal planet that is weak due to combustion lacks power to protect or promote the houses and significations ruled by it. In this connection, the readers may please refer to Chapter 5 on ‘Analyzing Combust Planets’ for detailed study.
7. Whenever the slow moving malefics in transit come in degree conjunction with the natal position of planets or the most effective point of ascendant and other houses in D-I they cause prolonged stress signified by the houses involved or the planets.
8. Occupation of the ascendant of divisional chart by the nodes or the eighth lord of the D-chart in case a moolatrikona sign is rising in the D-chart ascendant creates stress for the significations of the D-chart. The good placement in D-chart of the lord of the relevant house of D-I and significator helps in promoting the significations of the D-chart. The bad placement of the lord(s) of the relevant house(s) of D-I and significator of the particular aspect of life in D-chart causees stress regarding the significations of the D-chart.
9. The strength of planets in rasi chart should be given due consideration.
10. The planets influencing the ascendant, angles and trines of D-charts and with the significator by conjunction/aspect touch the significations of the concerned divisional charts in their sub-periods.
11 Occupation of angles/trines by nodes in D-charts do not bless the native with good results in the relevant fields.
12. Any planet which is exalted in Rasi chart and debilitated in the D-chart will give ordinary results.
13. For timing specific events, the strength of the lord of the sub-period is examined in the birth chart, D-chart, and transit. The relationship of the sub-period lord with the main period lord and its strength in D-chart is of paramount importance.
14. When both the lords of the main period and sub-period are functional malefics, they denote destruction and loss in contrast to the benefics, which do no harm and promote their significations.
15. The functional malefic lord of a house if closely related with another functional malefic planet and is placed in inauspicious houses, produces tension in its own sub-period and sub-periods of other malefics in its own main-period.
16. The transit influences are considered only in D-I.
17. The planetary aspects are considered in the D-charts.
18. Those planets, which are placed in the malefic houses in a D chart, also turn weak but this weakness is milder than the weakness of planets placed in the malefic houses of D-I. This weakness is considered only for the significations of the relevant D-chart only.
19. If a planet is a functional benefic in D-I but turns out to be a functional malefic for the D Chart, its malefic impact would be limited to the respective D Chart only. The influence would be applicable only in a milder way in case it is influencing the ascendant or the fourth house of the D Chart.

CONTROVERSY

There has been a controversy whether the varga charts should be read independently or as a supplement to the main chart. Some opine that the divisional charts could only supplement what was shown in the basic chart and that the intensity of benefic and malefic results pertaining to any particular D-chart depends upon the strength or weakness of the planets in D-I. However, some others advocate that the divisional charts should be read independently.

The study of various charts together with their divisional charts shows that divisional charts have to be read only as a supplement to the birth charts. The rasi charts and the divisional charts are inter-related and have to be read in conjunction with each other. The apparent strength acquired by the planets by being in own mooltrikona sign or by being in exaltation in the birth chart may produce ordinary or negative result if these occupy the debilitated sign in divisional charts or are afflicted in the divisional charts. As against this, the weakness of planets due to debilitation, combustion, etc., in the zodiac at any given time cannot be made good even if they occupy exalted amsa in any particular divisional chart. This is as per the views of the propounder of Astrology, Maharishi Parashara. We can safely infer that the natal weakness of planets cannot be made up even by joining benefic houses in divisional charts, or by not being debilitated there, or by obtaining maximum benefic points in Ashtakavarga.

As our stress is to make the study of astrology scientific, we have to test each and every dictum provided to us by classical works in our laboratory, I mean, sufficient number of charts are to be analysed for empirical studies. The weakness of planets arising due to the sources of weakness mentioned in chapter 2, until and unless strengthened, is permanent. If the combust planet becomes the lord of the ascendant of the divisional chart, the significations of the division concerned suffer further.

For timing the events, the sub-period of a strong planet or a strengthened planet, which is auspiciously placed in the divisional chart, with reference to the ascendant of the divisional chart, should be selected. The weakness or affliction should be guarded by using astrological remedial measures. In D-charts, the close conjunction/aspect of the D-chart functional benefics with the ascendant, relevant significators and trines regarding the ascendant boost the significations of the divisional charts. The D-chart functional malefics in such a state damage the significations, in their sub-periods.

Needless to emphasize the importance and necessity of studying the divisional charts as it helps us in accurately analysing the horoscope to meet the requirements of complexities in modern life. For progress, each and every step in life has to be planned ahead from the very beginning. The questions astrologers have to face are specific in nature for the specified time, which can only be answered after due consideration of the divisional charts. Quite often we come across horoscopes where rasi charts promise a good future in some particular sector, yet the results may be totally different. I am citing also a few charts which show that the study of rasi chart and divisional charts is inter-dependent. Sometimes, the natives suffered because of weak combinations in the birth chart, itself, of sometime due to planetary strengths and afflictions emerging in the D-charts. However, as indicated earlier, the divisional charts have to be read always as a supplement to the birth charts.

TIMING THE EVENTS

For timing the events, the sub-period of a planet which is auspiciously placed in the divisional chart, with reference to the ascendant of the divisional chart should be selected. The weakness or affliction should be guarded by using astrological remedial measures.

The close conjunction/aspect of benefics with the ascendant, relevant significators and their trines in the divisional charts boost the significations of the divisional charts whereas malefics in such a state destroy the significations, in their main/sub-periods.

Needless to emphasize the importance and necessity of study of divisional charts as it helps us in accurately analyzing the horoscope to meet the requirements of complexities in modern life. For progress each and every step in life has to be planned ahead from the very beginning. The questions astrologers have to face are specific in nature for the specified time, which can only be answered after due consideration of the divisional charts. Quite often we come across horoscopes where rasi charts promise a very good future in some particular sector, yet the results may be totally different. I am citing a few charts, which clearly show that although the divisional charts do not show problem for relevant significations, ruled by them, the natives suffered because of weak combinations in the birth chart, itself. However, as indicated earlier the divisional charts have to be read as a supplement to the birth charts.

Birth: December 14, 1949.

In navamsa the lord of the ascendant occupies the house of gains. The significator for husband occupies an angular house and the significator for happy married life, Venus, is in its own sign in a trine and is associated with an exalted Moon. No planet is in malefic houses. In spite of fairly good combinations in the navamsa, the marriage of the native was badly delayed. The native suffered from constant spoiled marital relations.

Let us examine the main chart. The sign Capricorn rises in the ascendant and the Sun, Jupiter, Rahu and Ketu become functional malefic planets. The significator for the husband is in its sign of debilitation, being lord of the twelfth house. The lord of the seventh house is weak due to the weakness of its dispositor. Mercury is weak as it is badly placed in the chart. The lord of the seventh house is being closely aspected by the debilitated twelfth lord, Jupiter. The lord of the fourth house ruling the domestic peace is weak as it is in the state of infancy.

Saturn, the lord of second house ruling family, is in the eighth house. Before death the native had undergone sub-period of Mercury (partly), the sub-periods of Saturn and Jupiter in the main period of Jupiter and the sub-periods of Moon and Mars in the main period of Rahu so far as the marital life is concerned.

Birth: September 12, 1954.

In dasamsa Jupiter occupies the ascendant. The Sun, Mercury and the Moon occupy their signs of exaltation in dasamsa. In spite of these good combinations the native could not get an authoritative or advisory job with the state and had to work as a counter girl with some travel agency.

Navamsa ascendant is occupied by a Vargottama Jupiter and is aspected by its lord, the Moon, in addition to the aspects of Saturn, Venus and Ketu. The yogakaraka for navamsa, Mars, occupies the second house.

The marriage of the native took place at the age of 37 years, was short lived and resulted in cheating. The father of the native deserted the family in the year 1978, in the sub-period of Mars and main period of Jupiter, the lord of the 6th house. After desertion by the father, the native had to take up an unpleasant job.

Returning to the analysis of the main chart with the Systems’ Approach, the presence of Jupiter in the ascendant close to the most effective point is unfavorable. The Moon is weak as it is badly placed in the chart. Saturn, the lord of the eighth house afflicts the fourth house by presence and the fourth lord by close conjunction.

The tenth lord is placed in the 6th house. Venus, the fourth lord, gave marriage but could not protect it because of afflictions and operation of the main periods of functional malefic planets.

Birth: April 8, 1960.

The lord of ascendant of navamsa occupies the tenth house. There is a good yoga by way of combination of exalted Jupiter and Moon in Cancer. Mars occupies its sign of exaltation and aspects its mooltrikona house, providing strength to the longevity of the navamsa chart ruling happy married life and general fortune. The chart suffers weakness of Venus and affliction of Saturn and Rahu.

The married life of the native had been an utter failure. She had a divorce and was remarried. The second marriage also suffers from inharmonious relations.

Analyzing with the Systems’ Approach, we find the sign Cancer rises in the ascendant and Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu are the functional malefic planets. The marital affairs are ruled by the second and fourth houses. The functional malefic planet Jupiter ruling disputes closely afflicts the second and twelfth houses besides exactly afflicting the Moon placed in the second house. Mars and Mercury are weak as they are badly placed. Mercury is the lord of the ascendant of navamsa. The significator of husband is a functional malefic planet and is involved in close afflictions in the chart. At the time of the marriage the native was in the main period of exactly afflicted, Moon, placed in the second house. When the sub-period of the well-placed lord of the second house operates, the affliction of the Moon placed in the house of the Sun starts surfacing. The lord of the house of marital tie, Saturn, is placed in the house of conflicts.

In addition to the unhappy married life, the native is suffering from multiple health problems. She is having low BP, arthritis from very early stages in life, thyroid, etc. The ascendant lord of the main chart is under the exact aspect of the lord of the sixth house, Jupiter, who is also associated with the eighth lord. The ascendant of D-VI is occupied by the lord of the twelfth house of D-VI. As the fourth lord of D-I is exalted in the ninth house her parents are affluent. The placement of the lord of the ascendant in the house of status gave her good education and employment.

Birth: November 11, 1980.

In dwadasamsa, the lord of the ascendant aspects the ascendant. The Sun, significator for father, occupies its own moolatrikona sign in the fifth house. The lord of the ninth house occupies its own sign. Venus occupies its own sign in the second house. Yet the native could not have any happiness from the side of his father. The father tried to kill his mother and the young child, who saw this incident, developed fears. Later on when the child was of six years of age, he was permanently separated from the father due to divorce between his mother and father and the custody of the child remaining with the mother.

Let us examine the reasons for this in the main chart. The sign Taurus rises in the ascendant and Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Rahu and Ketu are the functional malefic planets. The significator for the father, the Sun, is in its sign of debilitation. There is no moolatrikona sign in the ninth house. The debilitated Venus, dispositor of debilitated significator of father is under the exact affliction of Ketu. The functional malefic planet, Mars, exactly afflicts the most effective point of the second house, ruling family. Saturn is in its sign of debilitation in navamsa and is afflicted by the functional malefic planet, Jupiter. The native had been running the main period of debilitated and afflicted Venus when he entered the fourth year of age.