Ashtakavarga
Introduction
Analyzing a chart and making correct predictions
requires mixing many different principles and making fine compromises and
judgments. Sage Parasara said that it is difficult for even great Maharshis. In
Kali Yuga41, human beings become sinful and the sins kill their intelligence.
Parasara said that the intellectual pygmies of Kali Yuga cannot cope with too
many complicated principles and presented ashtakavarga as a simple technique
that lets them make reasonable predictions without much fuss. Ashtaka means “consisting
of eight” and Varga means “a group”. Ashtakavarga is the system of analyzing a
chart with respect to a group of 8 reference points.
When we analyze the positions of planets with
respect to lagna, we have the concept of good and bad placements. For example,
Jupiter in the 9th from lagna will be well placed and Jupiter in the 3rd will
be badly placed. Mars in the 3rd from lagna will be well placed and Mars in the
9th will be badly placed.
However, lagna is not the only reference point in a
chart. We have the Sun and Moon. In fact, all the planets serve as reference
points in a chart and they represent the sources of various energies that are
present in a native. Based on the houses in which different planets are placed
in transit, they can be benefic with respect to some energy sources and malefic
with respect to some. If a transiting planet is benefic with respect to more
energy sources, then it brings good results.
So ashtakavarga is essentially a system that tells
us the benefic positions of lagna and seven planets with respect to each other.
This can be used to analyze the strength of a natal chart, but it is much more
important in analyzing transits.
Benefic and Malefic Houses
The benefic and malefic houses for Sun with respect
to all the 8 references are given in Table below.
Table 1 : Definition of Sun's
Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2nd |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
3rd |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
4th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
5th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
6th |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
7th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
8th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
9th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
10th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
In the above table, an entry of 0 denotes a malefic
position or a “karana” or a bindu (dot). An entry of 1 denotes a benefic
position or a “sthana” or a rekha. To understand how to read this table, let us
go to the column titled “Merc” in the Table. This shows benefic houses for Sun
to occupy, with respect to Mercury. The 1st and 2nd houses have 0 and the 3rd
house has 1. So the first 2 houses from Mercury are malefic for Sun and the 3rd
house is benefic for the Sun. Similarly the below tables give the benefic and
malefic houses of Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and lagna
(respectively).
Table 2: Definition of Moon's Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2nd |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3rd |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
4th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
5th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
6th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
7th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
8th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
9th |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
10th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Table 3: Definition of Mars Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2nd |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3rd |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
4th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
5th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
6th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
7th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
8th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
9th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
10th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Table 4: Definition of Mercury’s Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
2nd |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
3rd |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
4th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
5th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
6th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
7th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
8th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
9th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
10th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Table 5: Definition of Jupiter’s Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2nd |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
3rd |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
4th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
5th |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
6th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
7th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
8th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
9th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
10th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
12th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Table 6: Definition of Venus’s Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
2nd |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
3rd |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
4th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
5th |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
6th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
7th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
8th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
9th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
10th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Table 7: Definition of Saturn’s
Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
2nd |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
3rd |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
4th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
5th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
6th |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
7th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
8th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
9th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
10th |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Table 8: Definition of Lagna’s Ashtakavarga
|
From House |
Sun |
Moon |
Mars |
Merc |
Jup |
Ven |
Sat |
Lag |
|
1st |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
2nd |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
3rd |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
4th |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
5th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
6th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
7th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
8th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
9th |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
10th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
11th |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
12th |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Example : Let us say Venus is in Ge. Find the rasis
in which Jupiter is benefic with respect to Venus.
To find the rasis in which Jupiter is benefic, we
should look at Jupiter’s ashtakavarga (see the table). To find the rasis in
which Jupiter is benefic with respect to Venus, we should look at the column of
Venus. Only the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th and 11th houses have a 1 (rekha –
benefic point) against them. Venus is in Ge and finding these houses with
respect to Venus, we get Cn, Li, Sc, Aq, Pi and Ar. So Jupiter is benefic with
respect to Venus in these rasis.
Bhinna Ashtakavarga
In this section, we will denote ashtakavarga with
AV. We prepare what is known as “Bhinna Ashtakavarga” for each planet. It is
denoted with BAV. Bhinna means “separate”. When preparing the BAV of a planet,
we count the number of references from which the planet is benefic in each rasi
and put that count in that rasi. For each planet, we prepare a different BAV.
Sometimes we may simply use the word“ashtakavarga” (AV) to represent a BAV.
The count in each rasi is between 0 to 8. It is
called the number of rekhas (benefic points) in that rasi. If a planet is in a
sign with a count of 5, 6, 7 or 8, it means that the planet is benefic in that
rasi with respect to more references. So the planet is favorable. If a planet
is in a sign with a count of 3, 2, 1 or 0, it means that the planet
is malefic in that rasi with respect to more
references. So the planet is unfavorable. If the count is 4, the planet is
neutral. We can use this analysis in natal charts and also transit charts.
Samudaaya Ashtakavarga:
Samudaaya means “group”. Samudaaya Ashtakavarga is
nothing but the sum of the ashtakavargas of seven planets. In each rasi, we add
the number of rekhas in the BAVs of Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus
and Saturn. The sum denotes the number of rekhas in that rasi in Samudaaya
Ashtakavarga. It will be denoted with SAV. It is also called “Sarva
Ashtakavarga” (sarva = all).
Prastaara Ashtakavarga:
Using the Bhinna Ashtakavarga (BAV) of a planet, we
can find out the rasis in which it is benefic with respect to more references
and the rasis in which it is malefic with respect to more references. To
interpret transits, this is sometimes not enough. For example, if we know that
a planet is benefic in Ta with respect to 5 references, that may not be enough.
We may need to know exactly what those 5 references are. If we are looking for
Jupiter’s transit that brings marriage, for example, we may want Jupiter to be
benefic in his transit rasi with respect to certain planets (Venus or DK or 7th
lord in navamsa, for example). In such situations, we need to know exactly
which references a planet is benefic from.
For this purpose, we prepare “Prastaara Astakavarga”. It will be denoted with PAV. Prastaara means “spread-out”. PAV is a spreadsheet that shows the exact references from which a planet is benefic in a rasi. We prepare one PAV for each planet. Different people may represent PAV differently. Some people may cast a chart and write the list of benefic references in each rasi.
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