Ch. 6. The Sixteen Divisions of a Rashi

1. O Mahārishi Parāśar, I have known from you about the Grahas, Rashis and their descriptions. I desire to know the details of various divisions of a Rashi, will you please narrate.

2-4. Names of the 16 Vargas. Lord Brahma has described 16 kinds of Vargas (Divisions) for each Rashi. Listen to those. The names are Rashi, Horā, Dreshkan, Chaturthāńś, Saptāńś, Navāńś, Dashāńś, Dvadashāńś, Shodashāńś, Vimshāńś, Chaturvimshāńś, Saptavimshāńś, Trimshāńś, Khavedāńś, Akshavedāńś and Shashtiāńś.

5-6. Rashi and Horā. The Rashi, owned by a Grah, is called its Kshetra. The first half of an odd Rashi is the Hora, ruled by Sūrya. While the second half is the Hora of Candr. The reverse is true in the case of an even Rashi. Half of a Rashi is called Hora. These are totally 24, counted from Mesh and repeated twice (at the rate of 12) in the whole of the zodiac.

7-8. Dreshkan. One third of a Rashi is called Dreshkan. These are totally 36, counted from Mesh, repeating thrice at the rate of 12 per round. The 1^st, 5^th and the 9^th Rashis from a Rashi are its three Dreshkanas and are, respectively, lorded by Narada, Agasthya and Durvash.

9. Chaturthāńś. The Lords of the 4 Kendras from a Rashi are the rulers of respective Chaturthāńś of a Rashi, commencing from Mesh. Each Chaturthāńś is one fourth of a Rashi. The deities, respectively, are Sanak, Sanand, Kumar and Sanatan.

10-11. Saptāńś. The Saptāńś (one seventh of a Rashi) counting commences from the same Rashi in the case of an odd Rashi. It is from the seventh Rashi thereof, while an even Rashi is considered. The names of the seven divisions in odd Rashis are Kshaar Ksheer, Dadhi, Ghrith, Ikshu, Ras, Madhya and Suddh Jal. These designations are reversed for an even Rashi.

12. Navāńś. The Navāńś calculation are for a Movable Rashi from there itself, for a Fixed Rashi from the 9^th thereof and for a Dual Rashi from the 5^th thereof. They go by designations Deva (divine), Manushya (human) and Rakshasa (devilish) in a successive and repetitive order for a Movable Rashi. (Manushya, Rakshasa and Deva are the order for a Fixed Rashi, while Rakshasa, Manushya and Deva are a Dual Rashi’s order)

13-14. Dashāńś. Starting from the same Rashi for an odd Rashi and from the 9^th with reference to an even Rashi, the 10 Dashāńśas, each of 3 degrees, are reckoned. These are presided over by the ten rulers of the cardinal directions, viz. Indra, Agni, Yama, Rakshasa, Varuna, Vayu, Kuber, Isan, Brahma and Ananth in case of an odd Rashi. It is in the reverse order, that these presiding deities are reckoned, when an even Rashi is given.

15. Dvadashāńś. The reckoning of the Dvadashāńś (one twelfth of a Rashi, or 2˝ degrees each) commences from the same Rashi. In each Rashi the presidentship repeats thrice in the order of Ganesh, Ashvini Kumar, Yama and Sarpa for the 12 Dvadashāńśas.

16. Shodashāńś (or Kalāńś). Starting from Mesh for a Movable Rashi, from Simh for a Fixed Rashi and from Dhanu for a Dual Rashi, the 16 Shodashāńśas (16^th part of a Rashi, i.e. of 1°52’30”) are regularly distributed. The presiding deities of these repeat in the order Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Sūrya four times in the case of an odd Rashi. It is reverse in the case of an even Rashi, that these ruling deities are understood.

17-21. Vimshāńś. From Mesh for a Movable Rashi, from Dhanu for a Fixed Rashi and from Simh for a Common Rashi: this is how the calculations of Vimshāńśas (1/20^th of a Rashi, or 1°30’ each) are to commence. The presiding deities of the 20 Vimshāńśas in an odd Rashi are, respectively: Kali, Gauri, Jaya, Lakshmi, Vijaya, Vimal, Sati, Tara, Jvalamukhi, Sveta, Lalita, Bagalamukhi, Pratyangir, Shachi, Raudri, Bhavani, Varad, Jaya, Tripura and Sumukhi. In an even Rashi these 20 deities, respectively, are Daya, Megha, Chinnasi, Pisachini, Dhumavathi, Matangi, Bal, Bhadr, Arun, Anal, Pingal, Chuchchuk, Ghora, Vaarahi, Vaishnavi, Sita, Bhuvanesvari, Bhairavi, Mangal and Aparajit.

22-23. Chaturvimshāńś. The Chaturvimshāńś (1/24^th part of a Rashi, or 1°15’ each) distribution commences from Simh and Kark, respectively, for an odd and an even Rashi. In the case of an odd Rashi the ruling deities repeat twice in the order of Skand, Parusdhar, Anal, Vishwakarma, Bhag, Mitr, Maya, Antaka, Vrisha-Dwaja, Govinda, Madan and Bhima. Reverse these from Bhima twice to know the deities for the Chaturvimshāńś in an even Rashi.

24-26. Saptavimshāńś (Nakshatrāńś, or Bhāńś). The Saptavimshāńś Lords are, respectively, the presiding deities of the 27 Nakshatras, as under: Dastra (Ashvini Kumar), Yama, Agni, Brahma, Candr, Isa, Adhiti, Jiva, Ahi, Pitar, Bhag, Aryama, Sūrya, Tvasht, Marut, Chakragni, Mitr, Vasava, Rakshasa, Varuna, Vishwadeva, Govinda, Vasu, Varuna, Ajap, Ahirbuddhnya and Pushya. These are for an odd Rashis. Count these deities in a reverse order for an even Rashi. The Saptavimshāńś distribution commences from Mesh and other Movable Rashis for all the 12 Rashis.

27-28. Trimshāńś. The Trimshāńś Lords for an odd Rashi are Mangal, Śani, Guru, Budh and Śukr. Each of them in order rules 5, 5, 8, 7 and 5 degrees. The deities, ruling over the Trimshāńśas, are, respectively, Agni, Vayu, Indra, Kuber and Varuna. In the case of an even Rashi the quantum of Trimshāńś, Grah lordship and deities get reversed.

29-30. Khavedāńś (or Chatvarimshāńś, 1/40^th part of a Rashi). For odd Rashis count from Mesh and for an even Rashi from Tula in respect of Khavedāńśas (each of 45’ of arc). Vishnu, Candr, Marichi, Tvasht, Dhata, Shiva, Ravi, Yama, Yaksh, Gandharv, Kaal and Varuna repeat successively, as presiding deities, in the same order for all Rashis.

31-32. Akshavedāńś (1/45^th part of a Rashi). Mesh, Simh and Dhanu are the Rashis, from which the distributions, respectively, commence for Movable, Immovable and Common Rashis. In Movable Rashis Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu; in Immovable Rashis Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma and in Common Rashis Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva repeat 15 times the presidentship over these Akshavedāńśas.

33-41. Shashtiāńś (1/60^th part of a Rashi, or half a degree each). To calculate the Shashtiāńś Lord ignore the Rashi position of a Grah and take the degrees etc. it traversed in that Rashi. Multiply that figure by 2 and divide the degrees by 12. Add 1 to the remainder, which will indicate the Rashi, in which the Shashtiāńś falls. The Lord of that Rashi is the Grah, ruling the said Shashtiāńś. In odd Rashis the names of Shashtiāńśas are 1. Ghora, 2. Rakshasa, 3. Deva, 4. Kuber, 5. Yaksh, 6. Kindar, 7. Bhrasht, 8. Kulaghna, 9. Garal, 10. Vahni, 11. Maya, 12. Purishak, 13. Apampathi, 14. Marutwan, 15. Kaal, 16. Sarpa, 17. Amrit, 18. Indu, 19. Mridu, 20. Komal, 21. Heramba, 22. Brahma, 23. Vishnu, 24. Maheshwara, 25. Deva, 26. Ardr, 27. Kalinas, 28. Kshitees, 29. Kamalakar, 30. Gulik, 31. Mrityu, 32. Kaal, 33. Davagni, 34. Ghora, 35. Yama, 36 Kantak, 37. Suddh, 38. Amrit, 39. PurnaCandr, 40. Vishadagdha, 41. Kulanas, 42. Vamshakshaya, 43. Utpat, 44. Kaal, 45. Saumya, 46. Komal, 47. Sheetal, 48. Karaladamshtr, 49. Candramukhi, 50. Praveen, 51. Kaalpavak, 52. Dhannayudh, 53. Nirmal, 54. Saumya, 55. Krur, 56. Atisheetal, 57. Amrit, 58. Payodhi, 59. Brahman, 60. CandraRekha (InduRekha). The reverse is the order for even Rashis in so much, as these names are cased. Grahas in benefic Shashtiāńśas produce auspicious, while the opposite is true in case of Grahas in malefic Shashtiāńśas.

42-53. Varg Classification. Maitreya, explained now are the sum effects of classifications of different divisions (or Vargas, so far narrated). These are four kinds, viz. Shad Varg, Sapth Varg, Dasha Varg and Shodasha Varg. In the ShadVarg classification the Varg designations are Kimshuk, Vyanjan, Chamar, Chatr and Kundal, according to a Grah being in 2 to 6 combinations of good Vargas. Next is the Sapth Varg, in which these classifications continue in the same manner up to six combinations of good Vargas, the 7^th additional Varg getting classified, as Mukut. In the Dasha Varg scheme the designations commence from Parijata etc., such as 2 good Vargas - Parijatha, 3 Uttama, 4 Gopur, 5 Simhasan, 6 Paravata, 7 Devaloka, 8 Brahmaloka, 9 Sakravahana and 10 Vargas - Shridham. In the Shodasha Varg scheme the combinations of Vargas go with designations thus: two good Vargas - Bhedak, 3 Kusum, 4 Nagapushpa, 5 Kanduk, 6 Kerala, 7 Kalpa Vriksha, 8 Chandan Vana, 9 PurnaCandr, 10 Uchchaisrava, 11 Dhanvantari, 12 Sūryakant, 13 Vidrum, 14 Chakra-Simhasan, 15 Golok and 16 Vargas - Śrī Vallabh. In these divisions the divisions, falling in the Grah’s exaltation Rashi, Mooltrikon Rashi, own Rashi and the Rashis, owned by the Lord of a Kendra from the Arudha Lagn, are all to be considered (as good Vargas). The divisions of a combust Grah, defeated Grah, weak Grah and a Grah in bad Avasthas, like Sayan, be all ignored to be auspicious, for these destroy the good Yogas.