7. The Sixteen Divisions of a Sign:

श्रुता ग्रहगुणास्त्वत्तस्तथा राशिगुणा मुने।
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भावानां भेदांस्तान् कृपया वद ॥ १ ॥

1. Maitreya said to Parasara, "O Sage, I heard from you about the planets and signs and the description of their qualities etc. Now I want to know about the divisions of the signs. Kindly narrate them to me.

वर्गान् षोडश यानाह ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः ।
तानहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि मैत्रेय ! श्रूयतामिति ॥ २ ॥

क्षेत्रं होरा च द्रेष्काणस्तुर्यांश: सप्तमांशकः ।
नवांशो दशमांशश्च सूर्याश: षोडशांशकः ॥ ३ ॥

विंशांशो वेदबाह्वंशो भांशस्त्रिंशांशकस्ततः ।
खवेदांशोऽक्षवेदांश: षष्ठ्यंशश्च तत: परम् ॥ ४ ॥

2-4 Parasara replied : O Maitreya, the 16 kinds of vargas (division) for each sign which Lord Brahma, the universal grandfather has described are told to you, please listen: These vargas are: Griha (Rasi or sign) Hora, Drekkana Chaturthamsha, Sapthamamsha Navamamsha, Dasamamsha, Dwadsamamsha, Shodashamamsha, Vimsamsha Chaturvimsamsha, Saptavimsamsha, Trimamsha, Khavedamsha, Akshavedamsha, and Sasthiamasha.

तत्क्षेत्रं तस्य खेटस्य राशेर्यो यस्य नायकः ।
सूर्येन्द्वोर्विषमे राशौ समे तद्विपरीतकम् ॥ ५ ॥

पितरश्चन्द्रहोरेशा देवाः सूर्यस्य कीर्तिताः ।
राशेरर्द्धं भवेद्धारा ताश्चतुर्विंशतिः स्मृता ॥
मेषादि तासां होराणां परिवृत्तिद्वयं भवेत् ॥६॥

5-6. The Rashi or sign which is owned by a planet is called its Kshetra or House. The first half of odd signs (Aries, Gemini, Leo Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius) or from 0° to 15°, is the hora of the Sun while the second half from (16° to 30° is the hora of the Moon. The reverse is the case in even signs (Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces). There the 1st half of a sign 0°-15° is ruled by the Moon while the second half 16°-30° by the Sun. The lords of the Hora of the Moon are the pitraganas (forefathers) and those of the Sun are the Devas (gods and goddesses). Half of the Rashi or sign is called Hora. These are totally 24 (The number of Hora in 12 signs is 24) In these Horas the signs Aries etc. are counted twice.

Example: Suppose the Lagna (Ascendant) is 8-12°-25-51". This is the House of (Griha Rashi) Jupiter. The sign is Sagittarius. Therefore it is an odd sign. it is the first half of an odd sign. So it is the hora of the Sun.

राशित्रिभागा द्रेष्काणास्ते च षट्त्रिंशदीरिताः ।
परिवृत्तित्रयं तेषां मेषादेः क्रमशो भवेत् ॥ ७ ॥

स्वपंचनवमानां च राशीनां क्रमशश्च ते ।
नारदा- ऽगस्ति-दुर्वासा द्रेष्काणेशाश्चरादिषु ॥ ८ ॥

7 - 8. One third of Rashi or sign is called Drekkana (Decanate). These are thirty six. The signs Aries etc. are counted thrice in these Decanates. The first Decanate is owned by the sign itself, the second one by the 5th sign from it and, the third one by the 9th sign from if. The Lords of the Decanate of the Movable, Fixed and Dual signs are respectively Narada, Augusta and Durvasha.

Example: Suppose the Ascendant is 8-12° -27 -51". This is the House of Jupiter. The sign is Sagittarius. There is the Second Decanate in it. Therefore, it is the Decanate of Aries, the 5th sign from Sagittarius.

Drekkana Chakra

स्वर्क्षादिकेन्द्रपतयस्तुर्यांशेशाः क्रियादिषु ।
सनकश्च सनन्दश्च कुमारश्च सनातनः ॥ ९ ॥

9. Chaturthamsha : In the signs Aries etc., the Lords of chaturthamshas are the Lords of the First, Fourth, Seventh and Tenth Signs and the deities of these are respectively Sanaka, Sanat Kumar and Sanatana.

सप्तांशपास्त्वोजगृहे गणनीया निजेशतः ।
युग्मराशौ तु विज्ञेयाः सप्तमर्क्षादिनायकात् ।। १० ।।

क्षार-क्षीरौ च दध्याज्यौ तथेक्षुरससम्भवः ।
मद्यशुद्धजलावोजे समे शुद्धजलादिकाः ।। ११ ।।

10 - 11. Saptamamsha: The counting of Saptamamsha commences from the same sign in the case of odd signs like Aries etc.; it commences from the seventh sign in the case of even signs Taurus etc. The names of the Saptamamshas in odd signs are: Kshara, Ksheera, Dadhi, Ghrita, Ikshurasa, Madhya and Shuddha Jala; and of those in even signs are the same in reverse order (i.e. Shuddha Jala, Madhya Jala etc.)

नवांशेशाश्चरे तस्मात् थिरे तन्नवमादितः ।
उभये तत्पंचमादेरिति चिन्त्यं विचक्षणैः ॥
देवा नृराक्षसाश्चैव चरादिषु गृहेषु च ॥ १२ ॥

12. Navamamsha : 'नवांश' The Navamamsha calculation is to be made by the wise from the same sign for a movable sign, from the ninth sign for a fixed one and, from the 5th sign for a dual one to the 9th sign onwards. The designations of the Navamamshas are to be taken respectively the Devas (gods), Naras (Human beings) and Rakshasas (devils) in the movable etc., signs in order.

दशमांशाः स्वतश्चौजे युग्मे तन्नवमात् स्मृताः ।
दश पूर्वादिदिक्पाला इन्द्रा-ऽग्नि-यम-राक्षसाः ॥ १३ ॥

वरुणो मारुतश्चैव कुबेरेशान-पद्मजाः ।
अनन्तश्व क्रमादोजे समे वा व्युत्क्रमेण तु ॥ १४ ॥

13 - 14 Dasamamsha: The counting of Dasamamsha is to be made from the same sign for an odd sign, and from the 9th sign for an even one. The presiding deities of the 10 cardinal directions east etc., namely Indra, Agni, Yama, Rakshasa, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Isana, Brahma and Ananta are respectively the Lords of the Dasamamsha in the case of an odd sign, they are their lords in reverse order for an even sign.

द्वादशांशस्य गणना तत्तत्क्षेत्राद्विनिर्दिशेत् ।
तेषामधीशाः क्रमशो गणेशाऽश्वि-यमाहयाः ॥ १५ ॥

15. Dwadasamsha : 'द्वादशांश' The Dwadasamsha calculation should be made from the same sign onwards: The Lords of these Dwadasamshas are Ganesh, Ashwini Kumar, Yama and Sarpa (who repeat their lordship thrice in each sign).

अज-सिंहाऽश्वितो ज्ञेया षोडशांशाश्चरादिषु ।
अज-विष्णू हर: सूर्यो ह्योजे युग्मे प्रतीपकम् ॥ १६ ॥

16. षोडशाशं Shodasamsha: Shodasamsha should be known as commencing from Aries in movable signs, from Leo in fixed signs and from Sagittarius in dual signs: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Surya are respectively the Lords of these Shodasamsha, in odd signs, and the same in reverse order in even signs and these repeat their lordship four times in each sign.

अथ विंशतिभागानामधिपा ब्रह्मणोदिताः ।
क्रियाच्चरे स्थिरे चापान् मृगेन्द्राद् द्विस्वभावके ॥ १७ ॥

काली गौरी जया लक्ष्मीर्विजया विमला सती ।
तारा ज्वालामुखी श्वेता ललिता बगलामुखी ॥ १८ ॥

प्रत्यङ्गिरा शची रौद्री भवानी वरदा जया।
त्रिपुरा सुमुखी चेति विषमे परिचिन्तयेत् ॥ १९ ॥

समराशौ दया मेधा छिन्नशीर्षा पिशौचिनी ।
धूमावती च मातङ्गी बाला भद्राऽरुणानला ॥ २० ॥

Dwadasamamsha Chakra

पिङ्गला छुच्छुका घोरा वाराही वैष्णवी सिता ।
भुवनेशी भैरवी च मङ्गला ह्यपराजिता ॥ २१ ॥

17-21 'विशांश' Vimsamasha: The reckoning of Vimsamasha commences from Aries in movable signs, from Sagittarius in fixed ones and from Leo in signs of dual nature. In odd signs the Lords of Vimsamasha are respectively Kali, Gauri, Jaya, Laxmi, Vijaya, Vimla, Sati, Tara, Jwalamukhi, Shaveta, Lalita, Bagla, Pratyangira, Shachi, Raudri, Bhavani, Varda, Jaya, Tripura and Sumukhi; and in even signs the presiding deities are respectively Daya, Medha, Chhinna Shirsha, Pishachini, Dhoomavati, Matangi, Bala, Bhadra, Aruna, Anala, Pingla Chhuchchhuka, Ghora, Varahi, Vaishnavi, Sita, (सिता) Bhuvaneshi, Bhairavi, Mangla and Aparajita.

सिद्धांशकानामधिपाः सिंहादोजभगे ग्रहे ।
कर्काद्युग्मभगे खेटे स्कन्दः पर्शुधरोऽनलः ॥ २२ ॥

विश्वकर्मा भगो मित्रो मयोऽन्तकवृषध्वजाः ।
गोविन्दो मदनो भीमः सिंहादौ विषमे क्रमात् ॥
कर्कादौ समभे भीमाहिलोमेन विचिन्तयेत् ॥ २३ ॥

22-23 सिद्धांश *Siddhamsha :*In odd signs from Leo and in even signs from Cancer commences the counting of Siddhamshas and Skanda, Parashudhara, Anala, Vishwakarma, Bhaga, Mitra. Maya, Antaka, Vrishdhwaja, Govinda, Madana and Bhima, repeated twice in each sign, are to be known the presiding deities of odd signs Leo etc., respectively and; in even signs Cancer etc., the presiding deities are the same in reverse order (i.e. beginning from Bhima) and repeated twice.

भांशाधिपाः क्रमाद्दस्वयमवह्निपितामहाः ।
चन्द्रेशादितिजीवाहिपितरो भगसंज्ञिता: ॥ २४ ॥

अर्यमार्कत्वमच्छाग्निमित्रवासवा ।
निर्ऋत्युदकविश्वेऽजगोविन्दो वसवोऽम्बुपः ॥ २५ ॥

ततोऽजपादहिर्बुध्न्यः पूषा चैव प्रकीर्तिताः ।
नक्षत्रेशास्तु भांशेशा मेषादिचरभक्रमात् ॥ २६ ॥

24 - 26. भांश Bhamsha : The presidng deities of Bhamshas are respectively Dastra (Ashwini Kumara) Yama, Agni, Brahma, Chandra Isa, Aditi, Jiva, Abhi, Pitara, Bhaga, Aryama, Surya, Tvashta, Maruta, Shakragni, Mitra, Vasava, Rakshasa, Varuna, Vishwadeva, Govinda, Vasu, Varuna, Ajapat, Ahirbudhanya and Pusha. Thus the presiding deities of the Nakshatras are also the presiding deities of Bhamshas. These Bhamshas commence from Aries and other movable signs (in all signs).

त्रिंशांशेशाश्च विषमे कुजार्कीज्यज्ञभार्गवाः ।
पंचपंचाष्टसप्ताक्षभागानां व्यत्ययात् समे ॥ २७ ॥

वह्निः समीरशकौ च धनदो जलदस्तथा ।
विषमेषु क्रमाज्ञेयाः समराशै विपर्ययात् ॥ २८ ॥

27 - 28. 'त्रिंशाश' Trimshamsha : In odd signs the lords of Trimshamsha are Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Venus each of them in order rules 5, 5, 8, 7, and 5 degrees. The same should be considered the lords of Trimshamsha in even signs, though in reverse order. The deities presiding over the Trimshamsha respectively are Agni, Vayu, Indra, Kubera and Varuna in the case of odd signs and, the same should be known the presiding deities over even signs in reverse order.

चत्वारिंशद्वभागानामधिपा विषमे क्रियात् ।
समभे तुलतो ज्ञेयाः स्वस्वाधिपसमन्विताः ॥ २९ ॥

विष्णुश्चन्द्रो मरीचिश्च त्वष्टा धाता शिवो रविः ।
यमो यक्षश्च गन्धर्वः कालो वरुण एव च ॥ ३० ॥

29-30. खवेदाशं Khavedamsha or Chatvarimsamsha: The knowledge of the Lords of Khavedamsha in respect of odd signs is to be got commencing from Aries and in that of even signs from Libra. Vishnu, Chandra, Marichi, Twashta, Dhata, Shiva, Ravi, Yama, Yakshesha, Gandharva, Kala and Varuna repeat successively as the presiding deities in the same order for all signs.

तथाक्षवेदभागानामधिपाश्चरभे क्रियात् ।
स्थिरे सिंहाद् द्विभेचापात् विधीशविष्णवश्चरे ॥ ३१ ॥

ईशाच्युतसुरज्येष्ठा विष्णुकेशाः स्थिरे द्विभे ।
देवा: पंचदशावृत्त्या विज्ञेया द्विजसत्तम ! ॥ ३२ ॥

31 - 32 Aksha Vedamsha : The 'अक्ष वेदांश' Aksha Vedamsha of the signs commences with Aries in movable signs, Leo in fixed signs and, Sagittarius in dual signs. In movable signs Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu; in fixed signs Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and; in dual signs Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva respectively are the Lords and they repeat their Lordship in each sign 15 times.

Khavedamsha Chakra

राशीन् विहाय खेटस्य द्विघ्नमंशाद्यमर्कहृत् ।
शेषं सैकं च तद्राशेर्भपाः षष्ट्यंशपाः स्मृताः ॥ ३३ ॥

घोरश्च राक्षशो देव: कुबेरो यक्ष-किन्नरौ ।
भ्रष्टःकुलघ्नो गरलो वह्निर्माया पुरीषक: ॥ ३४ ॥

अपाम्पतिर्मरुत्वांश्च काल: सर्पामृतेन्दुकाः ।
मृदुः कोमल-हेरम्ब - ब्रह्म-विष्णु-महेश्वराः ॥ ३५ ॥

देवादौ कलिनाशश्च क्षितीश-कमलाकरौ ।
गुलिको मृत्युकालश्च दावाग्निर्घोरसंज्ञकः ॥ ३६ ॥

यमश्च कण्टकसुधाऽमृतौ पूर्णनिशाकरः ।
विषदग्धकुलान्तश्च मुख्यो वंशक्षयस्तथा ॥ ३७ ॥

उत्पातकालसौम्याख्या: कोमलः शीतलाभिधः ।
करालदंष्ट्रचन्द्रास्यौ प्रवीण: कालपावकः ॥ ३८ ॥

दण्डभुन्निर्मलः सौम्य: क्रूरोऽतिशीतलोऽमृतः ।
पयोधिभ्रमणाख्यौ च चन्द्ररेखा त्वयुग्मपाः ॥ ३९ ॥

समे भे व्यत्ययाज्ज्ञेयाः षष्ट्यंशेशाः प्रकीर्तिताः ।
षष्ट्यंशस्वामिनस्त्वोजे तदीशाद् व्यत्पयः समे ॥ ४० ॥

शुभषष्टयंशसंयुक्ता ग्रहाः शुभफलप्रदाः ।
क्रूरषटयंशसंयुक्ता नाशयन्ति खचारिणः ॥ ४१ ॥

33 - 41. षष्टयशं 'Shastiamsha' : Ignore the sign position of a planet and take the degrees etc. it traversed in that sign, multiply that figure by 2 and divide the degrees by 12 and add 1 to the remainder. The resultant no. is the sign from the sign whose Shastiamsha is to be known in which the Shastiamsha falls and the Lord of that sign will be the Shastiamsha Lord. The names of Shastiamshas in odd signs are: Ghora, Rakshasa, Deva, Kubera, Yaksha, Kinnara, Bharashta, Kulaghna, Garala, Vahni, Maya, Purishaka, Apampathi, Marut, Kaala, Sarpa, Amrita, Indu, Mridu, Komala, Heramba, Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara, Deva, Ardra, Kalinasa. Kshitishwara, Kamalakara, Gulika Mrithyu, Kaala, Davagani, Ghora, Yama, Kantaka, Sudha, Amrita, Poornachandra, Vishadagdha, Kulanasa, Vamsa Kshaya, Utpata, Kaala, Saumaya, Komala, Sheetala, Karala damshtra, Chandramukhi, Praveena, Kala Pavaka, Dandayudha, Nirmala, Saumya, Kroora, Ati Sheetala, Amrita, Payodhi, Bhramana and Chandralekha.

In odd signs Ghora, Rakshasa etc. and in even signs Chandrelekha, Bhramana etc. in reverse order are the presiding deities by auspicious shashtiamsas. The signs occupied by auspicious Shashtiamsas are givers of beneficial or auspicious effects and those occupied by inauspicious ones are bringers of destruction.

वर्गभेदानहं वक्ष्ये मैत्रेय ! त्वं विधारय ।
षड्वर्गाः सप्तवर्गाश्च दिग्वर्गा नृपवर्गकाः ॥ ४२ ॥

भवन्ति वर्गसंयोगे षडवर्गे किंशुकादयः ।
द्वाभ्यां किंशुकनामा च त्रिभिर्व्यञ्जनमुच्यते ॥ ४३ ॥

चतुर्भिश्चामराख्यं च छत्रं पञ्चभिरेव च ।
षड्भिः कुण्डलयोगः स्यान्मुकुटाख्यं च सप्तभिः ॥ ४४ ॥

सप्तवर्गेऽथ दिग्वर्गे पारिजातादिसंज्ञकाः ।
पारिजातं भवेद्द्वाभ्यामुत्तमं त्रिभिरुच्यते ॥ ४५ ॥

चतुर्भिर्गोपुराख्यं स्याच्छरैः सिहांसनं तथा ।
पारावतं भवेत् षड्भिर्देवलोकं च सप्तभिः ॥ ४६ ॥

वसुभिर्ब्रह्मलोकाख्यं नवभिः शक्रवाहनम् ।
दिग्भिः श्रीधामयोगः स्यादथ षोडशवर्गके ॥ ४७ ॥

भेदकं च भवेद्द्वाभ्यां त्रिभिः स्यात् कुसुमाख्यकम् ।
चतुर्भिर्नागपुष्पं स्यात् पंचभि: कन्टुकाह्वयम् ॥ ४८ ॥

केरलाख्यं भवेत् षड्भिः सप्तभिः कल्पवृक्षकम् ।
अष्टभिश्चन्दनवनं नवभिः पूर्णचन्द्रकम् ॥ ४९ ॥

दिग्भिरुच्चैःश्रवा नाम रुद्रैर्धन्वन्तरिर्भवेत् ।
सूर्यकान्तं भवेद् सूर्यैर्विश्वैः स्याद्विद्रुमाख्यकम् ॥ ५० ॥

शक्रसिंहासनं शक्रैर्गालोकं तिथिभिर्भवेत् ।
भूपैः श्रीवल्लभाख्यं स्याद्वर्गा भेदैरुदाहताः ॥ ५१ ॥

स्वोच्चमूलत्रिकोणस्वभवनाधिपतेः शुभाः ।
स्वारूढात् केन्द्रनाथानां वर्गा ग्राह्या: सुधीमता ॥ ५२ ॥

अस्तंगता ग्रहजिता नीचगा दुर्बलाश्च ये ।
शयनादिगतास्तेभ्य उत्पन्ना यागनाशकाः ॥ ५३ ॥

42-53. Varga-Classification: Parasara Said, "O Maitreya, Listen to me, now I explain to you the classifications of Vargas. There are Shadvarga, Saptha Varga, Digvarga or Dashavarga and Nrapavarga or Shodasavarga. In the shadavarga classification the combination vargas, are designated as kimshuka etc. The combination of 2 varga is called Kimshuka, of 3 Vayanjana, of 4 Chaamara, of 5 Chhatra and of 6 Kundala. In the Saptavarga classification, the Varga designations will be the same upto the combination of 6 Vargas, it will be Mukuta in the case of the combination of 7 vargas. In the Digavarga or Dashavarga classification, the combination of Vargas are designated as Parijata etc. Thus the combination of 2 Vargas is called Parijata, of 3 uttama, of 4 Gaupur, of 5 Simhasana, of 6 Paravata, of 7 Devaloka, of 8 Brahmaloka, of 9 Shakra vahana and of 10 Shridhama. In the shodasa varga classification the combinations are called Bhedaka etc. The combination of 2 vargas is designated as bhedaka, of 3 as kusuma, of 4 as Naga pushpa, of 5 as Kanduka, of 6 as Kerala, of 7 as Kalpavraksha, of 8 as Chandanavana, of 9 as Poornachandra, of 10 as Uchcheshrava, of 11 as Dhanavantri, of 12 as Suryakant, of 13 as Vidruma of 14 as Shakra simhasana of 15 as Gauloka and of 16 as Shrivallabha. It is in this way that the Classification of Varga have been described. Of these divisions, the divisions falling in the planet's exaltation sign, Mooltrikona sign, own sign are auspicious. And the divisions falling in the signs owned by the lord of angles from its own Arudha are all to be considered as good vargas by the learned astrologers. While the divisions of the planets that are combust, defeated in the planetary war and in their debilitation and are weak and planets gone in their shayanadi Avastha (that is, the planets who are in their bad Avansthas like shayan or sleeping etc.) are yoganashkas or destroyers of auspicious combinations.