General Principles  

The main principles, which should be kept in mind while analysing divisional charts, are the kārya rāśi, kāryeśa and the kāraka. Kārya rāśi is the sign of the house, which is the significator of the ruling activity. Kāryeśa is the lord of the concerned house in the rāśi chart. This lord will have to be well placed in both the rāśi and the concerned divisional chart in order to yield beneficial results. For instance if the kāryeśa is placed in a trine in both rāśi and the concerned division, the bhāva will flourish. Similarly, the appropriate kāraka will also have to be well placed. The Naisargika, Sthira and Chara kārakas will all need to be examined. To analyse co-born in a Drekkāṇa chart, both the 3rd lord and kāraka Mars will need to have good situational strength to show any beneficence from siblings. If Mars is placed in the 12th house, it will indicate losses in these matters.  

 Following the above guidelines for methods of construction and principles, one can discern the basic characteristics of a divisional chart. For example, Saptāṁśa is a regular Brahmā division, following a perfect lunar order like creation, as it is the varga, which deals with progeny. The kāryeśa is the 5th lord and the kāraka is Jupiter. Navāṁśa too is a perfect Brahmā division, relating to spouse and dharma. The 7th house, which is the 11th from the 9th, shows the spouse or dharmapatni. Hence the 7th lord is the kāryeśa and Venus is the kāraka, with Jupiter being an additional kāraka for women. Alternatively, Navāṁśa is referred to as Dharmāṁśa. Daśāṁśa, concerning a native’s work, career and profession is the realm of Śiva. All beings follow the Sun in their activities. Hence there is a break in order to show that Śiva’s principles are being followed and not Brahmā’s. The counting is done from the first house for odd signs and from the 9th house for even signs, showing this break or irregularity. Daśāṁśa is also known as Swargāṁśa and is applicable whether a native works or not. Dvādaśāṁśa too, is a regular order with a tiny break and is hence not a regular Brahmā division. Dvādaśāṁśa concerns the parents of a native, and the kāryeśa is consequently, the 4th and the 9th lords with Sun and Moon as the kārakas. The position of the Sun will thus reveal the nature of the native’s parentage, whether he is born into royalty or is a posthumous child. The kārakas for paternal grandparents are Jupiter and Ketu and the kārakas for maternal grandparents are Venus and Mercury respectively.    

 For finer analysis, the dignities of the planets representing kāryeśa and the kāraka will need to be examined. Their exaltation or debilitation, their placement in a friendly or inimical sign in the divisional charts will independently illuminate a situation. This should be combined with their rāśi position to achieve a composite understanding. The only exception is the Navāṁśa where planets can get both uccha and nīcha bhaṅga depending on the relative rāśi and Navāṁśa positions. 

 Apart from dignities and sign placements of planets, the relationships between planets will also need to be taken into account.  These relationships are varied, like yogas, sambandhas, yogāḍas (any planet that brings out an association between lagna, Horā lagna and Ghāṭikā lagna by ownership, placement or aspect), kevalas (śubhapati joining lagna or Ātmakāraka), kevala yogāḍas (śubhapati associated with lagna and Ghāṭikā lagna or lagna and Horā lagna) and kevala mahāyogāḍas (association of Horā and Ghāṭikā lagna with kevala). This implies that the śubhapati and its relationships with other planets in the different divisions play a significant role.   

 These abovementioned factors and principles and their relational dynamics will have to be reckoned while exploring divisional charts. These when computed with the rāśi chart findings will yield accurate results and provide a holistic picture of the life of the native. 

Higher Divisional Charts
Although astrologers stop short at ṣaṣṭiāṁśa when using divisional charts, there is an entire range of higher harmonics, which remain untapped. This is primarily due to the fact that not enough research has been undertaken in the potential and use of these divisions. They include the following:

D-72 – Aṣṭa Navāṁśa

D-81 – Nava Navāṁśa

D-108 – Aṣṭottarāṁśa

D-144 – Dvādaśa Dvādaśāṁśa

D-150 – Nāḍiāṁśa

D-300 – Ardha Nāḍiāṁśa

These higher divisions operate at an ethereal level, dealing with esoteric matters such as dreams and the higher spirit self. The cognitive development of divisional charts can only be in further research in the direction of these higher harmonics, which perhaps carry the seed of unveiling the mysteries of the soul’s journey on this earth.

Beyond the apparent sectoral allocations, divisional charts embody directives for the native to pursue the lessons of the soul. It contains correctives for redeeming past karma and to prevent repetitions of errors. It forewarns about the treacherous paths and indicates the curative alternatives. The study of divisional charts will therefore enable the native to make choices, to probe deeper into his psyche and his self and fathom the purposes of his existence. Take for instance Ṣoḍaśāṁśa, which deals with vehicles, luxuries and mental happiness. The conjoining of the Rāhu-Ketu axis show that to escape the nodal bind of rebirth, the pleasures or the happiness apparently indicated by this division may be ephemeral. True bliss or happiness, which can only occur with the dissolution of the self in the Paramātmā, should therefore be the only goal, while the promise of Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is only māyā.  The yoking of the nodal axis in Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is the coded message that the happiness of Ṣoḍaśāṁśa is illusory and that true happiness lies elsewhere, beyond the entrapment of the nodes, wherein fledgling lives are ensnared. Similarly, one should be able to analyse and discover the message behind each of the divisional charts.  Therein lies the true meaning of vargas.