Divisional Charts — What They Are & How D10 Is Derived
What divisional charts (Varga Chakras) are and why Parashara taught them before houses. The Rasi chart shows only physical existence; divisional charts reveal the subtle context — career, spirituality, education. Step-by-step D10 (Dasamsa) derivation rule with two worked examples.
"Parashara defined divisional charts before he defined houses in BPHS. That tells you how fundamental they are. Don't think divisional charts are advanced concepts — they are foundational."
— P.V.R. Narasimha Rao
What Are Divisional Charts?
Vedic astrology uses 16 Divisional Charts (Varga Chakras), all taught by Maharshi Parashara in BPHS. Additional charts exist from Jaimini and Nilakantha (D5, D6, D8, D11), but we follow Parashara's 16.
How they are made:
- The Rasi chart divides 360° into 12 × 30° segments
- Each divisional chart divides each Rasi into N equal parts (3° for D10, 3.33° for D9, etc.)
- Each N-part is then mapped back to one of the 12 Rasis according to Parashara's formula
- The result is a complete second chart with planets re-placed in different signs
Software note: All 16 divisional charts are computed automatically in Jagannatha Hora software. You do not need to calculate by hand. But understanding the principle is important.
D-10 Dasamsa — Derivation Rule
Dasamsa = 10th division. Each Rasi is divided into 10 equal parts of 3° each.
Mapping rule:
- Odd Rasis (male: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius): Count the N-th part from that Rasi itself (zodiacally forward)
- Even Rasis (female: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces): Count the N-th part from the 9th sign from that Rasi (zodiacally forward from the 9H from it)
Example 1: Sun at 17° Leo
- Leo is odd → count from Leo itself
- 17 ÷ 3 = 5 remainder 2 → Sun is in the 6th part of Leo
- Count 6 signs from Leo: Leo(1)→Virgo(2)→Libra(3)→Scorpio(4)→Sagittarius(5)→Capricorn(6)
- Sun is in Capricorn in D-10
Example 2: Mars at 22° Scorpio
- Scorpio is even → count from the 9th from Scorpio
- 22 ÷ 3 = 7 remainder 1 → Mars is in the 8th part of Scorpio
- 9th from Scorpio: Scorpio(1)→Sagittarius(2)→Capricorn(3)→Aquarius(4)→Pisces(5)→Aries(6)→Taurus(7)→Gemini(8)→Cancer(9)
- Count 8 signs from Cancer: Cancer(1)→Leo(2)→Virgo(3)→Libra(4)→Scorpio(5)→Sagittarius(6)→Capricorn(7)→Aquarius(8)
- Mars is in Aquarius in D-10
What Do Divisional Charts Show?
Rasi chart (D-1) = physical existence only. When you say a businessman runs his company — physically he is just signing papers, talking to people, running around. The Rasi chart shows this physical activity. You cannot distinguish between a laborer and a CEO from the Rasi chart alone.
Divisional charts = subtle and environmental existence. They show the various environments in which your body operates — the context of career, spirituality, education, marriage, etc. They are "more subtle" — they do not show what physically happens, but what it means.
— PVNR"Parashara defined divisional charts before he defined houses in BPHS. That tells you how fundamental they are. Don't think divisional charts are advanced concepts — they are foundational."