The divisional charts

The vargas are the divisional charts of Vedic astrology, produced by subdividing each sign into equal parts and reading the result as a chart in its own right. The set of sixteen runs from the rasi (the basic birth chart, D-1) through the navamsa (D-9, the ninth-part chart) to finer divisions, each magnifying a particular area of life.

Each varga is dedicated to a theme: the navamsa to marriage and inner strength, the dasamsa (D-10) to career, the saptamsa (D-7) to children, and so on. A planet strong in the birth chart but weak in the relevant varga is read differently from one strong in both.