Divisional charts the unique gift of Hindu Sages and Rishis are not only being taught but are increasingly being used in teaching and research at the largest astrology teaching centre in the world, at the Bhartiya Vidhya Bhawan New Delhi.

Drekkana - The one-third division of rashi is an important divisional chart. Miharishi Prashar has assigned 4 Vimshopak Bala points to this chart, the Natal chart gets 6 and the Navamsha get 5, in the 20 point allocated to the Shadvargas. It is also important to mention that Maharishi Prashar decreed that all predictions be given after analyzing the Shadvargas.

This exhaustive treatise on Drekkana has been laid out in two parts. In Section-I the treatise covers all the available data on the Drekkana as given in the classics. The treatise in the next step deals with the Drekkana lordships, the 36 Drekkanas and their "Swaroop " (description of the imagined pictorial identity), The categorization of Drekkanas by their nature (Ayudh, Pakshi, Chatuspad ete.) Drekkanas and the body parts. The results of planets in the Drekkanas and Navamsha of another planet have been collated from the classics.

The attempt has been made to collect all the details about this Divisional chart ill one place.

The appllcability of this divislonal chart, to fine tune: have been explained in different chapters of Section -2.

Chapters are (a) Drekkama and its nature (b) Drekkana and the Yogas (c) Use of Rashi, Drekkana and Navamsha (d) Use of Drekkana "Swaroop" in assessing Professions (e) Drekkana and Siblings (f) Drekkana and Diseses (g) Drekkana and Past / future births (h) Use of Drekkana in Yatras (i) varanasi Drekkana and Karam Phala.

Group researches have been pioneered by Sh. K.N. Rao. This book on Drekkana is the result of one such group research.

This group of astrologers was intrigued by the allocation of Vimshopak bala to the shadvargas. The natal chart gets 5 points out of a total of twenty points (Vimshopak stands for twenty). Navamsha gets 5 points and the Drekkana gets 4 points. The utilisation of Drekkana was not commensurate with this value. To ensure usage of this varga in conformity with its potential it was decided that the group would.
a. Collect and collate all available data on Drekkana.
b. Research the various uses of Drekkana.

The effort would have been with the readers earlier but Sh. K.N. Rao directed that this group also examines "Karma Phala" as per the Varanasi Drekkana to ensure that the researches give, to the readers, some thing totally new.

This group of eminent astrologers worked with me, on behalf of every member of this group I thank our astrology guru Sh. K.N. Rao for his guidance, encouragement and support.

The financial support given by "the Society for Vedic Researches and Practices" for the production of this piece of research with evidences supporting the researches is duly acknowledged and admired.

The late Gopesh Kumar Ojha whom I used to see in my childhood come to our house to learn from my late mother south Indian classics like Phala Deepika, Jataka Parijata, Beda Jatakam etc. with the help of Telugu translations and commentaries, told me many years later that in Varanasi there was a real great astrologer scholar, the late Rama Yatan Ojha who advocated different versions of dreshkona, hora, etc. and that they were given in Kashi Panchanga year after year. I introduced it among our research students batch by batch. I started called them Varanasi Hora, Varanasi Dreshkona though they could also be described as Arsha Vargameaning ancient divisional horoscopes.

The late Sheshadri Iyer referred to the use of the divisional horoscopes in his books and showed some uses here and there. But used it most extensively as all my published articles and later, books show. I asked my students to use them extensive to overcome their temptation to become victims to the doubtful validity of Nadi or Bhrigu methods of predictive techniques. Many of our students of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan have been giving brilliant predictions, particularly some women, and they use many divisional horoscopes.

I talked about these Varanasi vargas many times and once during our discussion, CoI.Gour offered to get a comprehensive research done on it by a team of students chosen by him. This book is the product of that effort.

Divisional charts the unique gift of Hindu Sages and Rishis are not only being taught but are increasingly being used in teaching and research at the largest astrology teaching centre in the world, at the Bhartiya Vidhya Bhawan New Delhi.

Drekkana - The one-third division of rashi is an important divisional chart. Maharishi Prashar has assigned 4 Vimshopak Bala points to this chart, the Natal chart gets 6 and the Navamsha get 5, in the 20 point allocated to the Shadvargas. It is also important to mention that Maharishi Prashar decreed that all predictions be given after analyzing the Shadvargas.

A laudable experiment has been made by Col. A.K. Gour and his team to examine all facets of this chart. The complete data that is available on Drekkana in our classics has been collated in Section-l of this challenging work. This is an immense service to the astrological world. Col. Gour and his team deserve praise.

The applicability of this divisional chart, to fine-tune the predictive process, in all conceivable areas has been explained in different chapters of Section - 2.

Each chapter has been authored by our faculty members or senior researchers.A brief introduction of the authors would be in order-
Shri R.S. Panwar - He is a Sr. Telecom Engineer. He is Bronze Medallist and a senior researcher who is on the faculty of Institute of Astrology, Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, New Delhi. He has the ability to peruse doggedly an astrological point to its natural culmination. He is he co-author of "The Dwedeshottsry Dasha" - An excellent book on conditional dasha. He has authored several research articles in the Journal of Astrology. He has contributed the chapters "Drekkana and Nature, Drekkana and Yoga, Varanasi Drekkana and Karamphal" in this book.

Dr.(Mrs.)Sri Rama Mishra - She has taught Economics in Delhi University. She after several years of researches at the Bhawan joined the faculty where she is admired as a lucid astrology teacher. She has co-authored the book "Dwadashottary Dasha". Her contribution to the book are the chapter "Drekkana and Profession, Varanasi Drekkana and Karamphal".

Late Air Commodore Shri Chandan Ghosh - A fighter pilot, a musician, an author and an astrologer, he was a multi faceted personality. He lived a full vibrant life of happiness and achievements, he was a multi faceted personality. He lived a full vibrant life of happiness and achievements.In this book he was contributed the chapter on ‘drekkana past and future life”. He is the who is practically testing his own conclusion.

Mrs. Pretty Dwivedi - A house wife who was a silver medallist of her Course. She has a few research articles to her credit. A senior researcher. She is an excellent Bhajan Singher. She has a sharp mind quik uptake despite the housewife pressure, she finds time to peruse astrology. A regular subscriber of article to the Journal. She has contributed the chapter on “Drekkana and Disease” in the book.

Shri Avinash Verma - A Charted Accountant who got the Gold Medal in his batch. His work leaves him little time to devote to Astrology. He has the authored the chapter on "Drekkana and Navarnsha" in this book.

It is gratifying to note that group researches pioneered by us has resulted in group of astrologers coming together to write a book.

The first such book was "Sadhe Saati - why such fright?" later came "Famous.Women" authored only by women astrologers and edited by me in the International Year of Women 2001

Then came a monograph on 'Simhast Guru' (or Jupiter in Leo') and Marriages' by seven woman authors.

A book on divisional charts guided by Col. A.K. Gour is a welcome addition. This book would open new areas of research and would enable practising astrologers as well as the students in sharpening their astrological skills.

This exhaustive treative on Drekkana has been laid out in two parts. In Part-I the treatise covers all the available data on the Drekkana as given the classics. There is a brief over basics of Astrology.

There is then a detailed discussion of the Divisional charts, containing the methord of constructing the Divisional charts along with the specific areas that are the domain of the sixteen division charts followed by a brief discussion on how these charts are analyed.

The treatise in the next step deals with the Drekkans. It lists all available data of this division chart. The Drekkana lordships, the 36 drekkanas and their “Swaroop” (description of the imagiened pictorial identity), The categorization of Drekkanas by their nature (Ayudh, Pakshi, Chatuspad etc.) Drekkanas and the body parts. The results or planets in different Drekkanas, the results of plants in the Drekkana or another planets and the result of planets in different Navamsha in each of the 36 Drekkanas is also culled and collated from the claais.

The attempt is to collect all the details about this Divisional chart in the place. In part-II of the treatise the practical predictive application of the Drekkana is give. Its Chapters are:-

a. Drekkana and its nature as give to it by Narad, Agasty and Durvasa the three ruling deities of the Drekkanas.
b. Drekkana and the yogas.
c. Use of Rashi, Drekkana and Navamsha.
d. Use of Drekkana “Swaroop”and Significations in assessing professions.
e. Drekkana and Siblings.
f. Drekkana and Diseases.
g. Use of Drekkana and past/future births.
h. Use of Drekkana in Yatras.
i. Varanasi Drekkana and Karam Phala

This , is also an attempt where the eminent Scholars of Astrology Have contribution a chapter each thus bringing the collective strength to understand and explain the subtely and complexity of this extremely important though less used chart.