The asthakavargas is a technique in Vedic astrology that divides each of the 12 astrological houses into eight subdivisions based on the influence of the ascendant and the seven main planets. It is used to assess the positive and negative influences on areas of life. The number of positive and negative points in each house and overall can indicate longevity, wealth, health and other predictions. Remedial measures like donations, prayers and rituals are recommended to mitigate negative influences according to the asthakavarga chart.

1. THE USE OF ASTHAKAVARGA AS A PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUE
As the effects of the twelve Houses are judged from Lagna and Moon, effects
of the twelve Houses and the various Planets are judged in the same manner.
Therefore the inauspicious places from the seven Planets, named, as
Karan, beginning from Sun and Lagna (total 8), should be marked by dots
(Bindus) and auspicious places, named, as Sthan, by small vertical lines
(Rekhas) and on the basis of their assessment should the judgment of the
horoscope and predictions be made.
Notes. The above arrangement is known, as AshtakaVargaa. The meaning of
AshtakaVargaa is literally the group of eight things. In other words it is the
combination of the good and bad positions of a Planet with reference to the
seven Planets and Lagna. So it is the combination of the benefic and malefic
marks (the Rekhas and the Bindus) in a planets chart with reference to the
position of the eight Planets (here Lagna is to be treated, as a Planet).
Bphs Ch. 66, v. 13- 15

2. The asthakavargas is a unique way of dividing each of the 12 rasis into eight
sub divisions, based on the influence of the lagna and the 7 main planets on
these 12 rasis. Rahu & Ketu are omitted in asthakavargas. Based on their
individual positions in a horoscope, the lagna and the 7 main planets,
contribute certain positive and negative influences on the 12 signs of the
horoscope. These influences are called bindus and rekhas, which are positive
and negative points. There is a confusion and controversy between South
Indians and North Indians about the bindus and rekhas and which of them is
benific and malefic. So lets simply call them positive points and negative
points to avoid confusion.
For Ashtakavarga purpose each rasi is divided into 8 parts called Kakshas.
Each kaksha has a span of 3:45′. The 1st kaksha of each rasi is ruled by
Saturn, the 2nd by Jupiter, 3rd by Mars, 4th by Sun, 5th by Venus, 6th by
Mercury, the 7th by Moon and the 8th by the Lagna. Mainly 3 types of
Ashtakavarga charts are used to study the effects of the planets.
The Use of Sarvachanchakra
The late Mr. CS Patel, a great votary and researcher, in his book
“Ashtakavarga”, on page 69, has written about the use of the
Sarvachanchachakra, a chart that incorporates all the details of the
Asthakavarga and the horoscope:
- The bigger circle represents the map of the zodiac, divided into 12
bhavas according to Porphyry-Jatakapadhathi of Sharipati.
- The sandhis of the 12 bhavas are given in signs, degrees and minutes in
their proper places.
- A bhava is divided into eight parts known as kakshyas.
- The bindus in various bhavas are shown as given in the tabular forms in
the books.
- From this chart one can have a visual idea of the transit of the Sun and
other planets through the various bhavas and kakshyas by which results
can be judged on a collective basis.

4. Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra in chapter 71, v. 1 – 4, says about
“Determination of Longevity” :
“Ch. 71. Determination of Longevity through the Ashtaka Varga
1-4. The sage said. I will now describe the method of determining longevity
from the Ashtaka Varga. For this purpose the AshtakaVargaas of Lagna and
all the Planets have to be studied. The Rekhas in all the Rāśis have been
allotted specific spans of life. The Rāśi, which has no Rekhas, has been allotted
2 days, that with one Rekha gets l days, one day for Rāśi with 2 Rekhas, half
day for Rāśi with 3 Rekhas, 7 days for Rāśi with 4 Rekhas, 2 years for Rāśi
with 5 Rekhas, 4 years for Rāśi with 6 Rekhas, 6 years for Rāśi with 7 Rekhas
and 8 years for Rāśi with 8 Rekhas. In this manner the spans of life should be
worked from Rekhas in all the AshtakaVargaas. Half of the sum total of all
will be the longevity, based on Ashtaka Varga.”
http://www.astrojyoti.com/bphspage9.htm interprets the following verses
from Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra:
“Ch. 72, v. 1-6, Aggregational AshtakaVargaas
1-2. The sage said. O Brahmin! Write down a Rāśi Kundali with 12 Houses,
including Lagna. Then insert the total of the Rekhas in all the
AshtakaVargaas of the Planets in the Rāśi concerned. The Ashtaka Varga
with such Rekhas is called the Samudaya Ashtaka Varga, or the aggregational
Ashtaka Varga. From this should be judged good and adverse effects of the
Rāśi Kundali.

5. 3-5. In the aggregational Ashtaka Varga the Rāśi, which has more than 30
Rekhas, gives favourable effects, that, having between 25 and 30 Rekhas,
produces medium effects and that Rāśi, who has less than 25 Rekhas, yields
adverse effects. Auspicious functions, like marriage etc., should be performed,
when the Planet, on whose basis the time and date of functions are performed,
moves into the Rāśi with favourable effects. The Rāśi, which is productive of
adverse effects should be avoided for these purposes. For example, the
strength of Moon is generally acceptable for all auspicious functions.
Therefore auspicious functions should be performed, or started, when Moon
is in the Rāśi with maximum number of Rekhas. The Planet in the Rāśi with
favourable number of Rekhas produces auspicious effects and the Planet in
the Rāśi with unfavorable number of Rekhas yields evil results.
6. Amongst the 12 Houses more than 30 Rekhas advance the effects of a
House, between 25 and 30 Rekhas produce medium effects and the effects of
the House, which contains less than 25 Rekhas, get damaged.”
From the above rules it can be interpreted, that, if there are less than 25
Rekhas in 6th, 8th and 12th House, their effects become favourable. The
effects will become adverse, if these Houses contain more than 25 Rekhas.
7-8. If in a Rāśi Kundali there are larger number of Rekhas in the 11th than
those in 10th and there are smaller number of Rekhas in the 12th than those
in the 11th and Lagna contains largest number of Rekhas, the native will be
wealthy and will enjoy all kinds of comforts and luxury.

6. BPHS - Ch. 72, v. 11 -28 L Remedial measures to ward off various evils:
11-28. There will be danger of death in the month of the Rāśi (period of Sun’s
transit in that Rāśi), which has 7, or less than 7 Rekhas in the Samudaya
Ashtaka Varga. To ward off this evil effect 20 Tolas of gold and 2 heaps of
sesame seeds, resembling the shape of a mountain, should be given in charity.
… possibility of death …, … 8. Tuladan of camphor is recommended to obtain
relief from this evil effect. … danger of snakes …, … 9. A ch6thot with 7
horses should be given in charity …. … danger from weapons …, which
contains 10 …. An armour together with Vajra should be given in charity to
ward off …. … danger of disgrace for no cause …, … 11. An idol of the moon,
made of 10 Tolas of gold, should be given in charity …. … danger of death
from drowning …, … 12. Land full of crops should be given in charity …. …
danger of death from wild and violent animals …, in which there are 13 …. A
Shaligram Shila should be given in charity …. … danger of death …, … 14. A
Varah Murti, made of gold, should be given in charity …. … danger of the
wrath of the king …, … 15. An elephant should be given in charity …. …
danger of 6thshta (calamity, disaster, or misfortune) …, … 16. A Kalpa
Vriksha, made of gold, should be given in charity …. … danger from diseases
…, that has 17 …. A cow and jaggery should be given in charity …. … danger
of conflict …, … 18. A cow, jewels, land and gold should be given in charity
…. … possibility of banishment from the homeland …, which has 19 ….
Family deity should be worshipped …. … loss of intelligence …, … 20.
Goddess Saraswati should be worshipped …. … distress from diseases …, that
has 21 …. A heap of grains, shaped, like a mountain, should be given in
charity …. … distress to kinsmen …, … 22. Gold should be given in charity
…. The native will be in distress …, … 23. An idol of the sun, made of 7 Tolas
of gold, should be given in charity …. … death of the kinsmen …, … 24. 10
cows should be given in charity …. … loss of wisdom …, … 25. Goddess
Saraswati should be worshipped …. … loss of wealth …, … 26. Gold should
be given in charity …. … loss of wealth …, …27. Sri Sukta Japa should be
performed …. … losses in several ways …, … 28. Havana of Sun should be
performed …. … anxieties all-round …, … 29. Ghī, clothes and gold should be
given in charity …. … 30gains of wealth and grains etc. …, … .

7. 29. There will be all-round increase in wealth, happiness in respect of children
and enjoyments in the Samvatsar, month and Nakshatra of the Rāśi, which
has more than 30 Rekhas. … increase in wealth, property, children and good
reputation, if the Rāśi has more than 40 Rekhas.
30-31. The Rāśi, which is auspicious in Ashtaka Varga Samudaya, is
considered auspicious for all auspicious functions. Consequently the
auspiciousness of Ashtaka Varga should be got checked before performing
any function, like marriage etc. If a Rāśi is not auspicious in Ashtaka Varga,
then its auspiciousness should be checked from transit effects. It is not
necessary to check transit effects, if a Rāśi is auspicious in Ashtaka Varga.
Thus the auspiciousness of the Rāśi in the Ashtaka Varga should be
considered, as paramount.”