Posted in Drekkāṇa: D3

Varāhamihira Drekkāṇa

Nomenclature: from Varāhamihira Mihira Drekkana or D3-M

Varāhamihira defines the horā and drekkāṇa in the opening chapter of Bṛhat Jātaka (śloka 12). We have defined this horā previously.
द्रेष्काण संज्ञाम् अपि वर्णयन्ति स्वद्वादशैकादशराशिपानाम्॥ १२॥
dreṣkāṇa saṁjñām api varṇayanti svadvādaśaikādaśarāśipānām || 12||
Translation: The three drekkāṇa of a sign are the same sign (sva), twelfth (dvādaśa) and eleventh (ekādaśa) rāśi lords (rāśipa).

This is a simple definition and is in lines with the definition of the Mihira Horā. The first drekkāṇa (0°-10°) of every sign is in the same sign. This is exactly similar to Parāśara. The second drekkāṇa (10°-20°) is in the preceding sign (12th sign). The third drekkāṇa (20°-30°) is in the 11th sign.
This drekkāṇa looks more like something having to do with income and expenditure with the 11th house of income and 12th house of expenditure lording the drekkāṇa in addition to the first sign of self. Perhaps that is the hidden meaning of the word ‘varṇa’ used in the śloka.

This is not recommended by the tradition.
Table 10: Varāhamihira Drekkāṇa

Rāśi 1st 0-10 2nd 10-20 3rd 20-30
Aries Aries Pisces Aquarius
Taurus Taurus Aries Pisces
Gemini Gemini Taurus Aries
Cancer Cancer Gemini Taurus
Leo Leo Cancer Gemini
Virgo Virgo Leo Cancer
Libra Libra Virgo Leo
Scorpio Scorpio Libra Virgo
Sagittarius Sagittarius Scorpio Libra
Capricorn Capricorn Sagittarius Scorpio
Aquarius Aquarius Capricorn Sagittarius
Pisces Pisces Aquarius Capricorn

Standard Nativity


The Mihira drekkāṇa D3-M of the standard nativity is included. You can draw this chart mentally.

  • If the planet is in the first drekkāṇa, then it’s in the same sign;
  • 2nd drekkāṇa, move it to the 12th or preceding sign;
  • 3rd drekkāṇa, move it to the 11th sign.

Lagna is in 14°5’ which is 2nd drekkāṇa of Pisces, so it goes back to Aquarius which becomes D3-M Lagna. Similarly move all other planets and write them in a fresh chart called D3-M.
The second lord Jupiter is debilitated in the 12th house. If this chart is used for siblings then it can show absence of elder siblings, which is wrong as the native has an elder brother.
If this chart is to denote fortune and karma results, then this is also wrong as during Jupiter daśā he had a golden period of life living a grand comfortable life in a mansion with many servants, cars and all that which was considered luxury in India.
But maybe we can use this chart for income and expenditure as during Jupiter daśā a lot of money was spent on his comfortable life. In Saturn daśā he was too busy learning all the jyotiṣa, mantra and doing siddhi and his government job was not very paying.
Honestly we don’t know what to make out of this drekkāṇa chart. Readers may experiment (play around) with it.

Balabhadra of Horā Ratnam states that this drekkāṇa is from Yavanācārya and must be rejected. In śloka 50 Balabhadra states that Varāhamihira used the Parāśara drekkāṇa when he describes the Varāha drekkāṇa as ‘dreṣkāṇāḥ prathama-pañcama-navamānām’ i.e. the dreṣkāṇā are the three drekkāṇa of a sign (note words) that are in the first, fifth and ninth from it. It is evident that Varāhamihira used the Parāśara drekkāṇa and yet in the Bṛhat Jātaka he talks of the Yavanācārya drekkāṇa.