siṁha-rāśi, siṁha-lagna, ucca graha-gaṇa

ṣaḍ-varga, aṣṭa-varga, sarva sulakṣaṇa

siṁha—Leo, the lion; rāśi—sign of the zodiac; siṁha—the lion; lagna—birth moment, rising sign, constellation rising in the East, the first house or atmastan,; ucca—high, elevated, exalted; graha-gaṇa—all planets; ṣaṭ-varga—six areas or divisions of horoscopy, the sub-charts, the hidden effects of the planets; aṣṭa-varga—eight area, the strengths of the planets; sarva—all; su-lakṣaṇa—auspiciousness.

“According to the Jyotir-veda, or Vedic astronomy, when the figure of the lion appears both in the zodiac and the time of birth [lagna], this indicates a very high conjunction of planets, an area under the influence of ṣaḍ-varga and aṣṭa-varga, which are all-auspicious moments.” (CC Adi 13.90)

The drekkana-chakra is the sub-divisional chart (or one of the shad-vargas mentioned in the above verse) which divides each sign into three divisions. Thus every astrological sign is sliced in three parts of 10º each. The result is 36 drekkanas which are ruled by the 12 signs sequencing 3 times.  Depending where a planet is positioned in a chart, and according to that planet’s degrees of longitude, it is allocated to the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd drekkana. 

For example, if a person has Jupiter 8° degrees Aries in the rashi chart, the planet Jupiter is in the first drekkana of Aries. If Jupiter is 18° Aries in the rashi chart, it will be positioned in Leo, because the second drekkana of Aries is ruled by the second fire sign. In the same way the 3rd drekkana of Taurus will be ruled by Capricorn, the third earth sign.

Interpretation of the drekkana chart helps to determine the subtle psychology responsible for bringing one in his present birth. By determining which planet is stronger, the Sun or the Moon, and finding the planet’s position in the drekkana chart, we can see if someone has come from a higher or lower location and consciousness. In interpreting the drekkana, Jupiter rules the higher spiritual realms, the Moon and Venus rule the levels above earth, the Sun and Mars the terrestrial region and Mercury and Saturn signify the lower regions of the three worlds.

An inexperienced astrologer who does not know the art of reading the sub-divisional charts like drekkana, navamsa, etc. might mistake that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s chart could belong to an ordinary man. But, as seen in Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita (Adi 13.90), Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur points out that all the sub-divisional or sho-dash-varga charts of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance were most auspicious. It is a precious gift that we have the birth time of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and we can examine it from many angles. We can even find the proof that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His very birth chart.

The Lord’s drekkana chart is a glorification as His Own Personality. In His rashi chart, the Moon rises in Leo lagna since the Lord appeared at Moon rise.  Therefore, the Moon is the stronger planet of the two luminaries.  Next, we look to the position of the Moon in the birth drekkana of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to determine His spiritual origins. The Moon is in the sign of Sagittarius, on the very top of the drekkana chart. Houses here are rather looked upon as higher and lower realms of existence as the 1st house is on the very top of the division and the 7th house on the bottom. Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter indicating a divine origin according to the rules of interpreting drekkanas. This confirms that Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu directly came from the Spiritual World. And to further stress His supreme position, the Moon is joined personally by Jupiter, the planet of dharma; and  by Ketu, the planet of liberation. Who can understand how all this can fit so perfectly together? Even if we look into millions of horoscopes such combinations cannot be found.  Therefore, it was concluded by Shri Chaitanya’s own grandfather Nilambara Chakravarti, who was an expert astrologer, that the Child Who is born at that very auspicious moment of 18th February 1486 at Shridham Mayapur was none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  He has appeared to deliver the world with the chanting of:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare