In any horoscope, the 1st, 5th & 9th houses are considered to be the most auspicious ones. It is believed that the soul enters the world through 5th house of Poorva Janam Karma to the ascendant in the form of human body and exit through the 9th house after completing the Karma assigned for the present birth through 10th house. These three houses together constitute the spiritual or Dharma Trikone, which primarily aims at transforming the native to a higher stage of evolution through their Divine faculties and creativity. Their lords irrespective of their natural traits, are favourable to a native leading to greater happiness. The ascendant is always the most beneficial house and its lord the most helpful planet, which guides and assists the native in all walks of life. The houses constituting Dharma Trikone reveal many special features of the native’s destiny through his sojourn during the present incarnation. As per classics, there are four goals of human life, Dharma, Artha, Kaam & Moksha. Classics have extolled Dharma & Moksha and looked down Artha & Kaam. But Materialistic world of today has just the opposite view. Corresponding to the four goals are the four Trikones in any chart. All the four trikones have their Apex in a Kendra house, which indicates the involvement of the native in immediate / everyday life. There is no denying the prominence of Dharma Trikone, but to ignore the other three will be a Himalayan blunder. In fact all the four Trikones are dependent on Artha Trikone for sustenance and all the progress, we see around us, originates and get accomplished in Kaam Trikone.

As per classics there could be four goals in human life- Dharma, Artha, Kaam & Moksha. However in the materialistic world of today, most of us think, plan and act of / for Artha & Kaam only. Artha covers any / all activities connected with finance & livelihood and Kaam includes all types of desires e.g. sex, comforts and luxuries. Upchaya literally means growth, accumulations, elevation, expansion, improvement, rise, aspiration, profit, gain, prosperity or excess of inflow without much effort and at a much faster rate. Upchaya group of houses contains the best of Artha & Kaam Trikones by excluding their Marka houses (2nd & 7th) and thus includes 3rd, 6th , 10th, & 11th houses. The rest of the houses are called Apchaya houses. The beauty of Upchaya houses is that even natural malefics produce excellent results here. They indicate growth & gain of any or all desires-whether good or evil. Every desire originates in 3rd house. It is nurtured by strong determination & hard work of 3rd house, pointed concentration & competitiveness of 6th house and 10th house provides controlled Kriyaman Karma to enable desire to be fulfilled in 11th house. Every planet associated with 11th house ensures gain/ profit in its own way. The progress which human beings have made so far, can be attributed to these fighting qualities only. The 6th is a Trika house and 11th a Badhak house for movable lagans. However, this book highlights only the positive aspects of Upchaya houses.

The lagna is basically a reference point from where the various houses in a chart are numbered. The lagna is not synonymous with the ascendant although often used interchangeable. A chart should be delineated from a number of reference points, known as Alternate lagnas in order to give us additional clues. The strongest among Ascendant, Moon & Sun should be taken as lagna. These houses are clubbed into various groups. The first, fourth, seventh and tenth houses are called Kendra, Vishnu Sthans, angular or cardinal houses, implying that they are the center or core of the chart. As lord Vishnu looks after the welfare of the entire universe, the Kendra Houses acting as foundation & pillars of the horoscope, sustains the entire edifice of one s life. Each of the four Kendras, represent one of the basic goal of human life-1st house is part of Dharma Trikone, 4th house of Moksha Trikone, 7th house of Kaam Trikone and 10th house karmas of the native, his means of livelihood, name & fame; 4th house all types of comforts, luxuries, property & education; and 7th spouse, partnership, padprapti, foreign settlement, diplomacy & public relations. The cycle of birth, love & care, death and Karma, which sustain life, are well integrated with the strength & quality of Kendra houses. The Kendras are the major factor in the combinations called Panch Mahapurush and Chatussagar Yoga, which are of rare individual greatness and bestow a great and unique magnetic influence to follow. They also denote native s dynamic involvement in social environment around him. these are very important houses and all the important events of a native s everyday life hinge around them. it is necessary to have a deep understanding of these four houses, which reveals the life as it is lived in the physical world. Taken together, they represent the immediate nature of human impulses. As the immediate is the most important aspect of one s life, the Kendra houses are of supreme importance.

The classical texts have condemned Trika (6th, 8th & 12th) houses and their lords as evil with a negative role. These are considered to represent all the anti-forces that act against a native and are held responsible for all the miseries, sufferings, calamities and diseases that befall a native. However there is nothing absolutely good or bad in the universe. All the houses are part of a divine scheme and have a definite function to perform. Trika houses represent the struggle of life and the capabilities of a native to fight back. Viewing adversity as challenge and not as loss or failure is a positive attitude and elevates one spiritually. The Trika houses denote unconscious and sub-conscious mind which are vital to understand any native. As the level of consciousness elevates, native’s perception and mode of operation drastically changes and barriers like hatred, jealousy and revenge etc. get dissolved. It is interesting to note that certain dispositions or Yogas by Trika lords in a horoscope not only shun the evil denotations but also bring fortune, wealth, health and happiness. Mars/Jupiter in 6th, Mercury/Saturn in 8th and Venus in 12th house if placed alone and unafflicted gives excellent results. Benefics and trinal lords if exalted, Yogkaraka or Mooltrikone sign in a Trika house helps a native to rise high in life. This book highlights such positive aspects of Trika houses/lords.

Among various Vargas, the relative importance of Navamsha is universally acclaimed. Astrologers consider it to be just next to birth chart or equal to birth chart or even better than the birth chart. Almost all astrologers use Navamsha and birth chart together to assess strengths of various houses and planets before giving any opinion. In Vedic astrology, Navamsha occupies an outstanding position and draws one’s attention for deeper understanding/ scrutiny due to its multifarious technique and usage. The additional inputs in the form of scintillating concepts by Jaimini and Nadi system have made the subject more engrossing. The author has tried to incorporate the same in the book. The study of a birth chart gives only the gross (Sthool) indications of characteristics of various houses and planets; while Navamsha offers their detailed (Sookshmatar) values. It is so because a Navamsha is basically equal to both in its size and extent to a quarter/ one fourth / pada of a Nakshtra, thereby giving it a stellar role. While a house represents a combined spectrum of 30 degrees, a Navamsha provides a microscopic view of 3° 20’ or 1/ 9 part of a sign only.

Astrology is a great science based on sound principles and theory of karma through cycles of rebirth. A horoscope is basically a map of zodiac indicating position of planets in various signs/ Nakshatra at the time and place of birth. The delineation of a chart is the science and art of deciphering it as per the knowledge, intuition of the astrologer and divine help available to him. Therefore the first requisite is to have sound knowledge of nature and characteristics of houses, signs, Nakshatra and planets and their inter-relation. Next comes the basic tools like dasha, transit, yoga and divisional chart and their application in delineating a horoscope. Lagna is the single most important factor in delineating a horoscope. It is the very being of the native, his élan vital & basic potential. Unless the seed of a specific quality or event is contained in this basic potential, other planetary indications will not find suitable opportunities for manifestation. Lagna also determines the numbering of houses with lagna being the first. With the change in lagna, the significations of any planet will change drastically, as his house & lordship changes, although the sign & constellation of the planet remain unchanged.