CHAPTER 29
1.The authorities say that every third of a sign is called a Drekkana in the language of the Greeks; I shall describe the thirty-six (of them) as they pertain to nativities because of their own qualities and those of their signs.
2. One born in the first Drekkana of the first sign (Aries) is a generous combatant, fond of quarreling, fierce in battle, blazing, and holding the staff of discipline among his relatives; he experiences declines and rises.
3. He who is born in the second Drekkana is an intelligent person who is fickle with women and good at sexual intercourse; an eloquent and handsome man fond of dancing and singing and possessing women and wealth; a good-looking person who desires to travel and has friends and money.
4. A man born in the third Drekkana is outstanding for his virtues, desires righteousness (dharma), is endowed with strength and courage, knows how to honour his friends, is dear to his people, and serves the king, but he has intercourse with other men’s wives.
Aries.
5. One born in the first Drekkana of Taurus is fond of drink and food, and likes singing; acting according to the nature of a woman, he is intent on clothes and ornamentation; separated from his wife, he is afflicted with miseries.
6. One born in the second Drekkana is a handsome man with an auspicious body; a consumer who has great wealth and desires sexual intercourse, baths, and ornaments; a strong, intelligent person of a firm nature; a greedy man who is lucky with women in sexual intercourse.
7. A man born in the third Drekkana is unsteady and firm, stern and fearful, a. clever person with few possessions and dirty; he takes riches and afterwards destroys them, and he is tormented by his misfortunes.
Taurus.
8. One born in the first Drekkana of the third sign (Gemini) has a broad and excellent body and is tall; he does his duty and has a wealth of virtues; he is a charming and glorious man who is honored by the king and knows the rules of the fine arts, but a cheat.
9. The man born in the second Drekkana of Gemini is handsome and has a pleasant appearance; his face is thin and the ends of the hair on his head are fine; he is gentle and rich, possessing a great intellect and equal glory and brilliance.
10. One born in the third Drekkana (of Gemini) is handsome with a tall body and kindly eyes, but his head is large and his nails and toes are rough; he is a cruel man of uncertain purpose whose enemies are arrogant; he is an itinerant hireling.
Gemini.
11. In the first Drekkana of Cancer is born an intelligent man who bows down to gods and the twice-born and does the duty of others; an unstable person, handsome, well-formed, and light-complexioned, who is lucky with women and has many children.
12. In the second Drekkana in the fourth sign (Cancer) is born a rich and greedy man who is proud of his generosity and of his wealth; a person of stern character, but one fond of sleep and dominated by women; a man who travels extensively; one who has (many) brothers and suffers from many diseases.
13. One born in the third (Drekkana of Cancer) travels in foreign lands, obtaining money from afar; he desires righteousness (dharma), but looks harshly and is fickle with women; fond of drink and taking pleasure in garlands, he frequents forest streams.
Cancer.
14. A man born in the first Drekkana of Leo is generous and possesses much wealth and many women; aggressive and eager to conquer the enemy, he serves his king; though desiring sleep, he has various acquisitions, and his friends and relations are steadfast.
15. In the second Drekkana (of Leo) is born a handsome and happy lover with heavy thighs who desires garlands and ornaments; a firm and generous man with an expansive intellect, an expert in sacred traditions (sruti) and law (dharma) who is fond of possessions.
16. One born in the third (Drekkana of Leo) is slender and has a long body, but is rugged; he is greedy and expert in stealing other people’s possessions; a bold man with a great mind who has many sons; but a rogue unloved by women.
Leo.
17. In the first Drekkana of the sixth sign (Virgo) is born a tall, dark-skinned man whose eyes are sweet and kindly, whose body is like a handsome youth’s, and whose neck is long; a gentle, eloquent, and well behaved man who has an excellent wife and gets his money from women.
18. A man born in the second (Drekkana of Virgo) is firm, unassailable in battles; he delights in the fine arts, crafts, and story-telling, and travels to foreign countries; he is graceful and walks like the forest-dwellers; a talkative petitioner, his words are listened to.
19. In the third Drekkana (of Virgo) is born a short, good-looking man whose eyes and turban are broad and whose body is unbending and handsome; he dresses well, is pleased with the king, and is liberal, but gets hold of other people’s money; his weaknesses are sex and singing.
Virgo.
20. One born in the first Drekkana of Libra is dark-skinned and looks like Cupid; clever and intelligent, he is wise in the ways of the fine arts and of merchandise and well versed in magic spells (mantra); he is a jester who engages in service and wandering.
21. In the second Drekkana of Libra is born a famous man with eyes wide as lotuses and beautiful form and voice, one who keeps the prosperity gained by his ancestors; a man who is fond of laughter, but behaves harshly; or a friend of the king.
22. A man born in the third Drekkana of Libra is an ungrateful rogue who is fickle and ugly; one who is hypocritically polite; his body is slender and black; his friends are dead; and he has little intelligence, but possesses wealth and money.
Libra
23. A man born in the first Drekkana of the eighth sign (Scorpio) is light-skinned and has a thick, broad body and wide, red eyes; he is firm and furious in battle, fond of fighting, a fierce man who is an expert with a sword.
24. One born in the second Drekkana (of Scorpio) is a handsome man with darting eyes and a body pale like gold; his food and his drink are spicy; he is clever and eloquent and possesses the righteousness (dharma) of the oldest of men; fond of acquisitions, he gains possession of the wealth of others.
25. In the third (Drekkana of Scorpio) is born a man having neither beard nor body-hair; one whose eyes are yellow and brown, whose belly is enormous, and whose arms and chest are stout; together with his brothers he is a vicious assailant; he has no sons, but his group is increased by others.
Scorpio.
26. One born in the first Drekkana of the ninth sign (Sagittarius) has a thin face and round eyes; he travels in many foreign lands; he is an honest orator who is to be honoured among the tribes (gana) and who behaves like a respected saint (sadhu).
27. In the second Drekkana of the ninth sign (Sagittarius) is born an orator who knows the meanings of the sciences and who performs the kratu and sattra sacrifices, the best lord of those who cast spells (or give advice?) ; he is a peaceful man who travels to many pilgrimages and sanctuaries.
28. A man born in the last Drekkana of the ninth sign (Sagittarius) is the master of good men, one who is outstanding among his relatives and people; he is clever, graceful, proud, and eager to win; handsome, glorious, and fond of righteousness (dharma), but a man who gains possession of other men’s wives.
Sagittarius.
29. A man born in the first, Drekkana of Capricorn is a dark and handsome rogue whose arms hang down and whose eyes are wide and thighs broad; he is irresistible among other men’s wives, converses with a smile and behaves attractively; and he owns money and grain.
30. One born in the second (Drekkana of Capricorn) is a dark-skinned rogue with a thin mouth and firm legs; he is a fickle, wicked, and quarrelsome man who wanders about stealing other men’s wives and money, but having no wife of his own.
31. In the last (Drekkana of Capricorn) is born a man whose brow is like a bell and whose limbs are long and lean; he has a foul nature and is addicted to sexual promiscuity (godharma); having been separated from his father, he obtains his money from a foreign country, but always gets miseries (as well).
Capricorn.
32. In the first Drekkana of Aquarius is born a wise man who is devoted to firm deeds, fond of life, and pure in tranquility; he is wealthy and wide-eyed, and makes offerings to the gods; but his weaknesses are women and drink, and he has many enemies.
33. One born in the second (Drekkana of Aquarius) is a competent person who is as pale as honey and cream, and whose eyes are large and brown; he is greedy and speaks loudly, but does much for his friends; he knows about sexual intercourse and humor and is fond of singing and dancing.
34. A man born in the third (Drekkana of Aquarius) is tall, but his arms are short and thin and his eyes stiff and torn; he is a rogue who tells many lies, a babbler whose inner self is harsh; but he gets hold of his father’s money, and knows all about sexual intercourse with women.
Aquarius.
35. In the first Drekkana of Pisces is born a fair-skinned person with sweet, brown eyes; a wise and grateful man, an intelligent and famous person whose name is sweet; a happy and well behaved man who takes pleasure in business and in knowledge.
36. In the second Drekkana (of Pisces) is born a lover who knows how to be courteous to women; he is a man who is remembered, the best of speakers who is esteemed by his people, one who is pure in his knowledge; he eats spicy food and enjoys other people’s wealth.
37. One born in the last Drekkana of Pisces is a dark man whose hands and feet are broad; he is rich in the fine arts and knows much, being pleased by pure twice-born men and teachers; the best of friends he is fond of laughter; his food and his drink are spicy.
Pisces.
38. Thus has been uttered this rule regarding the qualities and characteristics of those born under the (various) Drekkana (which are determined) by means of their qualities and natures. If the lord of the Drekkana is strong and is aspected by a benefit planet, one should decide that the influence of the Drekkana is not to be modified.
In the Yavanajataka: the influence of the Drekanas.
