What is a good BAV score for a house?

Five or more of a possible eight is read as strong for that planet, and two or fewer as weak. Four is ordinary.

Should I use BAV or SAV for Saturn's transit?

Saturn's own BAV. A transit is judged by the transiting planet's own bindus in the house it is crossing; the SAV answers a different question, about the house in general.

Why is it called 'eightfold'?

Because eight sources contribute to each planet's chart — the seven planets and the ascendant — giving a maximum of eight bindus in any house.

Bhinnashtakavarga (BAV): the per-planet bindu charts

भिन्नाष्टकवर्ग

What is Bhinnashtakavarga and how is it different from Sarvashtakavarga?

Bhinnashtakavarga is the per-planet version: one twelve-house bindu chart for each of the seven planets, showing where that planet in particular finds support. Sarvashtakavarga is simply all seven of these added together. A planet's own BAV is what you read when the question is about that planet.

Eight contributors, hence the name

Ashtakavarga means eightfold. For each planet's own chart, eight sources contribute bindus: the seven planets and the ascendant, each casting points onto certain houses counted from its position by a fixed classical table. That gives a possible 0 to 8 bindus per house.

Do this for each of the seven planets and you have seven Bhinnashtakavarga charts. Add them together, house by house, and you have the Sarvashtakavarga. The two are not alternative methods; one is the total of the other.

When to read BAV instead of SAV

Use the planet's own BAV when the question is about that planet. Saturn's transit through a house is judged against Saturn's own bindus in that house, not against the house's total — Saturn finding five of its own bindus there is a different condition from the house being generally well supported.

Use the SAV when the question is about the house itself: which areas of life carry more support in this chart than others.

Common questions

What is a good BAV score for a house?: Five or more of a possible eight is read as strong for that planet, and two or fewer as weak. Four is ordinary.
Should I use BAV or SAV for Saturn's transit?: Saturn's own BAV. A transit is judged by the transiting planet's own bindus in the house it is crossing; the SAV answers a different question, about the house in general.
Why is it called 'eightfold'?: Because eight sources contribute to each planet's chart — the seven planets and the ascendant — giving a maximum of eight bindus in any house.