The basic concepts of Astrology needs self study on your part and hence here we will assume that you are well equipped with the basics and proceed with this assumption. There being 12 Zodiac Signs and 12 Houses is an accepted and undisputed assumption all over the World.
In the Vedic context 27 Stars or Nakshatra's or Constellations are also being considered to be assigned in association with the 12 Signs and Houses. There are numerous methods of dividing 360 degrees into 12 parts or houses to which the 12 Signs & 27 Stars are assigned. Each Star thus gets 13d-20m out of the 360 degrees. In any house or Sign a part of the Star spills over into the next house or Sign as per the calculations involved.
In simple terms each house is allocated 2-1/4 stars. Thus when a Planet is said to be placed in a house it shall be placed in one of the Stars as per its current location in degrees. This is still a part of the Vedic concept. The variable factor in Vedic concept was only the Planet visiting a House and moving into the 3 Stars allocated to the house. The House or Sign Lord and the 3 Star-Lords were fixed due to equal house concepts.
Deviations from Vedic concept The deviation from Vedic concept begins when equal houses are not considered and instead the Placidus system of house division has been adopted where each cusp i.e.. the beginning of a house has some unique measure in degrees - minutes unlike the Vedic concept where the cusp starts at 0 and ends at 30 degrees.
The Cusp of the House is considered to be a very important factor over the life time. The span of a house could be less than 30 degrees and hence the Sign associated with the Cusp will be limited to the span of the house and at times a sign may be completely missing or 2 houses may have the same signs. The House or the Cusp Lords will be as per the signs calculated by the Placidus system. This is one of the deviation from the Vedic concept. Sub-division of Sign and Star A planet while moving in a span of a house will travel through the allocated stars, since a sign is divided into 2-1/4 star each star, represents a major division in a sign. In the adjacent figure the point E implies the eastern horizon and Aries Sign is shown co-incident. The first star is of Ketu and is shown in grey color followed by Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury which covers 4 signs and is repeated 3 times to cover 12 signs of the zodiac. Each star is thus repeated at 120 degrees.
We thus have a total of 27 divisions in 360 degrees each segment being 13d-20m. This is only a rough measure. Imagine that you have some length of a stick which you would like to use as a measuring tool. You may sub-divide this stick by any means into finite sections, may be equal or unequal depending on your end use. The time when you decide to use this as a tool you discover that some objects are falling between the markings, you then realize the need to sub-divide to come to a finer measure.
This conclusion was also arrived at by the propounder of KP System and he sub-divided the span of each star into smaller portions called as a Sub-division or a Sub. This Sub when further divided into finer sections is called as a Sub-Sub which will be referred to as SSL, The next will be SS4 followed by SS5, SS6.
We are all aware that a measuring tool would also need some Units of measure then its sub-units followed by a sub-sub part of it. The unit of measure adopted by KP is the Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati again an accepted Vedic concept based on the 7 Planets and 2 Nodes, each planet being allocated a fixed number of years. The span of each Star is divided into 9 parts in accordance with Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati as the primary Sub division, again he has sub-divided each primary Sub division or 1/9th part into 9 parts which are called as Sub-Sub. This is a very important contributing factor for the accuracy of predictions as the resolution or the least count has now increased.
A transiting planet is a variable, next is the Sign-Lord followed by Star-Lord. This transiting planet will now occupy one of the 9 Sub-parts in the Star, this sub-part is ruled by one of the 9 planets hence the term Sub-Lord was introduced followed by the Sub-Sub-Lord. The planet transiting a house is now a source of an event, Star-Lord, Sub-Lord, Sub-Sub-Lord and the Sign-Lord will decide the course of events indicated by the House.
This is only a preliminary explanation for one planet whereas there are other such 8 entities which will contribute and offer variations to the event as projected by the house. We have earlier discussed that the Placidus system of house division results in each cusp having some unique measure in degrees - minutes which is not linear.
These 12 Cusp's are given the same consideration as given to the planets explained in the above paragraph. Thus each Cusp has a Star-Lord, Sub-Lord and the Cusp-Lord which is the Sign-Lord himself. These stay fixed throughout the lifetime in a Natal Chart. Refinement to Vedic Astrology as you must have now realized is due to the introduction of additional variables for the Cusps & Planets.
The nature / type of event for each house depends on the Lords of Star, Sub & Sign on the cusp. Planet is a source of event having a Star, Sub & Sign lords. A sub-sub is considered at times to improve the precision.
The relationship between all the above variables and the additional parameters which are partly derived from the Vedic concept and partly from the Western concepts are called as the Rules of KP or Krishnamurti Paddhati itself.
KP has recommended the use of Ayanamsa which varies for each year. This Ayanamsa is closer to Chitrapaksh. Chitrapaksh or Lahiri Ayanamsa differs with KP Ayanamsa by 6M. The yearly rate of change assumed in KP is 50.2388475 Seconds.
We are all aware that a measuring tool would also need some Units of measure then its sub-units followed by a sub-sub part of it. The unit of measure adopted by KP is the Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati again an accepted Vedic concept based on the 7 Planets and 2 Nodes, each planet being allocated a fixed number of years. The span of each Star is divided into 9 parts in accordance with Vimshottari Mahadasha Paddhati as the primary Sub division, again he has sub-divided each primary Sub division or 1/9th part into 9 parts which are called as Sub-Sub. This is a very important contributing factor for the accuracy of predictions as the resolution or the least count has now increased.
The Order of Giving results will take place during the Dasha / Bhukti. Significators when are favorably aspected / conjoined in favorable houses with outer planets by Drishti / degrees act as significators.
Mars, Saturn and Jupiter influence the inner planets Venus Moon Mercury. Except Rahu-Ketu all others assist in Trine aspect and offer its house results and help the occupant i.e.. the aspected significator. Likewise Evil Aspects also hinder the event.
Rahu and Ketu are exceptions as they completely replace the Planets conjoined with it or aspecting it in any manner. Dasha / Bhukti / Anthra brings an event matter to happen very close to the timing of the event. They will handover the matter to Sun, Moon and the current Lagna for completion.
How to use the KP System KP has classified the relationship of Questions with the houses and its groups. A definite sequence exists to evaluate the strength of planets. This is indicated by the Ruling Planets at the time the question is asked. Planets indicate the ways and means of the results based on its location in the respective houses.
The Star-Lord indicates the subjective results and the Sub-Lord indicates whether the event will take place or not.
The timing of any event depends upon Gochar Bhraman ( Transit ) of Sun - Moon, Lords of Dasha, Bhukti and Anthra. A Planet tenanting a Star affects the matters of the house occupied by the Star Lord and also the houses owned by the Planet.
The Occupant of the house will move the matter of the house it occupies, apart from the results it has to offer due to its star position if there is no planet in any of its 3 Stars. Whether or not such results as are indicated by the tenant planet will come to pass depends on the Sub portion of the Star occupied by the tenant planet.
If the Lord of the SUB occupied by the tenant planet is favorable connected by Occupation, Lordship to the matters signified by the Star Lord of the tenant Planet, the tenant Planet fructifies the matter of which it is the significator due to its Star position.
If the tenant planet is placed in the SUB of a planet who occupies or owns houses detrimental to the affairs of the Star Lord, the matter is not fulfilled. The Sub Lord should not be in unfavorable aspect to the CUSP of the house signified by the Star Lord.
The aspects are to be computed by reckoning the distance in terms of longitudes. Star Lord compares with Dasha Lord, Sub Lord with Bhukti and Anthra to Sub Sub-Lord.
Planet becomes a Malefic / Benefic by reason of its owning or occupying Benefic / Malefic houses. If a planet has to offer the results of its own house or houses in full measure, first it should not be under the control of another planet. In short no planet should be in any one of the 3 stars of the said planet.
Any planet be it for any lagna, if it has to offer the results of the house it occupies and the house it owns, then it must be deposited in any one of its own 3 stars and in its own Subdivision out of the 9 Subdivisions. Then only the said planet will come into the picture to offer the results in full measure depending on how it is conditioned by its own sub, which has the say, favorable or unfavorable, advantageous or disadvantageous, Yes or No.