Shodashvarga: The Sixteen Divisional Charts and What Each One Shows
- Sixteen charts = sixteen close-ups of the same horoscope; each covers one area of life (D9 spouse, D10 career, D7 children)
- A divisional chart confirms the promise of D1, it does not create a new one — order: D1 first, then D9, then the chart of the subject
- The finer the chart, the more exact the birth time must be — the D60 Lagna changes in about 2 minutes
The birth chart (D1) gives the whole picture but not the fine detail of every subject. That is why Parashara divided each sign into smaller parts and described sixteen «divisional charts» — each a close-up of one particular area of life.
This article gives the list of all sixteen, the subject of each, the right order in which to read them, and the one caution without which a divisional chart misleads — the accuracy of the birth time.
How a divisional chart is made
Every sign has 30 degrees. It is divided into equal parts — 9 parts in the Navamsha (3°20′ each), 10 in the Dashamsha (3° each), 60 in the Shashtiamsha (half a degree each). Whichever part a planet falls in, a rule assigns it a new sign in that divisional chart.
In this way sixteen different charts come out of a single birth time. The number after the «D» tells you how many parts the sign was divided into — D9 means nine parts.
The sixteen charts and their subjects
According to Parashara:
- D1 Rashi (the birth chart) — the body and the overall picture of life
- D2 Hora — wealth
- D3 Drekkana — siblings and courage
- D4 Chaturthamsha — fortune, home and fixed property
- D7 Saptamsha — children
- D9 Navamsha — spouse, dharma and the real strength of the planets
- D10 Dashamsha — work, status and livelihood
- D12 Dwadashamsha — parents
- D16 Shodashamsha — vehicles and comforts
- D20 Vimshamsha — worship and spiritual progress
- D24 Chaturvimshamsha — learning and education
- D27 Saptavimshamsha (Bhamsha) — strengths and weaknesses
- D30 Trimshamsha — misfortunes and hardship
- D40 Khavedamsha — auspicious and inauspicious effects
- D45 Akshavedamsha — general confirmation of all matters
- D60 Shashtiamsha — all matters; the finest layer, of past karma
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All sixteen are not looked at every time; tradition uses four groups:
- Shadvarga (6) — D1, D2, D3, D9, D12, D30
- Saptavarga (7) — the Shadvarga and D7
- Dashavarga (10) — the Saptavarga and D10, D16, D60
- Shodashvarga (16) — all sixteen
The right order of reading
A divisional chart is never read alone. The rule is: what is not in the birth chart at all, no divisional chart can create — a divisional chart only confirms, weakens or refines the promise of D1.
So keep this order — first look at the relevant house and its lord in D1, then at the strength of those same planets in D9, and only then at the chart of the subject itself (D10 for career, D7 for children). A planet in the same sign in both D1 and D9 is called «Vargottama» and is considered especially strong.
Vimshopaka Bala
How well placed a planet is across all sixteen charts taken together is expressed as one figure — Vimshopaka Bala, counted out of 20. Each chart carries a different weight, and the planet scores according to whether it gets its own, a friendly or an enemy sign in that chart.
A high Vimshopaka Bala says the planet's promise holds not just on the surface but in depth — in the dasha of such a planet the results are steadier.
The biggest caution — the birth time
The finer the division, the larger the effect of an error in time. The Lagna moves about 1 degree every 4 minutes on average — so the Navamsha Lagna changes in about 13 minutes, the Dashamsha Lagna in about 12 minutes and the Shashtiamsha Lagna in just 2 minutes.
If the birth time was noted approximately, have the time rectified before resting conclusions on the finer charts. In our free Kundali the divisional charts can be picked from a single list.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which charts make up the Shodashvarga?
D1, D2, D3, D4, D7, D9, D10, D12, D16, D20, D24, D27, D30, D40, D45 and D60 — sixteen in all, described by Parashara in the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra.
Which is the most important divisional chart?
After the birth chart (D1), the Navamsha (D9) is considered the most important — it shows the real strength of the planets and marriage. The Dashamsha (D10) is used for career and the Saptamsha (D7) for children.
Is an exact birth time necessary for divisional charts?
Yes. The Navamsha Lagna changes in about 13 minutes and the Shashtiamsha Lagna in about 2 minutes, so if the time is approximate it should be rectified before relying on the finer charts.
⚠️ A divisional chart depends heavily on the birth time; an error of a few minutes can change the conclusion. Do not decide from any divisional chart alone, without confirmation from D1.
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