The 16 Divisional Charts (Shodasavarga) Explained — D1 to D60
What each of the sixteen vargas answers, how divisional charts are computed, which ones professionals actually check first, and how to read them in practice.
The Shodasavarga are sixteen divisional charts (vargas) that Parashara prescribes for judging specific areas of life: each varga divides every sign into equal parts and re-plots the planets, so a planet’s varga position refines what the birth chart (D1) can only suggest. D9 (Navamsa) for marriage and inner strength and D10 (Dasamsa) for career are the two every professional checks first.
Here is the full list with what each chart answers, and a practical reading order.
The sixteen vargas at a glance
| Varga | Division | Judges |
|---|---|---|
| D1 Rasi | 1 | The whole self — the primary chart |
| D2 Hora | 2 | Wealth and family resources |
| D3 Drekkana | 3 | Siblings and courage |
| D4 Chaturthamsa | 4 | Property, fortune, mother |
| D7 Saptamsa | 7 | Children and progeny |
| D9 Navamsa | 9 | Marriage, dharma, the planet’s real strength |
| D10 Dasamsa | 10 | Career, status, profession |
| D12 Dwadasamsa | 12 | Parents and lineage |
| D16 Shodashamsa | 16 | Vehicles and comforts |
| D20 Vimsamsa | 20 | Spiritual life and worship |
| D24 Chaturvimsamsa | 24 | Education and learning |
| D27 Bhamsa | 27 | Strengths and weaknesses |
| D30 Trimsamsa | 30 | Misfortunes and afflictions |
| D40 Khavedamsa | 40 | Maternal lineage |
| D45 Akshavedamsa | 45 | Paternal lineage, conduct |
| D60 Shashtiamsa | 60 | Past karma — the finest division |
How a varga is computed
Each varga slices every 30° sign into N equal parts (30/N degrees each) and maps each part to a sign by that varga’s own rule. A planet at 21° Mesha lands in the 7th navamsa of Mesha; counting seven signs from Mesha by the D9 rule places it in Tula navamsa. The rules differ per varga — the Hora alternates between Cancer and Leo, the Drekkana counts 1st, 5th and 9th — which is why hand-computing all sixteen is error-prone and software matters.
A professional reading order
- D1 for the promise: what the chart is willing to give at all.
- D9 to test every D1 judgement — a strong D1 planet that collapses in D9 delivers less, and vice versa.
- The topical varga for the question asked: D10 for career, D7 for children, D4 for property, D30 when affliction is suspected.
- D60 last, when birth time is trusted to the minute — at 30′ per division it is the first chart wrecked by a rounded birth time.
In Zodian the Charts tab renders the shodasavarga set through D40 with three views — a focus view with a thumbnail rail, a full grid, and a D1-vs-D9 compare strip — using the engine’s exact per-varga rules rather than a naive equal-division shortcut. Zodian runs free in beta on the web at zodian.in, on iOS via TestFlight, and on Android via the Play Store — the same profiles sync across all three.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 16 divisional charts in Vedic astrology?
They are the Shodasavarga: D1, D2, D3, D4, D7, D9, D10, D12, D16, D20, D24, D27, D30, D40, D45 and D60. Each divides the signs into progressively finer parts to judge one life area, from wealth (D2) to career (D10) to past karma (D60).
Which divisional charts matter most?
D9 (Navamsa) and D10 (Dasamsa) are checked in almost every professional reading; D30 for afflictions and D7 for children follow. The finer charts (D45, D60) need a very precise birth time to be reliable.
Why does my D9 look completely different from my birth chart?
That is expected — the Navamsa re-plots each planet by ninth-divisions of the signs, so positions shift. The point of the comparison is exactly that difference: it shows which D1 promises are backed by real strength.