Jaimini Karakas and Dashas

Most Vedic astrology in use today follows the Parashari approach, with planetary aspects and planet-based dashas such as Vimshottari. The Jaimini Sutras describe a parallel system. Signs aspect other signs as whole units, karakas are assigned by degree rather than fixed by planet, and the main dashas move through signs. Many astrologers combine the two, using Parashari methods for the overall picture and Jaimini methods to check timing or the themes of the soul and the spouse. This page gives the Jaimini pieces on their own so you can compare them with the Kundli.

In the Jaimini system, seven planets from the Sun to Saturn are ranked by how far they have travelled through their current sign. The planet with the highest degree becomes the Atmakaraka, the significator of the self. The others follow in order: Amatyakaraka, Bhratrikaraka, Matrikaraka, Putrakaraka, Gnatikaraka and Darakaraka.

These roles are called chara, or movable, because they depend on each chart rather than being fixed to a planet. The Atmakaraka and the Darakaraka, the significator of the spouse, are the two most often discussed.

Unlike Vimshottari, Jaimini dashas run through signs rather than planets. Chara Dasha assigns each sign a period of up to twelve years based on where its lord sits. Narayana Dasha is a related sign dasha that starts from the stronger of the ascendant and the seventh house.

The result lists each sign period in order. Narayana Dasha periods are given with their dates and cover up to 120 years from birth. Read the karakas first, then look at which sign periods activate the signs holding the Atmakaraka and the Darakaraka.

Positions are sidereal with the Lahiri ayanamsa. Authors differ on whether Rahu should be counted as an eighth karaka, so the ranking here may not match a source that uses eight. The calculations are provided by an established open-source astrology library that we have not yet replaced with our own code.

Jaimini rules have several variants in the commentaries, especially for how sign periods are counted and how strength is judged. Results can therefore differ from software that follows another commentary. These results have not yet been checked against published reference charts.