What is the Navamsa (D9) chart?
Short answer
The Navamsa, or D9 chart, is a divisional chart made by splitting each zodiac sign into nine parts of 3°20′. After the main Rashi chart it is the most important chart in Vedic astrology, used especially for marriage and partnership and to judge the true strength of each planet.
How the D9 is built
Each 30° sign is divided into nine navamsas of 3°20′. A planet’s navamsa position depends on which of these slices it falls in. The result is a full chart with its own Lagna and houses, drawn in the same North or South Indian style.
What it is used for
Traditionally the Navamsa shows the nature of marriage and the spouse, a person’s dharma and the fruit of the main chart over time. A planet weak in the Rashi chart but strong in the Navamsa is often read as improving with age.
When a planet occupies the same sign in both D1 and D9 it is called vargottama, which is considered a mark of strength.
Common questions
- Does the Navamsa need an accurate birth time?
- Yes. The Navamsa Lagna changes roughly every 13 minutes, so it is more sensitive to birth time than the main chart.
- What other divisional charts are there?
- There are sixteen classical vargas. Common ones include D10 (Dashamsha) for career, D7 for children and D12 for parents.
Sources and further reading
Jyotish is a traditional system for reflection. Interpretations vary between schools; this guide describes common practice.