Find your Atmakaraka, your Karakamsa Lagna (also spelled Karakamsha, or called Swamsa) in the Navamsa (D9) chart, and the Ishta and Dharma Devata read from the 12th and 9th signs from it.
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Atmakaraka detected
We locate the highest-degree planet from your natal chart.
Navamsa lookup
The Atmakaraka's Navamsa sign becomes the Karakamsa.
Interpretation
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Your Karakamsa (Karakamsha) Lagna shows what your soul is here to do: your natural talents, the work that fulfils you and your spiritual path. The 12th sign from it points to your Ishta Devata, the deity of your devotion. It is found by taking your Atmakaraka, the planet with the highest degree in its sign in your birth chart, and seeing which sign it occupies in the Navamsa (D9) chart.
The planet with the highest longitude within any sign in the Rasi (D1) chart. It represents the primary karmic binding of the soul, indicating the specific obligations and tasks the native is compelled to execute in this incarnation.
The D9 chart governs Dharma, marriage, and latent abilities. Placing the Atmakaraka in this varga grounds the soul's overarching karma into concrete skills and dictates the underlying mechanics of the native's fortune.
The specific Navamsa sign occupied by the Atmakaraka operates as a functional ascendant. The 1st house from it defines innate talents, the 9th house dictates spiritual preceptors and dharma, and the 12th house (Jivanmuktamsa) identifies the Ishta Devata (guiding deity) required for spiritual liberation.
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Your Karakamsa is one sign. The bot reads it with the rest of your chart: your Atmakaraka and the planets around it, your Rasi and divisional charts, and the Dasha you are running now, and explains what they mean for your path in plain language.
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Your Karakamsa (also spelled Karakamsha) sign names the kind of fortune and the kind of trouble your soul meets in this life. Jaimini gives one short sutra for each of the twelve signs, right after opening the topic with अथ स्वांशो ग्रहाणाम्: "Having determined the Atmakaraka from among the several planets, ascertain the results of his Navamsa position" (Sutra 1.2.1).
Below is each sutra in the original Sanskrit with B. Suryanarain Rao's 1955 translation. The sutras are terse and read harshly today. As the translator notes, "in all these Sutras the class of animals or diseases is indicated and the reader has to use his intelligence." Weigh the sign with the planets in and aspecting it: in his words, "if the Atmakaraka is in a beneficial Navamsa or if beneficial planets are in Kendras from the Navamsa he occupies, the person will become very wealthy or a ruler."
पंचमूषिकमार्जारः ॥
Panchamooshikamarjaraha
If the Atmakaraka occupies Mesha Navamsa, then the person will be subjected to the fears and bites of rats, cats, and other similar animals.Read the sutra with its full notes
तत्र चतुष्पादः॥
Tathra chatushpadaha
If Atmakaraka is in Taurus Navamsa, there will be fear from quadrupeds.
Translator's note: "If Atmakaraka occupies Vrishabha Navamsa the person will have gains and happiness from quadrupeds like cattle, horses, elephants, etc. Some commentators say he will have troubles and worries through them. I think, when Atmakaraka is weak or has evil aspects or associations troubles should be predicted."
Read the sutra with its full notesमृत्यौ कण्डूः स्थौल्यं च॥
Mrithyow kandooh sthoulyam cha
If Atmakaraka occupies Mithuna the person will suffer from corpulence, itches and cutaneous eruptions.Read the sutra with its full notes
दरे जलकुष्ठादिः॥
Dure jalakushtadih
If the Atmakaraka occupies Kataka Navamsa, dangers and troubles come from watery places and leprosy.Read the sutra with its full notes
शेषाः श्वापदानि ॥
Seshaha swapadani
If the Atmakaraka joins Simha Navamsa, troubles will come through dogs and such canine animals.Read the sutra with its full notes
जयवज्जायाग्निकणश्च ॥
Jayavajjayagnikanascha
If Atmakaraka is in Kanya Navamsa, the native will suffer from fire, itches, and corpulence.
Translator's note: "If the Atmakaraka joins Kanya Navamsa the person will suffer from the troubles indicated by the 3rd Rasi or Mithuna and also from fires."
Read the sutra with its full notesलाभे वाणिज्यम् ॥
Labhe vanijyam
If the Atmakaraka joins Thula Navamsa, the person will make much money by merchandise.
Translator's note: "The various kinds of articles in merchandise have to be found out by the nature of the Rasi, its lord, the planets who are in conjunction and the aspects they have."
Read the sutra with its full notesअत्र जलसरीसृपाः स्तन्यहानिश्च ॥
Atra jalasareesrupaha stanyahanischa
If the Atmakaraka joins Vrischikamsa, the person will have fears and dangers from watery animals, snakes and he will also have no milk from his mother.
Translator's note: "When he is a child he will have to be nursed and suckled by others for want of milk in his mother's breast."
Read the sutra with its full notesसमे वाहनादुच्चाच्च क्रमात्पतनम् ॥
Same vahanaducchaccha kramat patanam
If the Atmakaraka joins the Navamsa of Dhanus, the person will have suffering and dangers from falls, from conveyances, horses, etc., and also from elevated places like trees, houses, hills and mountains.
Translator's note: "Aeroplanes may be safely included in these falls."
Read the sutra with its full notesजलचर खेचर खेट कण्डू दुष्टग्रन्थयश्च रिप्फे ॥
Jalachara khechara kheta kandu dushta-granthayascha riphay
If the Atmakaraka joins Makara the person will have troubles and sorrows from aquatic animals, from fierce birds, skin diseases, large wounds and glandular expansions.
Translator's note: "Grahas have two important significations, viz., planets and evil spirits: some read the sutra as Bhuchara instead of Khechara, and include such wild animals as lions, tigers, boars and other fierce animals found wandering on the earth."
Read the sutra with its full notesतटाकाद्यो धर्मे ॥
Tatakadayo dharme
If the Atmakaraka occupies Kumbha Navamsa the person will do charities in the shape of constructing wells, tanks, topes or gardens, temples and dharmasalas or chatrams.Read the sutra with its full notes
उच्चे धर्मनित्यता कैवल्यं च ॥
Uchhe dharmanityata kaivalyam cha
If the Atmakaraka occupies Meenamsa, the person will be fond of virtuous deeds and charities, and will take residence in Swargadi Lokas or will attain to the final bliss or what is called by the Sanskrit writers Moksha or final emancipation or freedom from rebirths.Read the sutra with its full notes
What is the Karakamsa Lagna?
The Karakamsa is the Navamsa (D9) sign occupied by the Atmakaraka, the planet with the highest degree in the birth chart. It reveals the soul's purpose in this life and the deity guiding the native toward liberation. Both Parasara and Jaimini treated the Karakamsa as one of the most important reference points in a horoscope.
How is the Karakamsa different from the Atmakaraka?
The Atmakaraka is a planet; the Karakamsa is a sign. The Atmakaraka planet shows the soul's key challenges and lessons in this birth. The Karakamsa sign (where that planet sits in Navamsa) indicates the soul's deeper purpose and the nature of spiritual guidance available to the native. The lord of the Karakamsa carries the same indications as the Atmakaraka itself.
How do I find my Ishta Devata from the Karakamsa?
Count to the 12th sign from your Karakamsa in the Navamsa (D9) chart. If planets occupy that sign, the strongest of them indicates the Ishta Devata. If it is empty, its lord does, and for Scorpio and Aquarius the stronger of their two lords. The planet then points to a deity: the Sun to Shiva or Rama, the Moon to Gauri, Lalita, Saraswati or Krishna, Mars to Hanuman, Kartikeya, Narasimha or Rudra, Mercury to Vishnu, Narayana or Buddha, Jupiter to Vishnu, Hayagriva, Parameshwara or Dattatreya, Venus to Lakshmi or Parvati, Saturn to Vishnu or Brahma, Rahu to Durga or Narasimha, and Ketu to Ganesha. For some planets, the sign they occupy and the planets they join narrow the choice.
Why is the Ishta Devata seen from the 12th house from the Karakamsa?
The 12th house signifies surrender, loss of the ego and final liberation (moksha). Counted from the Karakamsa, the seat of the soul, it shows what the soul must ultimately turn toward, so the deity it indicates is the one to worship for liberation.
What is the Dharma Devata?
The Dharma Devata is found the same way from the 9th sign from the Karakamsa in the Navamsa. The 9th house governs dharma and the teacher, so this deity guides righteous conduct and spiritual instruction, while the Ishta Devata of the 12th guides the soul toward liberation.
Do I need an account to see my Ishta Devata?
The Karakamsa calculation is free and needs no account. Your Ishta and Dharma Devata are shown once you create a free account.
What are Chara Karakas in Jaimini astrology?
Chara (temporal) Karakas are eight significators assigned based on the degrees of planets from Sun through Rahu. Unlike fixed Naisargika Karakas, they change from chart to chart. The planet with the highest degree in its sign (after dropping the sign) becomes the Atmakaraka, and the remaining planets fill the other seven roles in descending degree order. Together they form the soul's "council of ministers," showing how the native interacts with different areas of life.
What are the 8 Chara Karakas and what do they signify?
The eight Chara Karakas in descending degree order are: (1) Atmakaraka (AK) – the soul, self, the king of the chart; (2) Amatyakaraka (AmK) – advisors, ministers, career and profession; (3) Bhratrikaraka (BK) – siblings, close companions, guru; (4) Matrikaraka (MK) – mother and maternal relatives; (5) Pitrikaraka (PiK) – father and paternal relatives; (6) Putrakaraka (PK) – children and followers; (7) Gnatikaraka (GK) – kinsmen and extended relatives; (8) Darakaraka (DK) – spouse, romantic partner, also wealth and business.
Why is Rahu's degree calculated in reverse?
Rahu always moves in retrograde (reverse) motion through the zodiac. To place Rahu on the same scale as the other planets, its degree within the sign is subtracted from 30. For example, if Rahu is at 22 degrees in its sign, the effective Chara Karaka degree is 30 minus 22, which equals 8 degrees.
Why is Ketu excluded from the Chara Karaka scheme?
Ketu represents moksha (liberation), which is the ultimate goal of every soul. Since the Chara Karaka scheme describes the soul's worldly interactions and the lessons it must learn before liberation, Ketu stands outside this framework. It signifies the end of the cycle of rebirth rather than any particular role within it.
Can I use a 7-planet Karaka system instead?
Yes. This calculator defaults to the 8-planet system (including Rahu), but you can switch to either of the two 7-planet systems. The K.N. Rao school excludes Rahu and drops Pitri Karaka, while the Parasara school merges Putra Karaka with Matri Karaka and retains Pitri Karaka.
What are the different Chara Karaka schemes?
Maharshi Parasara describes 8 Chara Karakas assigned to the seven planets plus Rahu. In this system, each karaka gets its own planet. Sri K.N. Rao's school uses only seven planets (excluding Rahu), which removes the Pitri Karaka from the sequence. A third approach, also rooted in Parasara, keeps Pitri Karaka but merges Putra Karaka with Matri Karaka so that one planet governs both mother and children. The 8-karaka system is recommended by Sri Jagannath Centre and prevents the "disappearance" (Lopa) of a significator that can occur when two planets share the same longitude.
Sutras and notes: Jaimini Sutras, English Translation with Full Notes and Original Texts, translated by B. Suryanarain Rao (1955), Adhyaya 1, Pada 2. Search the full text, with the original Sanskrit, in our Jyotish Sources library.