Besides Vimshottari and Ashtottari, Parashara gives eight more star dasas, each for a chart that meets one condition: a lagna in a certain hora or navamsa, the Sun in the lagna, the 10th lord in the 10th and so on. Each has its own starting star, its own lords and a cycle from 116 years down to 36. In all but Shastihayani, the period at birth is found by counting from the starting star to the birth star and dividing by the number of lords; Dwadashottari counts the other way, from the birth star on to Revathi. The Nava app does not compute this. This page explains the rule only.
☕ A clock for each kind of chart
Parashara names nine star dasas for special cases beside Vimshottari, which is for people in general (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 1–5, p. 505). Ashtottari has its own page; this one takes the other eight. Each comes with a condition the chart must meet, set out in the card “Eight systems and their conditions” below.
Seven of them work the same way. Count from the system's starting star to the birth star, both included, and divide by the number of lords: the remainder names the lord of the period running at birth, and a count with nothing over goes to the last lord. The periods then follow in the system's order. Each system's starting star and its lords with their years are in “Starting star, lords and years” further down. Dwadashottari is the one that counts the other way, from the birth star on to Revathi. Shastihayani is the exception. Each lord holds a run of three or four stars in turn from Aswini, with Abhijit counted as the first of Saturn's stars, and the balance at birth is worked as in Ashtottari (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 40–41, p. 525; plate p. 526).
In Shodashottari, Rohini is the 24th star from Pushya; 24 ÷ 8 leaves nothing, which counts as the last, so the period at birth is Venus's (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, p. 517). In Panchottari, Mrigashirsha is the 16th star from Anuradha; 16 ÷ 7 leaves 2, so the period at birth is Mercury's (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, p. 520). In those seven, the balance of that first period is the unrun part of the birth star, worked as for Vimshottari.
Some systems leave out a planet: Shodashottari has no Rahu, Dwadashottari no Venus, and Panchottari, Shatabdika and Chaturashiti-sama no Rahu or Ketu. Two give every lord the same years. Shastihayani is the one besides Ashtottari that counts Abhijit. The verses, in order: Shodashottari vv. 24–26, p. 517; Dwadashottari vv. 27–28, p. 519; Panchottari vv. 29–31, p. 519; Shatabdika vv. 32–34, p. 521; Chaturashiti-sama vv. 35–36, p. 523; Dwisaptati-sama vv. 37–39, p. 523; Shastihayani vv. 40–41, p. 525; Shat-trimsa-sama vv. 42–43, p. 525. The Nava app does not compute this. This page explains the rule only.
When each system is used
- Shodashottari (116 years): the lagna in the Moon's hora with a birth in the dark fortnight, or in the Sun's hora with a birth in the bright fortnight
- Dwadashottari (112 years): the lagna in a navamsa of Venus
- Panchottari (105 years): a Kataka lagna that is also in the Kataka dwadasamsa
- Shatabdika (100 years): the lagna in the same sign in the birth chart and the navamsa
- Chaturashiti-sama (84 years): the lord of the 10th in the 10th
- Dwisaptati-sama (72 years): the lagna lord in the lagna or the 7th
- Shastihayani (60 years): the Sun in the lagna
- Shat-trimsa-sama (36 years): a day birth with the lagna in the Sun's hora, or a night birth with it in the Moon's hora
- Mix-up: these systems are alternatives anyone may pick. The book gives each one for a chart that meets its condition.
- Mix-up: every system counts from the same star as Vimshottari. Each has its own starting star, one counts towards the birth star from the other side, and Shastihayani gives each lord a run of stars instead.
- Mix-up: the nine planets appear in every system. Several leave out Rahu, Ketu or Venus, and the order of lords differs from system to system.
Frequently asked questions
Are these dasas in my Nava chart?
No. This page explains the book's rules only; none of these eight is worked for any chart.
What if a chart meets two of the conditions?
The chapter gives each condition on its own and does not rank them; it says nothing on a chart that meets two.
Do the printed tables have any slips?
Two are clear from the book's own numbers. Shodashottari's plate heads the 16-year column with Mars where the verse gives the Moon (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, p. 518), and the Chaturashiti-sama example names Mars for Mrigashirsha, where the plate and the count give Mercury (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, p. 524). This page follows the verse and the count.
Deep dive: each system's lords, and what this builds on
The table “Starting star, lords and years”, then the pages this one builds on.
🔢 Starting star, lords and years
| System | Count from; lords and years in order |
|---|---|
| Shodashottari | from Pushya; Sun 11, Mars 12, Jupiter 13, Saturn 14, Ketu 15, Moon 16, Mercury 17, Venus 18 |
| Dwadashottari | from the birth star to Revathi; Sun 7, Jupiter 9, Ketu 11, Mercury 13, Rahu 15, Mars 17, Saturn 19, Moon 21 |
| Panchottari | from Anuradha; Sun 12, Mercury 13, Saturn 14, Mars 15, Venus 16, Moon 17, Jupiter 18 |
| Shatabdika | from Revathi; Sun 5, Moon 5, Venus 10, Mercury 10, Jupiter 20, Mars 20, Saturn 30 |
| Chaturashiti-sama | from Swati; Sun 12, Moon 12, Mars 12, Mercury 12, Jupiter 12, Venus 12, Saturn 12 |
| Dwisaptati-sama | from Moola; Sun 9, Moon 9, Mars 9, Mercury 9, Jupiter 9, Venus 9, Saturn 9, Rahu 9 |
| Shastihayani | runs of three or four stars from Aswini, Abhijit counted; Jupiter 10, Sun 10, Mars 10, Moon 6, Mercury 6, Venus 6, Saturn 6, Rahu 6 |
| Shat-trimsa-sama | from Shravana; Moon 1, Sun 2, Jupiter 3, Mars 4, Mercury 5, Saturn 6, Venus 7, Rahu 8 |
Each starting star is the one the book's plate gives the first lord. In Dwadashottari the count runs from the birth star to the end of Revathi. Shastihayani counts Abhijit as the first of Saturn's stars.
🧭 What this builds on
Where these eight sit among the thirty or so systems is on the dasa family. The ninth special system, with Abhijit and the quarter and third shares, is on Ashtottari and Yogini.