Same sky. Different zodiac.
Chara karakas, the movable significators of Jaimini astrology, give each planet a role by its degree within the sign. The calculator finds all your roles in both the seven- and eight-planet schemes, in your browser.
Atmakaraka · SunMoon in Dhanishta, pada 4
Your Vedic chart
In Vedic astrology, a karaka is a significator: a planet that represents an area of life or a key person. The natural karakas are fixed and the same for everyone, such as Venus for love or Saturn for endurance. Jaimini astrology adds chara karakas, where chara means movable: the planet holding each role changes from one birth chart to the next.
Instead of giving Venus the partnership role in every chart, the Jaimini system checks how far each planet has traveled inside its current sign. Any planet can take on any role depending on its exact degree at the moment you were born. This movable list shows how your own chart distributes themes like selfhood, work, family, and partnerships.
To find your chara karakas, you ignore the sign itself and look only at each planet's degree within its sign. You then rank the planets from the highest degree down to the lowest. The planet furthest along in its sign becomes the atmakaraka, the significator of the self, and the lowest becomes the darakaraka, the significator of partners.
Take our example chart for March 14, 1991, at 4:18 AM in Chicago, calculated with the sidereal Lahiri zodiac. In the seven-planet scheme, the Sun leads at 29°36′ Aquarius as the atmakaraka, and Mars follows at 26°15′ Taurus as the amatyakaraka, the significator of work and advisers. Mercury comes third at 11°03′ Pisces as the bhratrikaraka, the significator of siblings.
Fourth is Jupiter at 10°14′ Cancer as the matrikaraka for the mother, followed by Saturn at 10°00′ Capricorn as the putrakaraka for children. The Moon at 6°20′ Aquarius takes sixth place as the gnatikaraka for relatives and obstacles, and Venus at 0°50′ Aries finishes seventh as the darakaraka.
Classical Jaimini texts describe both a seven-planet scheme and an eight-planet scheme, and both are in use today. The eight-planet scheme adds Rahu, the Moon's north node, which always moves backward through the signs. Because of that backward motion, you subtract Rahu's degree from 30° to find its place in the ranking. This eighth slot adds a separate role called the pitrikaraka, the significator of the father, right between the matrikaraka and the putrakaraka.
In our March 14, 1991 example chart, Rahu sits at 1°34′ Capricorn. Counting backward from the end of the sign gives 30° minus 1°34′, or 28°26′, which puts Rahu in second place as the amatyakaraka. The Sun stays the atmakaraka, while Mars shifts down to bhratrikaraka, Mercury to matrikaraka, and Jupiter to pitrikaraka. Saturn remains the putrakaraka, the Moon remains the gnatikaraka, and Venus remains the darakaraka.
We tested 4,000 random moments from 1950 to 2010 to see how often the top and bottom roles shift between the two schemes. The seven- and eight-planet schemes gave a different atmakaraka on 12.8% of those moments and a different darakaraka on 12.0%. One of the two roles differed on 24.9% of the test sample. Because both traditions are widely practiced, this calculator shows both schemes side by side.
The amatyakaraka is the planet with the second-highest degree in your birth chart, sitting right behind the atmakaraka. While the atmakaraka points to your core self and inner drive, the amatyakaraka acts like a trusted minister who helps carry out that direction. Tradition links this role with your daily work, practical skills, and the colleagues, mentors, or advisers who support you.
Because Rahu enters the ranking only in the eight-planet scheme, your amatyakaraka is often the first role to change between the two methods. In our Chicago example chart, Mars at 26°15′ Taurus holds second place and serves as the amatyakaraka in the seven-planet scheme. In the eight-planet scheme, Rahu at 28°26′ steps ahead of Mars to become the amatyakaraka instead.
After the atmakaraka and amatyakaraka, the third-highest planet is the bhratrikaraka, which tradition links with siblings, peers, and personal courage. Fourth is the matrikaraka, connected with your mother, emotional care, and how you give or receive nurture. In the eight-planet scheme, the fifth planet becomes the pitrikaraka, representing your father, elders, and guidance from authority figures.
Next comes the putrakaraka, linked with children, teaching, creative projects, and the ideas you bring into the world. The second-lowest planet is the gnatikaraka, which points to extended relatives, everyday rivals, and the practical obstacles that test your patience and problem-solving. Finally, the planet at the lowest degree is the darakaraka, linked with committed partners and close one-to-one bonds.
Even though chara karakas do not depend on your rising sign, your birth time still affects the degree ranking throughout the day. The Moon travels about 13° a day, steadily climbing past slower planets or resetting to 0° when it enters a new sign. Any planet sitting near the end of a sign can also cross into the next sign and drop from first place to last.
Across our 4,000 test dates, the atmakaraka changed within the day on 66.0% of dates, and the darakaraka changed on 64.9%. Our March 14, 1991 example shows how a single sign change flips the ladder. At 4:18 AM, the Sun is at 29°36′ Aquarius as the atmakaraka, but at 2:04 PM that day it enters sidereal Pisces. After 2:04 PM, the Sun drops to 0° as the darakaraka, and Mars becomes the atmakaraka in the seven-planet scheme. If you don't know your birth time, the calculator shows which roles stay fixed all day and the time any role changes.
Born March 14, 1991, 4:18 AM, Chicago. Rahu's degree is counted backwards, as 30° minus its degree, so 1°34′ becomes 28°26′.
| Graha | Degree used | 7 planets | 8 planets, with Rahu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 29°36′ | Atmakaraka | Atmakaraka |
| Rahu | 28°26′ | — | Amatyakaraka |
| Mars | 26°15′ | Amatyakaraka | Bhratrikaraka |
| Mercury | 11°03′ | Bhratrikaraka | Matrikaraka |
| Jupiter | 10°14′ | Matrikaraka | Pitrikaraka |
| Saturn | 10°00′ | Putrakaraka | Putrakaraka |
| Moon | 6°20′ | Gnatikaraka | Gnatikaraka |
| Venus | 0°50′ | Darakaraka | Darakaraka |
| Role | Place, 7 planets | Place, 8 planets | Tradition links it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmakaraka | 1 | 1 | The self: central desire and main lesson |
| Amatyakaraka | 2 | 2 | Work, skills, advisers |
| Bhratrikaraka | 3 | 3 | Siblings, courage |
| Matrikaraka | 4 | 4 | Mother, nurture |
| Pitrikaraka | — | 5 | Father (eight-planet scheme only) |
| Putrakaraka | 5 | 6 | Children, creativity |
| Gnatikaraka | 6 | 7 | Relatives, rivals, obstacles |
| Darakaraka | 7 | 8 | Partners, close one-to-one bonds |
What tradition links with each planet in the role of amatyakaraka, the planet with the second-highest degree. Rahu can take it only in the eight-planet scheme.
Independent drive and clear authority
Tradition links the Sun here with a self-directed work style, strong vitality, and comfort taking responsibility for decisions. You may rely on organizational skills and look for advisers who speak plainly, respect your autonomy, and set high standards. In daily work, leaving room for others to share credit keeps collaboration smooth when you naturally step up to lead.
People skills, adaptability, and supportive care
Tradition connects the Moon in this role with an adaptable work style, emotional awareness, and a knack for tending to people's needs. You often draw on listening skills and do well with warm, nurturing colleagues who value steady rapport over rigid hierarchy. On busy days, building a calm routine before jumping into others' requests helps keep your own focus steady.
Direct action and hands-on problem solving
Tradition links Mars here with brisk energy, courage under pressure, and a preference for tackling practical or tangible problems head-on. You may lean on technical or troubleshooting skills and trust straightforward advisers who act like candid siblings rather than polite bystanders. Pausing to pace your effort on longer tasks helps you finish without burning through your energy too early.
Clear speech and quick analytical learning
Tradition associates Mercury in this role with a curious, detail-minded work style grounded in speech, writing, trade, and continual learning. You tend to value sharp analytical skills and seek out witty, well-informed peers you can trade ideas with back and forth. Closing a few open tabs and finishing one task before researching the next keeps your attention from scattering.
Principled guidance, teaching, and steady growth
Tradition links Jupiter here with a big-picture work style shaped by teaching, sound judgment, and a focus on long-term growth. You naturally draw on mentoring and synthesis skills, and you look for wise, principled teachers or advisers you can respect. Pairing your broad plans with a short checklist of today's smallest steps helps turn good counsel into finished work.
Diplomacy, craft, and harmonious teamwork
Tradition connects Venus in this role with a cooperative work style, an eye for design or comfort, and ease in bringing people together. You often rely on diplomacy and aesthetic sense, preferring supportive colleagues who keep the working atmosphere fair and civil. Saying what you need directly, even when it feels uncomfortable, prevents small compromises from turning into quiet frustration.
Patience, structure, and steady endurance
Tradition links Saturn here with a methodical work style, respect for time and craft, and the endurance to stay with demanding routines. You lean on discipline and reliability, and you trust seasoned, practical advisers who value realistic plans over quick promises. Setting a clear stopping point at the end of the day keeps steady dedication from turning into sheer exhaustion.
Unconventional methods and ambitious curiosity
Rahu can be the amatyakaraka only in the eight-planet scheme. Tradition links it with an intense, experimental work style drawn to unfamiliar fields, foreign connections, and problems without a standard playbook. You often build niche skills and look for outside-the-box advisers who aren't afraid to question convention. Grounding ambitious ideas in one measurable daily habit helps channel restless focus into steady progress.
The amatyakaraka is the planet with the second-highest degree within its sign in your Vedic birth chart. In Jaimini astrology, it represents your practical mind, your approach to daily work, and the skills you rely on to get things done. Tradition also links this planet with the advisers, colleagues, and mentors who support your goals.
The atmakaraka is the planet at the highest degree in your chart, while the amatyakaraka holds the second-highest degree. Tradition links the atmakaraka with your core self and inner priorities, while the amatyakaraka shows how you apply them in daily work. Tradition compares the atmakaraka to a ruler setting the direction and the amatyakaraka to the minister carrying it out.
Both the seven-planet and eight-planet schemes come from classical Jaimini texts, and this calculator shows both so you don't have to guess. The seven-planet scheme ranks the Sun through Saturn, while the eight-planet scheme adds Rahu at 30° minus its degree and a father role. In our 4,000-moment test, the two schemes differed on the atmakaraka on 12.8% of charts, the darakaraka on 12.0%, and either role on 24.9%.
Differences usually come from choosing the seven- or eight-planet scheme, the node calculation for Rahu, or a different ayanamsa, the gap between zodiacs. This site uses the Lahiri ayanamsa, which is 24°14′ in October 2026, along with the mean node for Rahu. On January 1, 2026, the Krishnamurti ayanamsa is 5′49″ smaller than Lahiri, Raman is 1°26′47″ smaller, and Fagan–Bradley is 53′00″ larger. When a planet sits near 0° or 30°, a different ayanamsa or the true node can shift its sign and reorder your karakas.