Open any detailed kundli printout and somewhere near the back there is a grid of numbers called Ashtakavarga. Most people skip it. That is a pity, because Ashtakavarga points are the most practical tool in Jyotish for one everyday question: will this transit of Saturn or Jupiter feel easy or heavy? This guide explains the numbers in plain language, the way a teacher would on a first evening class.
A bindu is a vote
Think of each sign of the zodiac as a room, and the seven planets plus the Lagna as eight judges. For each planet, every judge decides, by fixed classical rules, whether that planet is welcome in each room. A “yes” is a bindu (a point, often drawn as a dot); a “no” is a rekha (a line). So a planet can collect 0 to 8 bindus in any sign.
The table of one planet's bindus across the twelve signs is its Bhinnashtakavarga (BAV). Add all seven planets' tables together and you get the Sarvashtakavarga (SAV), the combined score of every sign.
Why does every chart add up to exactly 337?
Because each planet's total number of bindus is fixed by the rules: Sun 48, Moon 49, Mars 39, Mercury 54, Jupiter 56, Venus 52 and Saturn 39. Only where they fall changes from chart to chart. If a printout doesn't total 337, something was miscounted.
Reading Ashtakavarga points house by house
337 spread over 12 signs averages about 28. Teachers read each house's SAV against that average:
- 32 or more: a house the chart favours; its matters tend to come with less struggle.
- 28 to 31: supported, above average.
- 25 to 27: average; results follow steady effort.
- below 25: a house that needs patience; planets passing through it are felt more strongly.
Two comparisons are classic. The 11th house (gains) should have more points than the 12th (expenses), which suggests income outpaces outgoings. And the 10th (work) is often compared with the 9th and 11th to see whether career effort turns into reward.
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The real use: judging transits
This is where Ashtakavarga shines. When a slow planet moves into a sign, look at that planet's own BAV score in that sign:
| Bindus in the sign it enters | How the transit is usually read |
|---|---|
| 0–2 | Testing period; delays and extra effort |
| 3 | Mixed |
| 4 | Neutral to fair |
| 5–8 | Supportive; the planet's good significations show more easily |
Example: Sade Sati
Two people can both be “in Sade Sati” with very different experiences. If Saturn's BAV shows 5 or 6 bindus in the sign it is crossing, many teachers expect the phase to be demanding but productive. If it shows 1 or 2, they advise extra care with health, money and commitments during that stretch. The SAV of the sign adds context: a high total cushions a low Saturn score.
Example: Jupiter's yearly move
Jupiter changes sign roughly once a year. A sign where Jupiter's own BAV is 5 or more is often treated as a good window for study, marriage talks or a new venture, especially if it is also a strong house in the SAV.
What Ashtakavarga cannot do
- It does not replace the birth chart. A high-scoring 7th house does not cancel an afflicted 7th lord.
- It cannot be done without the birth time, because the Lagna is one of the eight judges and fixes which house each sign is.
- Advanced reductions (trikona and ekadhipatya shodhana) are used by some astrologers for fine timing; beginners are better served by the plain BAV and SAV.
Counting 337 dots by hand takes an evening and one slip spoils the grid. The free Ashtakavarga calculator builds both tables from the date, time and place of birth, checks the planet totals against the classical figures, and marks the strongest and weakest houses.
Frequently asked questions
What are Ashtakavarga points?
Bindus (benefic points) that the seven planets and the Lagna give to each sign by classical rules. A planet's table is its Bhinnashtakavarga; the total of all seven is the Sarvashtakavarga.
How many points are good in Ashtakavarga?
In the Sarvashtakavarga, about 28 per house is average; 32 and above is strong. In a planet's own table, 4 is fair and 5 or more is supportive.
Why is the Sarvashtakavarga total always 337?
Each planet's total bindus are fixed (Sun 48, Moon 49, Mars 39, Mercury 54, Jupiter 56, Venus 52, Saturn 39), and they add up to 337.
How is Ashtakavarga used for Saturn transit?
Look at Saturn's own bindus in the sign it is transiting. 5 or more is usually read as a supportive transit; 0–2 as a testing one.
Do I need the exact birth time for Ashtakavarga?
Yes, because the Lagna contributes bindus and decides which house each sign represents.
Keep reading
- Ashtakavarga Calculator: the free tool this guide explains.
- All astrology calculators
- Gajakesari Yoga in Kundli: Meaning, Conditions and Effects
Sources: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, Ashtakavarga chapters; classical Bhinnashtakavarga totals (Sarvashtakavarga 337).