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Basic Kundli
A one-page summary showing your Lagna, Moon sign, Nakshatra and current Mahadasha.
The four things a basic Kundli tells you
- Lagna, or Ascendant. The sign rising on the eastern horizon when you were born. It changes about every two hours and sets which sign sits in which house for the rest of the chart.
- Moon sign, or Rashi. Where the Moon stood at birth. Vedic astrology reads from the Moon rather than the Sun, which is why your Rashi often differs from the Western star sign you already know.
- Nakshatra. The lunar mansion the Moon occupied, one of 27. It sets your starting Dasha and carries most of the weight in marriage matching.
- Mahadasha. The major planetary period you are currently running, from the 120-year Vimshottari cycle below.
The Vimshottari Dasha cycle
Vimshottari is the Dasha system used in Parashari Jyotish. It divides 120 years between nine planets in a fixed order. The period you are born into is decided by the ruling planet of your birth Nakshatra, and the sequence then runs in order for the rest of your life.
| Planet | Mahadasha length |
|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 years |
| Venus | 20 years |
| Sun | 6 years |
| Moon | 10 years |
| Mars | 7 years |
| Rahu | 18 years |
| Jupiter | 16 years |
| Saturn | 19 years |
| Mercury | 17 years |
| Full cycle | 120 years |
A full Janam Kundli report works out where you currently sit in this cycle, which sub-period you are running, and what the classical texts associate with that combination.
Going deeper: what a Janam Kundli is, the Lagna explained, Mahadasha in detail, and what to do if you do not know your birth time.
Kundli questions
What is a Janam Kundli?
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A Janam Kundli is a Vedic birth chart. It is a map of where the planets stood at the exact moment and place you were born, drawn as a diagram of twelve houses. Everything else in Vedic astrology, from Dasha timing to marriage matching, is read off this chart.
What is the Lagna or Ascendant?
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The Lagna, also called the Ascendant, is the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth. It changes roughly every two hours, which is why birth time matters so much. The Lagna sets the frame of the whole chart: it decides which sign occupies which house.
What is the difference between Moon sign and Sun sign?
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Vedic astrology leads with the Moon sign, or Rashi, which is the sign the Moon occupied at birth. Western astrology leads with the Sun sign. This is why your Vedic Rashi often differs from the star sign you already know, and the two systems also use different zodiacs, sidereal versus tropical.
What is a Mahadasha?
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A Mahadasha is a major planetary period in the Vimshottari Dasha system. The full cycle runs 120 years and is divided between nine planets, each ruling for a fixed number of years. Which period you were born into is set by your birth Nakshatra, and the sequence then runs in a fixed order for life.
Can I get a Kundli without my exact birth time?
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Partly. Moon sign, Nakshatra and Dasha timing are workable from the date, since the Moon moves slowly enough. The Lagna and the house placements are not, because the Ascendant changes every two hours. Use the closest time you know and treat house-based details as approximate.