Ashtakavarga — the Strength of a Transit

Learning Gochara naturally raises a question: "It's the same Saturn transit, so why is one placement hard and another fine?" The scoring system built to answer this is Ashtakavarga.

Here's how it works. Each planet counts, one by one, whether a placement looks favorable from various reference points, and assigns a score per Rashi (bindu). When a transiting planet passes through a high-scoring Rashi, that period is read as relatively smooth; when it passes through a low-scoring Rashi, it's read as a period that needs more effort. Each planet's own table is called the Bhinnashtakavarga, and the table with everything combined is called the Sarvashtakavarga.

Here's the one to watch most: This score isn't a 'luck index.' A low score doesn't mean something bad will happen — it's just a signal to the degree that you'll need to put in more effort in that area. Conversely, even a high score doesn't lead to a big change if Dasha and the planet's condition don't back it up. The number is just one piece of evidence among several.

Glowy doesn't calculate this bindu score for you yet. Getting it exactly right requires applying tables from all eight reference points, so rather than offer something half-baked, we chose to teach you the concept accurately instead. For now, though, layering Gochara (which house it's passing through) and Dasha (what season it is) together already lets you read plenty deeply.