Vimshottari dasha is the 120-year cycle of planetary periods Vedic astrology uses to time life themes. The sequence is Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19 and Mercury 17 years. Your Moon’s birth nakshatra sets the first period; how far the Moon had travelled through it sets the balance.
What is the order and length of the dashas?
| Planet | Years | Nakshatras it rules |
|---|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 | Ashwini, Magha, Mula |
| Venus | 20 | Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha |
| Sun | 6 | Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha |
| Moon | 10 | Rohini, Hasta, Shravana |
| Mars | 7 | Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha |
| Rahu | 18 | Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha |
| Jupiter | 16 | Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada |
| Saturn | 19 | Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Mercury | 17 | Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati |
How is the starting dasha calculated?
Each nakshatra spans 13°20′. If your Moon was 40% of the way through Rohini (ruled by the Moon, 10 years), then 60% of the Moon dasha — 6 years — remained at birth. After that come Mars, Rahu, Jupiter and so on in the fixed order.
What are antardasha and pratyantar dasha?
Each mahadasha is divided into nine sub-periods (antardashas) in the same order, starting with the mahadasha lord itself, each proportional to its share of 120 years. For example, Jupiter–Saturn lasts 16 × 19 / 120 = 2.53 years. Antardashas divide again into pratyantar dashas.
How should dashas be interpreted?
Tradition reads a period through the dasha lord’s placement, the houses it rules and its strength in your chart. A “difficult” planet is not automatically a bad period. Our Complete Life Kundli lists every mahadasha and antardasha with the themes tradition associates with each.
Complete Life Kundli
Your full Vedic birth chart, explained area by area — personality, career, relationships, wealth and timing.