The Vedic Dashas
The planetary and sign period systems that turn a static birth chart into a timeline.
A dasha is a period system — the engine that tells Jyotish when. Where the grahas, rashis, and bhavas describe what a birth chart promises, the dashas unfold that promise across a lifetime, handing each stretch of years to a particular planet or sign so its significations ripen in their season. The great majority of charts are read through the Vimshottari dasha, a 120-year cycle keyed to the nakshatra the Moon occupies at birth — but the classical literature preserves many more.
The systems below fall into families. The udu (nakshatra) dashas assign fixed spans to the nine grahas and begin from the Moon's nakshatra — Vimshottari is universal, while Ashtottari, Yogini, and the conditional nakshatra dashas (Shodashottari, Dwadashottari, Panchottari, Shatabdika, Chaturashiti-sama, Dwisaptati-sama, Shashtihayani, Shattrimsha-sama) apply only when a chart meets a stated birth condition. Kalachakra works on a different principle entirely — nakshatra-pada and sign, not planet — and Chara dasha belongs to the parallel Jaimini system, giving its periods to signs rather than planets.
Vimshottari Dasha
Vimshottari Dasha: the universal 120-year nakshatra-based Jyotish timing system of nine planetary periods, keyed to the natal Moon.
Ashtottari Dasha
Ashtottari dasha is a conditional 108-year Jyotish cycle of eight grahas — Vimshottari minus Ketu — reckoned from the Moon's nakshatra.
Yogini Dasha
Yogini dasha is a 36-year Jyotish cycle of eight named Yoginis, each a graha, reckoned from the Moon's nakshatra.
Shodashottari Dasha
Shodashottari Dasha: a conditional 116-year nakshatra-based Jyotish timing system of eight planetary periods, counted from Pushya.
Dwadashottari Dasha
Dwadashottari Dasha: a conditional 112-year nakshatra-based Jyotish timing system of eight planetary periods, counted toward Revati.
Panchottari Dasha
Panchottari Dasha: a conditional 105-year nakshatra-based Jyotish timing system of seven planetary periods, counted from Anuradha.
Shatabdika Dasha
Shatabdika dasha is a 100-year conditional Vedic dasha used for a vargottama lagna, across seven graha periods.
Chaturashiti-sama Dasha
Chaturashiti-sama dasha is an 84-year conditional Vedic dasha of seven equal 12-year graha periods, for 10th-lord-in-10th.
Dwisaptati-sama Dasha
Dwisaptati-sama dasha is a 72-year conditional Vedic dasha of eight equal 9-year periods, for the lagna-seventh lord exchange.
Shashtihayani Dasha
Shashtihayani Dasha is a conditional 60-year nakshatra dasha in Jyotish, applied chiefly when the Sun occupies the lagna.
Shattrimsha-sama Dasha
Shattrimsha-sama Dasha is a conditional 36-year equal-period nakshatra dasha, keyed to day or night birth by hora.
Kalachakra Dasha
Kalachakra dasha is a Parashari rashi-period system keyed to the Moon's nakshatra-pada; pada spans run ~83-100 years.
Chara Dasha
Chara dasha is the Jaimini sign-based timing system: twelve rashis ruling variable 1-12 year periods set by the dispositor count.
Rahu Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
The Rahu-Rahu antardasha opens the 18-year Rahu mahadasha and runs 2 years 8.4 months: appetite at full volume, with no second lord to filter it.
Shani Mahadasha — Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha is the ninth and final sub-period of the 19-year Shani mahadasha, lasting about 2 years 6 months and closing the Saturn period.
Shukra Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Shukra antardasha in Shukra mahadasha runs 3 years 4 months and opens the 20-year Venus cycle: comfort, wealth, partnership, indulgence as its shadow.
Rahu Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Chandra antardasha runs 18 months at years 15.5-17.0 of the 18-year Rahu mahadasha: appetite working through the feeling mind.
Surya Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
The fourth sub-period of the six-year Sun mahadasha belongs to Rahu: about 10.8 months, roughly years 1.1 to 2.0, where ambition meets the eclipse.
Chandra Mahadasha, Mangal Antardasha
Mangal antardasha in a Chandra mahadasha runs about seven months, from month ten to month seventeen of the Moon's ten-year Vimshottari period.
Mangal Mahadasha — Mangal Antardasha
Mangal antardasha in Mangal mahadasha: the 4.9-month doubled-Mars opening of the seven-year Mars period.
Chandra Mahadasha — Surya Antardasha
Chandra mahadasha, Surya antardasha: the six-month Sun sub-period that closes the ten-year Moon major period in Vimshottari dasha.
Chandra Mahadasha, Ketu Antardasha
Chandra-Ketu antardasha runs about 7 months near years 7.2 to 7.8 of the 10-year Moon mahadasha, reading for detachment, grief and inwardness.
Mangal Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Chandra antardasha closes the seven-year Mangal mahadasha: about seven months at years 6.4 to 7.0, where Mars acts for the sake of home and security.
Budha Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Budha mahadasha, Chandra antardasha: the Mercury-Moon sub-period runs 17 months at years 7.1-8.5 of the 17-year dasha. How it is read.
Surya Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Surya mahadasha, Chandra antardasha: the six-month Moon sub-period of the six-year Sun major period in Vimshottari dasha.
Mangal Mahadasha — Surya Antardasha
The Surya antardasha of a Mangal mahadasha runs about 4.2 months late in the seven-year cycle, read classically as command coming up for recognition.
Guru Mahadasha, Chandra Antardasha
Guru mahadasha, Chandra antardasha: about 1 year 4 months at years 11.3-12.7 of the 16-year Jupiter period, where counsel meets feeling.
Mangal Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Mars mahadasha, Ketu antardasha lasts about 4.9 months near the close of the 7-year Mangal period: two sharp significators, decisive severances.
Budha Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Mercury mahadasha, Ketu antardasha runs about 11.9 months at years 2.4-3.4 of the 17-year Budha period: analysis turned on what it can't hold.
Mangal Mahadasha, Budha Antardasha
Budha antardasha runs 11.9 months from the exact midpoint of the seven-year Mangal mahadasha: precision working under a forceful agenda.
Chandra Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha in Chandra mahadasha runs 19 months, roughly years 4.2 to 5.8 of the ten-year Moon period, pairing lunar mind with Saturnine weight.
Mangal Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
The Shani antardasha of the Mangal mahadasha runs about 13 months, from year 2.4 to year 3.5 of the seven-year period: two malefics, drive against delay.
Guru Mahadasha, Mangal Antardasha
Mangal antardasha in a Guru mahadasha runs about 11.2 months, eighth of nine sub-periods: initiative on principle, disputes over what is right.
Guru Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Ketu antardasha in Guru mahadasha runs about 11.2 months at years 6.9-7.9 of the 16-year period: dharma turned inward, wisdom by relinquishment.
Chandra Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha in the Chandra mahadasha runs 18 months, months 17-35 of the ten-year Moon period: eclipse flavor on manas and appetite.
Mangal Mahadasha, Shukra Antardasha
Mangal mahadasha with Shukra antardasha runs fourteen months at years 4.9 to 6.1 of the Mars period: appetite and property at Mangal's tempo.
Mangal Mahadasha, Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha in the seven-year Mars mahadasha runs about 12.6 months, months 5 to 17.5: amplified ambition and a classically rough passage.
Budha Mahadasha — Mangal Antardasha
Budha mahadasha, Mangal antardasha: the Mercury-Mars sub-period runs 11.9 months from the exact midpoint of the 17-year dasha, years 8.5 to 9.5.
Budha Mahadasha, Surya Antardasha
Surya antardasha in Budha mahadasha runs about ten months, from year 6.2 to 7.1 of the 17-year period: position earned through skill.
Budha Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in a Budha mahadasha runs 2 years 3 months at years 12.0 to 14.3 of the 17-year Mercury period: skill acquiring a doctrine.
Budha Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Shukra antardasha in Budha mahadasha runs about 2 years 10 months, years 3.4 to 6.2 of the 17-year Mercury cycle, and is its longest sub-period.
Guru Mahadasha, Surya Antardasha
Guru mahadasha with Surya antardasha runs about 9.6 months, sixth of nine sub-periods in the 16-year Jupiter cycle, at years 10.5 to 11.3.
Budha Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha closes the 17-year Budha mahadasha: 2 years 8.3 months at years 14.3-17.0, the final sub-period of the whole 120-year cycle.
Guru-Guru Antardasha
Guru-Guru antardasha: the 2.1-year opening sub-period of the 16-year Jupiter mahadasha, where Guru's expansion runs unmediated.
Guru Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Guru mahadasha with Shukra antardasha runs about 2 years 8 months at years 7.9 to 10.5, the longest sub-period of the 16-year Jupiter cycle.
Guru Mahadasha, Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha runs 2 years 6.4 months at years 2.1-4.7 of the 16-year Guru mahadasha: the second bhukti, where expansion meets structure.
Ketu Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in a Ketu mahadasha runs about 11.2 months at years 4.0-4.9 of the seven-year period, read classically as counsel and relief.
Shukra Mahadasha, Surya Antardasha
Shukra mahadasha with Surya antardasha runs twelve months at years 3.3-4.3 of the Venus period, the shortest bhukti in it, putting standing under taste.
Ketu Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Ketu mahadasha, Mercury antardasha: 11.9 months at years 6.0-7.0 of the seven-year Ketu period, where the severance finally gets an account.
Ketu Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Ketu mahadasha, Ketu antardasha: the 4.9-month opening sub-period of the seven-year Ketu dasha, run with no sub-lord modifying it.
Rahu Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Rahu mahadasha, Ketu antardasha: 12.6 months at years 10.5-11.55 of the 18-year Rahu period, where the nodal axis meets itself.
Ketu Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha in Ketu mahadasha: the 12.6-month sixth sub-period of the 7-year Ketu cycle, where the nodal axis reverses direction.
Ketu Mahadasha, Mangal Antardasha
Ketu mahadasha, Mangal antardasha: about 4.9 months at years 2.5-2.9 of the seven-year Ketu period, where two fiery significators execute endings.
Rahu Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Rahu mahadasha with Guru antardasha: the 2-year-5-month sub-period where Jupiter checks Rahu, spanning years 2.7 to 5.1 of the 18-year Rahu dasha.
Rahu Mahadasha — Surya Antardasha
Surya antardasha in the Rahu mahadasha runs 10.8 months at years 14.6-15.5, putting the Sun's authority, status and self under the node's agenda.
Rahu Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha in the 18-year Rahu mahadasha runs 2 years 10 months, years 5.1-7.9: amplified ambition meeting Saturn's slow, unglamorous cost.
Rahu Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Budha antardasha in the 18-year Rahu mahadasha runs 2 years 6.6 months, years 7.95-10.5: an eight-year appetite acquires language.
Shani Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha runs about 2 years 10 months inside the 19-year Shani mahadasha, from year 13.6 to 16.5: ambition and fear under Saturn's long agenda.
Shani Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Ketu antardasha is the third sub-period of the 19-year Shani mahadasha: about 1 year 1 month at years 5.7-6.8, where the austerity turns inward.
Shani Mahadasha — Mangal Antardasha
Mangal antardasha in Shani mahadasha runs about 1 year 1 month, at years 12.5-13.6 of the 19-year period: force arriving inside a long structure of delay.
Shukra Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha in Shukra mahadasha: 3 years 2 months at years 12.8 to 16.0, where the Venus agenda is formalized on Saturn's terms.
Shukra Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Shukra mahadasha, Ketu antardasha: the closing 14 months at years 18.8-20.0 of the 20-year Venus period, where taste thins and the era winds down.
Chandra Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Chandra mahadasha, Budha antardasha: the 17-month sub-period at years 5.83 to 7.25 of the ten-year Moon dasha, where the lunar mind gets a vocabulary.
Surya Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Surya mahadasha, Budha antardasha: the 10-month sub-period at years 3.8 to 4.65 of the six-year Sun dasha, where authority becomes administration.
Shani Mahadasha — Surya Antardasha
Surya antardasha in Shani mahadasha runs about 11.4 months, the shortest of the nine sub-periods, opening near year 10 of the nineteen-year Saturn cycle.
Shukra Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
The eighth sub-period of the 20-year Venus mahadasha: Shukra-Budha runs about 2 years 10 months, turning Venusian taste toward speech, trade, and craft.
Shukra Mahadasha — Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in Shukra mahadasha: about 2 years 8 months, at years 10.2-12.8.
Surya Mahadasha, Shukra Antardasha
Surya mahadasha with Shukra antardasha runs twelve months and closes the six-year Sun period, putting taste, alliance and patronage in service of standing.
Ketu Mahadasha, Surya Antardasha
Surya antardasha in Ketu mahadasha runs 4.2 months at years 1.6-1.9 of the cycle, when rank, the father and the visible self pass under Ketu.
Surya Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha in Surya mahadasha runs about 11.4 months, from roughly year 2.8 to 3.8 of the six-year Sun period.
Chandra Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Shukra antardasha in the Chandra mahadasha runs 1 year 8 months, the longest sub-period of the 10-year Moon dasha, spanning roughly years 7.8 to 9.5.
Rahu Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Shukra antardasha in the 18-year Rahu mahadasha runs 3 years, at years 11.6-14.6: the longest cell in the table, and pleasure worked at scale.
Surya Mahadasha — Ketu Antardasha
Surya mahadasha, Ketu antardasha: the 4-month sub-period at years 4.65 to 5.0 of the six-year Sun dasha, where position empties out.
Surya Mahadasha — Surya Antardasha
Surya antardasha in Surya mahadasha: the 3.6-month doubled-Sun opening of the six-year Sun period, where solar authority runs undiluted.
Chandra Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Chandra antardasha in Chandra mahadasha lasts about 10 months and opens the 10-year Moon period, doubling lunar significations with no second graha.
Shani Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Shukra antardasha in Shani mahadasha: the 3-year-2-month Venus sub-period of Saturn's 19-year Vimshottari dasha, running years 6.8 to 10.0.
Chandra Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in the Chandra mahadasha runs about 1 year 4 months, at years 2.9-4.2 of the Moon period: benefic expansion of the emotional life.
Surya Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in a Surya mahadasha lasts about 9.6 months, roughly years 2.0 to 2.8 of the six-year Sun period, and is classically well regarded.
Shukra Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha holds three years at the centre of the 20-year Shukra mahadasha, years 7.2-10.2: Venus builds, Rahu scales, nothing resists.
Budha Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
The Budha-Budha antardasha opens the 17-year Mercury mahadasha and runs about 2 years 5 months, the one stretch where Budha's agenda runs undiluted.
Surya Mahadasha — Mangal Antardasha
The Mangal antardasha of a Surya mahadasha runs about 4.2 months, near years 0.8 to 1.1: the king's agenda handed to the commander to execute.
Mangal Mahadasha, Guru Antardasha
Guru antardasha in the Mangal mahadasha runs about 11.2 months, third in the sub-period order, covering years 1.5 to 2.4 of the seven-year Mars cycle.
Shukra Mahadasha, Chandra Antardasha
Venus mahadasha with Moon antardasha runs 1 year 8 months, at roughly years 4.3 to 6.0 of the 20-year Shukra period. Comfort, rapport, popularity.
Budha Mahadasha — Rahu Antardasha
Rahu antardasha in the 17-year Budha mahadasha runs 2 years 6.6 months, years 9.5-12.0: cleverness amplified, with deception risks on both sides.
Guru Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Budha antardasha in a Guru mahadasha: 2 years 3.2 months at years 4.7 to 6.9 of the 16-year Jupiter period, where conviction acquires language.
Guru Mahadasha, Rahu Antardasha
Guru mahadasha with Rahu antardasha runs about 2 years 5 months, the ninth and final sub-period of the 16-year Jupiter cycle, at years 13.6-16.0.
Shukra Mahadasha — Mangal Antardasha
Shukra mahadasha, Mangal antardasha: 14 months at years 6.0-7.2 of the 20-year Venus period, where accumulation meets the seizing verb.
Ketu Mahadasha — Shukra Antardasha
Ketu mahadasha, Shukra antardasha: the 14-month bhukti at years 0.4-1.6 of the seven-year Ketu dasha, longest of its nine sub-periods.
Shani Mahadasha — Budha Antardasha
Budha antardasha in the Shani mahadasha: about 2 years 8 months of detail work, service, and steady trade, at years 3.0-5.7 of 19.
Ketu Mahadasha, Shani Antardasha
Shani's bhukti runs about 1 year 1.3 months at years 4.9-6.0 of the 7-year Ketu mahadasha: two subtractive grahas, and no acquisitive lord at either level.
Rahu Mahadasha, Mangal Antardasha
Mangal antardasha closes the 18-year Rahu mahadasha: about 1 year 18 days of force, disputes and accident-prone haste before Guru begins.
Ketu Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Ketu mahadasha, Moon (Chandra) antardasha: a 7-month sub-period at years 1.93-2.51 of the seven-year Ketu dasha, and how classical Jyotish reads it.
Shani Mahadasha — Chandra Antardasha
Chandra antardasha in Shani mahadasha runs 1 year 7 months, about years 10.9 to 12.5 of the 19-year Saturn period: the Vish yoga pairing from Saturn's side.
Shani Mahadasha — Shani Antardasha
Shani antardasha in Shani mahadasha runs 3.0 years at the opening of the 19-year Saturn period: doubled Shani, and what separates discipline from depletion.