Home | Astrology | Dashaa

Back to Dashaa

Shani (Saturn) = 19 years
Budh (Mercury) = 17 years  -------------  36 yrs
Ketu (Dragon's Tail) = 7 years ----------  43 yrs
Shukra (Venus) = 20 years ---------------  63 yrs
Soorya (Sun) = 6 years ------------------  69 yrs
Chandra (Chandra) = 10 years -----------  79 yrs
Mangal (Mars) = 7 years ----------------  86 yrs
Raahu (Dragon's Head) = 18 years ------  104 yrs
Guru (Jupiter) = 16 years --------------- 120 yrs

All these years combined are 120 years, but most people do not complete all Dashaa in their life time.

A Dashaa or Mahaa Dashaa may be subdivided at various levels. In practice, it is sufficient to these three basic levels: Dashaa or Mahaa Dashaa (MD), Antar-Dashaa (AD), and Pratyantar Dashaa (PD). If you have exact birth time and within long Pratyantar Dashaa (e.g. in Saturn, Raahu, Mercury, Jupiter periods) you can include the 4th level - Sookshm Dashaa (Sookshm Antar-Dashaa or SD) as well. In English we call them Period (MD), Sub-period (AD), Sub Sub-period (PD), and Sub Sub Sub-period (SD).

There are several systems to know Dashaa but mostly astrologers use Vinshottaree Dashaa system.

Mahaa Dashaa (MD) or Period
Mahaa Dashaa are the main planetary periods, Sun, Moon, Mars, mercury etc.
Antar-Dashaa (AD) or Sub-Period
Mahaa Dashaa is then divided by Antar-Dashaa (AD), that is called Sub-Periods.
Pratyantar Dashaa (PD) or Sub Sub-Period
Sub-Periods are divided by Sub Sub-Periods called Pratyantar Dashas (PD).
Sookshm Dashaa (SD) or Sub Sub Sub-Period
Sub Sub-Periods are divided by Sub Sub Sub-periods called Sookshm Dashaa (SD),
which can be further subdivided into Praan Dashaa (PrD).

Mahaa Dashaa : shows general direction, the coloring and general trend of a life period, for many years
Antar-Dashaa : shows concrete events and occurrences.
Pratyantar Dashaa : activates and causes concrete occurrence.

Therefore, looking at Antar-Dashaa and Pratyantar Dashaa is most important for timing events and predictions.

Entry Charts : Explanation and Significance
BPHS, Ch 48, Shlok 8
'A Graha, placed in an auspicious Bhaav, like Trikon etc, at the commencement of the Dashaa, produces favorable results in his Dashaa.'
BPHS emphasizes the importance of the Entry Chart of a planetary period (Dashaa) several times, again and again! Surely we do not get correct prediction if we do not look at it.

An Entry Chart shows the current positions (transits) of planets at the beginning of a period (may it be Mahaa Dashaa, Antar-Dashaa or Pratyantar Dashaa, therefore three main entry charts - for each Dashaa we use!). These periods are structuring our lives into a biography. You need an absolutely correct birth time for entry charts of Nakshatra based Dashaa (Vinshottaree Dashaa, Kaal Chakra Dashaa, Conditional Dashaa) - if you are not 100% sure about your birth time, neglect Lagna and only look at the Moon, the MD Lord and the planets and their distance from the MD Lord and from Moon (Bhaav from MD Lord/Moon).

With correct birth time you can interpret entry chart of Dashaa from Lagna. Planets in Trikon (1st, 5th, 9th) are auspicious during their Dashaa, planets in Dusthaan (6th, 8th, 12th) are difficult and challenging. Take these positions from MD Lord/AD Lord/PD Lord, Moon and Lagna. Rahu and Ketu in 3rd, 6th and 11th from Lagna/Moon are auspicious.

1. Make the Entry Chart of Mahaa Dashaa Period and look firstly at the position of the sequence of the various Antar-Dashaa Lords, then at Bhaav/ Raashi/ Nakshatra/ Ansh Position of them.

2. Make the entry chart of Antar-Dashaa Period and look at the placement of the Antar-Dashaa Lord with regard to the Mahaa Dashaa Lord, then look at Bhaav/ Raashi/ Nakshatra/ Ansh Position of Pratyantar Dashaa lords.

3. Make the entry chart of Pratyantar-Dashaa Period and and look at the placement of the Pratyantar Dashaa Lord with regard to the Antar-Dashaa Lord, then look at Bhaav/ Raashi/ Nakshatra/ Ansh Position of Sookshm Dashaa lords.

Same is true for Sookshm and Praan Dashaa (4th and 5th Dashaa level).

Vinshottaree Dashaa Starts from Moon, Lagna, and Sun
Standard reference for Vinshottaree Dashaa is the Moon (the mind) but it also can be started from other references as well, which are Lagna and the Sun. Moon, Lagna and Sun are the three most important references in Mool Dashaa - the most important planetary period ruling or at least influencing our life - and Mool Dashaa starts from the strongest of these three references. Although the strongest of Moon, Lagna and Sun is the most important starting point, calculations from both other references can be made as well and give additional information. This applies to Vinshottaree as well: it is reasonable to start it from Lagna and Sun as well.
Note: Kaal Chakra Dashaa can be started from Lagna as well.

When starting Vinshottaree Dashaa from Lagna or Sun, counting of Bhaav must be done from the respective reference point, "Lagna" when starting from Lagna and "Sun" when starting from the Sun. Standard Vinshottaree Dashaa - started from Moon - is to be analyzed and interpreted firstly "from Moon" because "Moon" is the reference point in the natal chart.

This is the Secret:
(1) When you start Vinshottaree Dashaa (or Mool Dashaa or Kaal Chakra Dashaa) with reference to Natal Moon, "counting from Moon in Raashi" is more important.

(2) When you start Vinshottaree Dashaa (or Mool Dashaa or Kaal Chakra Dashaa) with reference to Natal Lagna, "counting from Lagna in Raashi" is more important.

(3) When you start Vinshottaree Dashaa (or Mool Dashaa) with reference to Natal Sun, "counting from the Sun in Raashi" is more important.

The nine above given steps of interpretation are valid as well, making of entry charts is always essential.

Note: Taking the rules of Dashaa effects from BPHS as fundamentals for Dashaa interpretation is a very good idea.

Home | Astrology | Dashaa

Back to Dashaa