Vimshottari Dasha explained
Vimshottari (“of 120”) is the most widely used planetary period system in Jyotish. It divides life into periods ruled by each of the nine grahas.
The nine Mahadashas
| Order | Mahadasha | Years | Nakshatras ruled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketu | 7 | #1, #10, #19 |
| 2 | Venus | 20 | #2, #11, #20 |
| 3 | Sun | 6 | #3, #12, #21 |
| 4 | Moon | 10 | #4, #13, #22 |
| 5 | Mars | 7 | #5, #14, #23 |
| 6 | Rahu | 18 | #6, #15, #24 |
| 7 | Jupiter | 16 | #7, #16, #25 |
| 8 | Saturn | 19 | #8, #17, #26 |
| 9 | Mercury | 17 | #9, #18, #27 |
| Total | 120 |
Where your dasha starts
Your first Mahadasha belongs to the lord of your Moon’s nakshatra. If the Moon had covered 40% of that nakshatra at birth, then 40% of that Mahadasha is considered already elapsed, and you live the remaining 60% — the balance of dasha. After it, the periods follow in the fixed order above.
Antardashas and Pratyantardashas
Each Mahadasha is split into nine Antardashas (bhuktis), starting with the Mahadasha lord itself. The length of each is Mahadasha years × Antardasha lord years ÷ 120. For example, the Venus Antardasha within Saturn Mahadasha lasts 19 × 20 ÷ 120 = 3 years 2 months. Antardashas divide again in the same way into Pratyantardashas.