Vimshottari Dasha is the most widely used dasha (planetary-period) system in Vedic astrology. It divides life into nine mahadashas (major periods), one ruled by each of the nine grahas, in a fixed sequence that always totals 120 years.
Which mahadasha you are born into — and therefore the order your later periods unfold — is fixed by the nakshatra (lunar mansion) your Moon occupies at birth. This is a calendar of timing, computed from the birth Moon; it is not a prediction.
- Type
- Nakshatra (Moon-based) dasha system
- Mahadashas
- 9 (one per graha)
- Full cycle
- 120 years
- Fixed sequence
- Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury
- Starting period
- Lord of the Moon's birth nakshatra
Mahadasha lords and their lengths
| Mahadasha lord | Length (years) |
|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 |
| Venus | 20 |
| Sun | 6 |
| Moon | 10 |
| Mars | 7 |
| Rahu | 18 |
| Jupiter | 16 |
| Saturn | 19 |
| Mercury | 17 |
How the first dasha is chosen
The 27 nakshatras repeat the same nine lords three times. Your first mahadasha is the lord of the nakshatra your Moon sits in at birth, and the remaining periods follow the fixed sequence from there. The portion of that first period already elapsed at birth depends on how far the Moon has travelled through its nakshatra.
सामान्य प्रश्न · FAQ
How long is a full Vimshottari Dasha cycle?
A full Vimshottari cycle is 120 years, made up of 9 mahadashas of fixed length.
How many mahadashas are there in Vimshottari Dasha?
There are 9 mahadashas, one ruled by each graha, in the order Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury.
How is the starting Vimshottari Dasha determined?
The starting mahadasha is the planetary lord of the nakshatra occupied by the Moon at the moment of birth.
Related concepts
The 27 Nakshatras and their ruling planets The 9 Grahas (planets) of Vedic astrology Shani Sade Sati — meaning, mechanism and duration
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Definitions are computed from the BDA jyotish engine's canonical tables (Lahiri ayanamsa). This page explains the concept; personal outcomes depend on the full birth chart, dasha, location and current Panchang.