VedaChartsVimshottari Dasa runs 120 years. It cycles through nine planets in a fixed order, with each planet getting a specific number of years. After 120 years the cycle repeats from the beginning.
The nine periods
The order is fixed. Venus follows Ketu. The Sun follows Venus. Each planet hands off to the next in this sequence. Once the cycle reaches Mercury, it returns to Ketu and begins again.
These numbers come from BPHS chapters 46 and 47 . They are not arbitrary; the lengths and the order are part of the classical specification.
Where the cycle starts
The starting planet is set by the Moon's nakshatra at birth. Each of the 27 nakshatras is assigned to one of the nine planets:
| Planet | Nakshatras |
|---|---|
| Ketu | Ashwini, Magha, Mula |
| Venus | Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha |
| Sun | Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha |
| Moon | Rohini, Hasta, Shravana |
| Mars | Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha |
| Rahu | Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha |
| Jupiter | Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada |
| Saturn | Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Mercury | Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati |
A Moon born in Pushya (Saturn-ruled) starts the chart in a Saturn dasa. A Moon born in Bharani (Venus-ruled) starts in a Venus dasa. After the starting planet finishes its years, the cycle continues in the fixed order shown above.
How much of the first dasa has already passed
The Moon does not always sit at the start of its nakshatra. Often it sits partway through, and the portion of the nakshatra still ahead at birth determines how much of the first dasa is left to run.
A Moon at the very start of Pushya means the full 19 years of Saturn dasa run from birth. A Moon at the very end of Pushya means only a few months of Saturn dasa remain, after which Mercury dasa begins. The Chart Explorer computes the offset automatically.
The practical idea is that the Moon's exact position picks two things at once. It picks the starting planet (which nakshatra) and the starting offset (how far into that nakshatra the Moon already is).
What this means for reading
Two facts that matter at the foundation level.
The starting dasa is set at birth and runs without interruption. A person born during a Saturn dasa lives in a Saturn period for years before any other dasa begins.
The order is the same in every chart. Saturn always follows Rahu. Mercury always follows Saturn. Once you know the current planet, you also know which planet is coming next and how many years away it is.
Practice
In your chart, find your current mahadasa and how many years remain in it. Then identify the next mahadasa in the sequence using the order above. Knowing both gives you the timing context for the rest of this module.
Sources
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, attributed to Parashara
Key Takeaways
- Vimshottari runs 120 years through 9 planets in a fixed order: Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury
- Period lengths: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17
- The Moon's nakshatra at birth picks the starting planet, and the Moon's position within that nakshatra picks the starting offset
- The cycle order is identical in every chart, so the next planet in line is always known
Check Your Understanding
Tests the period lengths, the fixed order, and how the Moon's position picks the starting dasa.
How many years does Saturn's mahadasa last in the Vimshottari cycle?
Keep practicing
Spaced practice locks this in faster than a single read-through.
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