Dasha
Why some years feel completely different
Your kundli is fixed at birth, but it does not speak all at once. The dasha system divides life into planetary periods, and each one brings a different part of your chart to the front. It is the main tool jyotish uses for timing.
Kalpa calculates your dasha timeline from your birth details. Guides who explain it are AI guides.
Vimshottari dasha
The 120 year cycle, in order
The sequence always runs in this order. Where you start depends on the nakshatra your Moon was in at birth.
| Mahadasha | Years | Nakshatras that start here |
|---|---|---|
| Ketu | 7 | Ashwini, Magha, Mula |
| Shukra (Venus) | 20 | Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha |
| Surya (Sun) | 6 | Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha |
| Chandra (Moon) | 10 | Rohini, Hasta, Shravana |
| Mangal (Mars) | 7 | Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha |
| Rahu | 18 | Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha |
| Guru (Jupiter) | 16 | Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada |
| Shani (Saturn) | 19 | Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Budh (Mercury) | 17 | Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati |
Layers of time
Mahadasha, antardasha, pratyantar
Mahadasha
The long chapter, from 6 to 20 years. It sets the overall theme through the planet's nature, its house and the houses it rules.
Antardasha
Sub periods inside each mahadasha, running through all nine planets in the same order. This is where most specific timing is read.
Pratyantar dasha
A further division of each antardasha, lasting weeks to months, for fine timing of events.
Yogini dasha
A shorter 36 year cycle of eight yoginis, often read alongside Vimshottari as a second opinion on timing.
Reading a dasha
A planet gives what it holds in your chart
A Shukra mahadasha is not automatically about love and luxury. It gives the results of Shukra in your chart: the house it sits in, the houses it rules, its strength and the planets with it. For one person it brings marriage and comfort; for another it brings creative work or expensive lessons.
The same logic applies to every period. That is why two friends in the same mahadasha can have very different years, and why a guide always reads the dasha together with your full kundli and current transits.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How do I find my current mahadasha?
It is calculated from the exact position of your Moon at birth. Make your kundli in Kalpa and the dasha timeline shows your current mahadasha, antardasha and the dates.
Why does my dasha start partway through?
At birth your Moon has already travelled part of its nakshatra. The unfinished portion becomes the balance of your first mahadasha, so few people are born at the start of a period.
Which mahadasha is the best?
None is good or bad by itself. A planet that is strong and rules good houses in your chart tends to give a rewarding period, whichever planet it is.
Is the dasha timeline free in Kalpa?
Your current dasha appears with your free kundli. The full timeline and its chapters are part of Kalpa Pro.
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- Navamsa chartThe D9 chart for marriage and inner strength
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- Kundli expertGo through your whole chart with a guide
Find the chapter you are in
See your mahadasha, antardasha and what they point to.