DASHA IN VEDIC ASTROLOGY

WHAT IS DASHA?

DASHA, IN Vedic Astrology, is the defined period allocated to each of the ruling 9 planets, which influence and determine the different phases of one’s life based on the attributes of the governing planet. While strength and placement of planets indicate the quality of a horoscope, dasha is the method for predicting different stages of a native’s destiny.

Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantardasha are the three major dashas used for predictions, and we will analyze these in details.

CALCULATION OF MAHADASHA

THE CALCULATION of Mahadasha is based on the nakshatra of moon at the time of birth of a native. The planet lord of that nakshatra will be the first mahadasha of the new born, and that mahadasha will be followed by the order of other mahadashas as stated below.

MAHADASHA

THE VIMSHOTTARI dasha system or Mahadasha assumes human life is of 120 years, and accordingly allocates specific ruling years to different planets. These include - Sun – 6 years, Moon – 10 years, Mars – 7 years, Rahu – 18 years, Jupiter – 16 years, Saturn – 19 years, Mercury – 17 years, Ketu – 18 years. Venus – 20 years. The sequence of all dashas – I.e. mahadasha, antardasha and pratyatardasha follow the above-mentioned order of planets.

Since the sum of 9 mahadashas add up to 120 years, hardly anyone is able to experience all the 9 periods in their lifetime.

ANTARDASHA

ANTARDASHA, ALSO called ‘bhukti’, is a sub-period of a mahadasha. Every antardasha starts with the same mahadasha and each duration of this sub-period is proportionately distributed under the respective mahadasha’s designated years. For example, all antardashas of Sun mahadasha add up to 6 years or that of Moon mahadasha measuring 10 years.

Moreover, each antardasha starts with the same mahadasha – i.e. Sun-Sun or Moon-Moon or Mar-Mars and carries on with the same sequence of mahadasha planet order.

PRATYANTARDASHA

PRATYANTARDASHA IS a sub-part of antardasha, having proportionately divided durations of 9 planets that add up to the period of the respective antardasha.

A pratyantardasha starts with the same mahadasha and antardasha, i.e. Sun-Sun-Sun or a Moon-Moon-Moon periods.

HOW DASHAS WORK?

DASHAS CAN be best explained using the analogy of how governments work in India. There is a central government running the country and simultaneous state governments ruling the respective states for 5 years each.

COMPARING MAHADASHA

WE CAN compare mahadasha with our central government. Each mahadasha, defines an individual and has an overwhelming influence on him during the entire period, just like the central government’s policies that outline the nature of the country’s governance. Again, while mahadasha determines how the next several years of a native would unravel, similarly the ideology of the party in power is what spells out the direction of the entire country’s policies in those five years.

If in the next elections a party professing a different model of governance comes to power, although the system of government and its institutions would remain the same, many changes would be noticeable in the policy framework. Similarly, during every mahadasha there is a distinct change in the personality, behaviour, food habits and interests of an individual, although his basic attributes remain unchanged. The same person in Jupiter or Saturn or any other mahadasha would be much different, as also his luck would vary during different dashas based on horoscope strength in each mahadasha.

COMPARING ANTARDASHA

ON THE other hand, an antardasha can very well be compared to state governments in India. Provincial governments remain under the broader governing laws of the central government, while it can frame its own policies and acts under specified sections in its territorial jurisdiction. Parallelly, it is antardasha planet that will bring a native most of the near-term results in every antardasha, though under the broader ambit of mahadasha lord.

COMPARING PRATYANTARDASHA

AGAIN, PRATYANTARDASHA can be compared to the municipal and panchayat systems of governance. Here, one gets the most immediate results under the overwhelming influence of mahadasha and antardasha ruling planets just as local bodies remain under the influence of central and state governments.

HOW DASHAS DELIVER RESULTS?

Notwithstanding the importance of dashas in Vedic Astrology, it is pertinent to note that these periods alone don’t determine the results. Transit, placement and strength of planets plays a critical role in deciding the final outcome. Hence, an astrologer has to take a holistic view of the horoscope before making his predictions.