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Ch. 46. Dashas of Planets
1. Maitreya said. O Venerable Mahārśi Parashara! You are omniscient. There is no subject, with which you are not conversant. Therefore now please favour me with guidance about the different kinds of Dashas (periods) of the various Planets.
2-5. Mahārśi Parashara replied. O Brahmin! Dashas are of many kinds. Amongst them Vimshottari is the most appropriate for the general populace. But the other Dashas, followed in special cases, are Astottara, Shodshottari, Dwadashottari, Panchottari, Shatabdik, Chaturashiti-sama, Dwisaptati-sama, Shastihayani, Shat-trimshat-sama. Our ancients have described these different kinds of Dashas, based on Nakshatras.
6-11. O Brahmin! Some Mahārśis have made a mention of Kala and Chakra Dasha, but they have recognized the Kala Chakra Dasha, as supreme. The other kinds of Dashas, propagated by the sages, are Char, Sthira, Kendra, Karak, Brahma Planet, Manduk, Shul, Yogardh, Drig, Trikona, Rāśi, Panchswara, Yogini, Pind, Nausargik, Asht Varga, Sandhya, Pachak, Tara etc. But in our view all these Dashas are not appropriate.
Vimshottari.
12-14. Beginning from Kritika, the Lords of Dashas are Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu and Venus in that order. Thus, if the Nakshatras from Kritika to the Janma Nakshatra are divided by nine, the remainder will signify the Lord of the commencing Dasha. The remaining Dashas will be of the Planets in the order, given above. In Kali Yuga the natural life-span of a human being is generally taken, as 120 years. Therefore Vimshottari Dasha is considered to be the most appropriate and the best of all Dashas.
15. The periods of Dashas of Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu and Venus are 6, 10, 7, 18, 16, 19, 17, 7 and 20 in that order.
16. To find out the remainder of the Dasha, operating at the time of birth, first find out the expired portion of the Dasha of the concerned Planet. This is done, as follows. Multiply the Dasha period of the Planet concerned by the period of the stay of Moon in Janma Nakshatra, that has expired and divide that amount by the total period of the stay of Moon in that Nakshatra. The figure in years, months etc. so arrived at will be the expired period of the Dasha. If this figure is deducted from the total period of the Dasha, we will get the Balance of Dasha at the time of birth.
Ashtottari
17-20. Mahārśi Parashara said. O Brahmin, the sages have recommended the adoption of Ashtott6th, when Rahu not being in Lagna, in any other Kendra, or Trikona to the Lord of the Lagna. From 4 Nakshatras from Ardra commences the Dasha of Sun, from 3 after that begins the Dasha of Moon, 4 after that will bring the Dasha of Mars, 3 after that the Lord of Dasha will be Mercury, 4 there from will have Saturn, as the Dasha Lord, 3 thereafter the Lord will be Jupiter, Rahu will be the Lord of the Dasha 4 Nakshatras after that and then Venus will take over the lordship of the Dasha 3 Nakshatras from the last one mentioned above. The Lord of the Dasha at birth will be determined by counting in this order up to the Janma Nakshatra. The duration of Ashtott6th Dasha for Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Rahu and Venus are 6, 15, 8, 17, 10, 19, 12 and 21 in that order. Thus in this Dasha system only 8 Planets play the role of Dasha Lords, Ketu having been denied this privilege.21-22. The Dashas of the various Planets have been specified above. In the case of malefic Planets the Dasha span of one Nakshatra is ｼ of the Dasha of the Planet. It is 1/3rd in the case of benefics. Thus the expired portion of the Dasha is calculated, according to the method, followed for Vimshottari Dasha, by multiplying the Bhayat, i.e. the expired period of the stay of Moon in the Janma Nakshatra, by the Dasha portion of the Janma Nakshatra and dividing it by Bhabhog, i.e. the total period of the stay of Moon in the Janma Nakshatra. Then the Balaance of Dasha at birth can also be ascertained. If Uttarashadha happens to be the Janma Nakshatra, the duration of its first three Padas is taken, as Bhabhog and the Dasha calculations should be done accordingly. The Dasha and calculations for Abhijit Nakshatra are done by taking the 4th Pad of Uttarashadha plus the 15th part of the beginning of Shravan. For Shravan the Bhabhog would be the total of its duration in Ghatikas minus the 1/15th part of the beginning of Shravan.
Shodshottari
23. It will be advisable to adopt the Shodshottari, if the birth is in the day in Krishna Paksh (dark half of the month), or at night in Shukla Paksh (bright half).
24-26. The Dasha may be adopted, when the Lagna is in the Hora of Moon with birth in the Krishna Paksh, or, when Lagna is in the Hora of Sun with birth in the Shukla Paksh. Count the number of Nakshatras from Pushya to the Janma Nakshatra. Divide this number by 8. The remainder will indicate the Dashas of Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Ketu, Moon, Mercury and Venus. The Dashas of the above Planets are of 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years.
Dwadashottari
27-28. This Dasha system will be appropriate for one, whose Lagna is in the Navāmśa of Venus. Count from Janma Nakshatra to Revati. Divide this number by 8. The remainder will indicate the Dasha of the Planet concerned. The Dasha order is Sun, Jupiter, Ketu, Mercury, Rahu, Mars, Saturn, Moon. The Dashas will be of 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21 years of the Planets.Panchottari (29-30) This Dasha is considered suitable for those, whose Lagna is Cancer and also in the Cancer Dvadashāńś. Count from Anuradha up to the Janma Nakshatra and divide the number by 7. The remainder will indicate the Dasha. The order of the Dasha Lords is Sun, Mercury, Saturn, Mars, Venus, Moon and Jupiter. The Dashas of the Planets are 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years.
Shatabdik
(31-32) This Dasha system has been considered appropriate, if Lagna is Vargaottama. This happens, when Lagna in the Rāśi Kundali and the Navāmśa Lagna are in the same Rāśi.
(33-34) Count from Revati to the Janma Nakshatra and divide this number by seven. The remainder will indicate the Lords of Dashas in this order: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. Their Dashas will be of 5, 5, 10, 10, 20, 20 and 30 years.
Chaturashiti-sama
35-36. Chaturashiti-sama Dasha is considered appropriate in cases, where the 10ths Lord is placed in 10th. Count from Swati to the Janma Nakshatra and divide this number by 7. The remainder will indicate the Dasha Lords in the following order: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. The Dasha period of each Planet is 12 years.
Dwisaptati-sama 37-39. This Dasha system is considered suitable in cases, where the Lord of Lagna is in Lagna, or in 7th. Count from Mul to the Janma Nakshatra and divide the number by 8. The remainder will determine the Dasha Lords in the following order: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Rahu. In this Dasha system all the eight Planets have Dashas of 9 years each.
Shastihayani
40-41. This Dasha may be adopted in cases, where Sun is posited in Lagna. The order of Dasha Lords in this system is, as follows: Jupiter, Sun, Mars, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Rahu. The following shows the Nakshatras, falling under the various Dasha Lords. The Dashas of Jupiter, Sun and Marsare of 10 years. The remaining Planets have Dashas of 6 years each. Jupiter (Ashvini, Bharani, Kritika, Punarvasu), Sun (Rohini, Mrigashira, Ardra, U.Ashadha), Mars(Pushya, Aslesha, Magha, Revati), Moon (P.Phalguni, U.Phalguni, Hast), Mercury (Swati, Vishakah, Anuradha), Venus (Jyeshtha, Mul, P.Ashadha), Saturn (Abhijit, Shravan, 2ndishtha), Rahu (Shatabhisha, P.Bhadra, U.Bhadra).
Shat-trimshat-sama
42-43. Count from Shravan to the Janma Nakshatra and divide the number by 8. The remainder 1 etc. will indicate the Dasha Lords, whose order will be, as follows: Moon, Sun, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus and Rahu. Their Dashas will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 years. If the birth is during the day and Lagna is in the Hora of Sun and, if the birth is at night and Lagna is in the Hora of Moon, adoption of this system would be preferable.
Kaala
44-49. 5 Ghatikas before the sight of the semi-disk of the setting Sun and 5 Ghatikas after that and 5 Ghatikas before and after the rising of Sun, that is 10 Ghatikas in the evening and 10 Ghatikas in the morning, respectively. The total period of both these Sandhyas (twilight) is said to be 20 Ghatikas. The 20 Ghatikas of the night have been given the name Purna and the 20 Ghatikas of the day have been given the name Mugdha. The Sandhya at the time of sunrise is called Khanda and the Sandhya at the time of Sun’set is said to be Sudh. Both of these Sandhyas are of 10 Ghatikas each. If the birth is in Purna, or Mugdha, its past Ghatikas should be multiplied by 2 and the product should be divided by 15. The figure so arrived at should be converted into years, months etc. By multiplying it by the serial number of Sun and other Planets in their normal order, we will get the Kaal Dasha of these Planets. If the birth is during Sandhya, then its past Ghatikas should be multiplied by 4 and the product divided by 15. The figure so arrived at in terms of years, months etc. should be multiplied by the serial number of Sun and the other Planets to get the Kaal Dasha of all the nine Planets.
