Vimsottari Dasa

 Introduction

Vimsottari dasa is the most popular dasa system among Vedic astrologers of today. Sage Parasara mentions in “Brihat Parasara Hora Sastram” that this dasa system is the most suitable dasa system in Kali yuga.

Vimsottari means 120. Vimsottari dasa is a dasa system where the total duration of the dasa cycle is 120 years. Dasas of different planets are for different number of years, but the sum of all dasas is 120 years.

In Kali yuga, paramaayush (maximum longevity) of human beings is supposed to be 120 years. Consequently, Vimsottari dasa is the most suitable dasa in Kali yuga.

Dasas are reckoned here based on the constellation occupied by Moon. There are other variations that are more applicable in some cases. Many contemporary Vedic astrologers ignore these variations and always reckon dasas from the lord of the constellation occupied by Moon. However, this may not result in the best predictions always. In this section, we will look at some of the variations.

One’s life is divided into dasas – periods – ruled by the nine planets. A dasa is also called a “mahadasa” (mahadasa = master period). Each mahadasa is again divided into 9 sub-periods ruled by 9 planets. These sub-periods in mahadasas are called “antardasas”. We can divide further. Sub-periods in antardasas are called “pratyantardasas”. Sub-periods in pratyantardasas are called “sookshma-antardasas” or simply sookshma dasas. Sub-periods in sookshma dasas are called “pranaantardasas” or simply prana dasas. Sub-periods in prana dasas are called “dehaantardasas”. In this book, we will denote mahadasa with MD, antardasa with AD, pratyantardasa with PD, sookshma dasa with SD, prana-antardasa with PAD and deha-antardasa with DAD.

Dasa Computation

The lengths of the dasas (periods) of various planets are given in Table 38. The order of dasas is also as indicated in that table. For example, let us say that the first dasa is Sun’s. It will be of 6 years. Then 10 years of Moon dasa will follow. Then 7 years of Mars dasa will follow. And so on. At the end of the table, we come back to the first entry. For example, let us say that the first dasa is of Jupiter. Then the order of dasas will be Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus, Sun (go back), Moon, Mars and Rahu.

                                     Table 23: Vimsottari Dasa Lengths

Planet	Dasa length (in years)
Sun	6
Moon	10
Mars	7
Rahu	18
Jupiter	16
Saturn	19
Mercury	17
Ketu	7
Venus	20
Total	120

 

In this manner, we can find the order of dasas and dasa lengths, given the first dasa.

For computing Vimsottari dasa, use the following steps:

(1) Find the constellation occupied by Moon.

(2) Find the advancement of Moon in the constellation.

(3) Find the part of the constellation that is yet to be traversed by Moon, as a fraction

of the length of the constellation. [NOTE: Length of each constellation is 13°20'.]

(4) First dasa will belong to the lord of the constellation.

(5) Find the sequence of dasas and dasa lengths from Table 23.

(6) Multiply the length of the first dasa by the fraction found in step (3). Only this amount in the first dasa is left at birth. The rest was over before birth.

Example 50: Let us say someone was born at 5:50 am on 2000 April 28 (time zone:

4 hours west of GMT). Moon is at 2°23' in Aq at the time of birth.

(1) This is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Dhanishtha constellation. Dhanishtha

constellation starts at 23°20' in Cp and ends at 6°40' in Aq.

(2) Moon’s advancement in Dhanishtha = 2Aq23 – 23Cp20 = 32°23' – 23°20' = 9°3'.

(3) The total length of the constellation is 13°20'. The length yet to be traversed in

this constellation as a fraction of the total constellation length = (13°20' –

9°3')/13°20' = 4°17'/13°20' = (4x60+17)/(13x60+20) = 257/800 = 0.32125. This

is the fraction of the constellation yet to be traversed by Moon.

(4) First dasa belongs to the lord of Dhanishtha. It is Mars.

(5) Let us start from Mars. From Table 38, dasa sequence is: Mars (7 years), Rahu

(18 years), Jupiter (16 years), Saturn (19 years), Mercury (17 years), Ketu (7

years), Venus (20 years), Sun (6 years), Moon (10 years).

(6) First dasa needs a correction. Out of 7 years of Mars dasa, the amount left at birth

= 7 x 0.32125 = 2.24875 years = 2 years 2 months 29 days 33 ghatis. [NOTE:

Ghati = 1/60th of a day, i.e. 24 minutes.]

The native was born at 5:50 am on 2000 April 28. We can get the end date of Mars

dasa by adding 2 years 2 months 29 days 33 ghatis to it. We get about 7 pm on 2002

July 15. Mars dasa will be over then and Rahu dasa will start. We get Rahu dasa’s

end date by adding 18 years to this date. Similarly, we can find the start and end

dates of all dasas.

Antardasa Computation

Each mahadasa is divided into 9 antardasas. Take the planet ruling the mahadasa.

First antardasa will belong to the same planet and antardasas go in the same

sequence as dasas. The complete length of the mahadasa is ditributed among

antardasas in the ratio of mahadasa years of planets.

For example, let us take Venus dasa of the native of Example 50. Venus dasa runs

for 20 years. Antardasas in Venus dasa start from Venus and go in the order given in

Table 38. So antardasa order in Venus dasa is — Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu,

Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury and Ketu. Length of Venus antardasa is 20/120 of the total

dasa length, i.e. 20x20/120 years = 3 years and 4 months. Length of Sun antardasa is

6/120 of the total dasa length, i.e. 20x6/120 years = 1 year. Length of Moon

antardasa is 10/120 of the total dasa length, i.e. 20x10/120 years = 1 year and 8

months. Length of Mars antardasa is 7/120 of the total dasa length, i.e. 20x7/120

years = 1 year and 2 months. In this manner, we proportionally divide the period of a

mahadasa into 9 antardasas.

We use the same procedure to divide each antardasa into 9 pratyantardasas, each

pratyantardasa into 9 sookshma dasas and so on.

In the case of the first dasa, we don’t divide the remainder at birth (2.24875 years of

Mars dasa remainder, for example, in Example 50) into 9 antardasas. Instead, we

divide the complete duration of the first dasa (7 years of Mars dasa, for example, in

Example 50) into 9 antardasas. So a few antardasas may be over before birth and

only a few antardasas may be left at birth.

From now on, it will be assumed that the reader is familiar with the computations. If

the reader does not have any software and needs to compute dasas by hand, he or she

should practice with many charts.

Vimsottari Dasa Variations

Computation of Variations

We always compute the fraction left at birth in the first dasa based on the fraction of

the constellation occupied by Moon, that is yet to be traversed by Moon. However,

we need not always take the lord of Moon’s constellation as the planet ruling the first

dasa. We can take the lord of the 4th, 5th or 8th constellation from Moon’s

constellation to start the first dasa. These 3 stars are called kshema, utpanna and

adhana stars.

Example 51: Let us consider the data of Example 50 and calculate Vimsottari dasa

from 4th, 5th and 8th stars.

The 4th star from Moon’s star is Uttarabhadrapada owned by Saturn. Using the 4th

star to start Vimsottari dasa, we get the dasa sequence as — Saturn, Mercury, Ketu,

Venus etc. Dasa lengths are the same as before, but the part of Saturn dasa left at

birth is 19 x 0.32125 = 6.10375 years. Then Mercury dasa is for 17 years, Ketu dasa

is for 7 years and so on.

In the same example, the 5th star from Moon’s star is Revathi owned by Mercury.

Using the 5th star to start Vimsottari dasa, we get the dasa sequence as — Mercury,

Ketu, Venus, Sun etc. Mercury dasa left at birth is 17 x 0.32125 = 5.46125 years.

Then Ketu dasa is for 7 years, Venus dasa is for 20 years and so on.

In the same example, the 8th star from Moon’s star is Krittika owned by Sun. Using

the 8th star to start Vimsottari dasa, we get the dasa sequence as — Sun, Moon, Mars,

Rahu etc. Sun dasa left at birth is 6 x 0.32125 = 1.9275 years. Then Moon dasa is for

10 years, Mars dasa is for 7 years and so on.

Dasa from Lagna

Some authorities have also recommended Vimsottari dasa from the longitude of

lagna instead of Moon. In practice, this will give better results only when lagna is

considerably more powerful than Moon.

Using Vimsottari Dasa

General Principles

Vimsottari dasa is a very general phalita dasa that can also be used as an ayur dasa.

All kinds of general results can be seen from it. A planet gives the results promised

by its positions in various divisional charts. Here are just a few examples:

(1) Period of the 5th lord in D-7 can give a child.

(2) Period of the 8th lord in rasi chart can give some troubles and frustration.

(3) Period of a planet exalted in GL in D-10 can give power and authority in career.

(4) Period of an exalted planet in the 12th from AK in D-9 can give serious thoughts

related to spiritual liberation.

(5) Period of the 7th lord in D-9 can give marriage.

(6) Period of a planet with Rahu in the 9th in D-4 can give foreign residence.

(7) Period of an exalted planet aspecting HL from the 11th from AL in rasi chart can

give a lot of wealth.

(8) Period of a planet joined by Moon and Saturn in the 8th house in D-30 may give

serious psychological problems and suicidal tendencies.

(9) Period of a well-disposed planet aspecting A3 in D-10 may make one write some

books.

These are just a few examples. One should look at various divisional charts and

figure out the results indicated by different planets. Each planet gives the results

indicated by it in its dasas and antardasas. When analyzing antardasas, we can take

the dasa lord as a temporary lagna and analyze the charts.

Using Dasa Variations

If the sign containing the 5th star from Moon is stronger than the sign containing

Moon, Vimsottari dasa started from utpanna star may be preferred for general

results. If the 5th star spans across 2 signs, take the sign containing the same quarter

as occupied by Moon in birthstar. If Moon is in Makha 3rd pada (quarter), for

example, 5th star is Chitra and it starts in Virgo and ends in Libra. So we should take

the 3rd quarter of Chitra and we then get Libra. So Leo’s strength should be

compared to Libra’s.

How do we know which sign is stronger? There are no clear guidelines in the

literature to compare the strengths. A sign aspected by Jupiter and occupied by more

planets may be taken to be stronger. We can also use known events to see which dasa

is working better.

Vimsottari dasa started from the 4th and 8th stars is used mainly for the purposes of

longevity determination. Look at the signs containing Moon and these 2 stars and

find the strongest sign. Here a sign aspected by marakas and malefics becomes

stronger. Start Vimsottari dasa from the star in the strongest of these 3 signs and use

it in longevity analysis. If Moon is in Makha 3rd pada in Leo, 4th and 8th stars are

Hasta (Virgo) and Anuradha (Scorpio). We should compare the strengths of Leo,

Virgo and Scorpio.

Rath’s “Tripod of Life” Principle

Sun, Moon and lagna form the “tripod of life”. Parasara clearly said that we should

analyze all charts with respect to the positions of Sun, Moon and lagna. He advised

drawing Sudarsana chakra with the innermost chakra representing the houses with

respect to lagna (body), next chakra representing the houses with respect to Moon

(mind) and the outermost chakra representing the houses with respect to Sun (soul).

The results experienced due to soul (Sun) last long and change slowly. The results

experienced due to mind (Moon) last shorter and change fast. The results

experienced due to body (lagna) change even faster.

Sun is an important reference point in rasi and divisional charts when judging the

results of a mahadasa. Moon is an important reference point when judging the results

of an antardasa. Lagna is an important reference point when judging the results of a

pratyantardasa.

If a planet takes part in a Ravi yoga (solar combination), it gives the results of the

yoga in its mahadasa. If a planet takes part in a Chandra Yoga (lunar combination), it

gives the results of the yoga in its antardasas. If a planet takes part in other yogas

(e.g. a Raja Yoga), it gives the results of the yoga primarily in its pratyantardasas.

In addition, dasa lord can be taken as a reference point when interpreting antardasas.

In addition, dasa lord can be taken as a reference point when interpreting antardasas.