Mahadasha–Antardasha Calculator
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This tool shows your current Mahadasha and Antardasha. The coming antardashas are shown with dates too.
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📜 47+ Classical Texts · 19,000+ Pages as Basis · Scripture-Based
The short answer: dashas are the “periods” of life. In the Vimshottari dasha the periods of 9 planets run in a fixed order and add up to 120 years. The first dasha is that of the lord of your birth nakshatra. Hearing the name of a period does not decide good or bad. Its result is made by the planet’s condition, the houses it owns and its place. See your dasha above, then read below.
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How It Is Calculated
- Dasha starts from the lord of the Moon's birth nakshatra.
- The part of the nakshatra left gives the balance of the first dasha.
- Antardashas inside the Mahadasha, and Pratyantars inside them, were counted.
- This is the BPHS rule of Vimshottari dasha.
For Astrologers: Classical Basis
Vimshottari dasha has 5 levels: Mahadasha, Antardasha, Pratyantar, Sukshma and Prana. The full cycle is 120 years.
— Source: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 36, verse 2–4
The part of the Moon's birth nakshatra already passed equals the part of the first dasha already passed.
— Source: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 36, verse 5
Antardasha length = Mahadasha years × Antardasha planet years ÷ 10 (in months).
— Source: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 37, verse 1
How To Read Your Result · Mahadasha–Antardasha
The calculator above shows the “chapters” of your life. Understand them like this:
| Result | What It Means | How To Think Of It |
|---|---|---|
| Mahadasha | A planet’s big period (6 to 20 years) | A chapter of a book |
| Antardasha | Small periods of 9 planets inside the Mahadasha | A section of the chapter |
| Pratyantar | A still smaller period inside the Antardasha | A page of the section |
| Coming antardashas | The next 8 small periods with dates | For planning ahead |
What Is Dasha: In Plain Words · Mahadasha–Antardasha
Dasha means “period”. Vedic astrology holds that at different times of life different planets become the “driver” of your chart. The most used count is the Vimshottari dasha.
In it the periods of 9 planets run in a fixed order and add up to 120 years. The order and years are: Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17, Ketu 7, Venus 20. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 2
Your first dasha is that of the lord of your birth nakshatra. So everything starts from the Moon at birth. The figure shows the length of each planet’s dasha.
How Much Of Your First Dasha Was Left
The part of its nakshatra the Moon had already crossed at birth counts as the part of the first dasha already passed. The rest is the “balance” of your first dasha.
Example: the Moon has crossed 25% of its nakshatra and the nakshatra lord is Jupiter (16 years). Then 75% is left. Balance dasha = 16 × 0.75 = 12 years. The text gives the same count in ghatis: remaining ghatis × dasha years ÷ 60. In its example, with 20 ghatis left in Punarvasu, Jupiter’s dasha of 5 years 4 months was left. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 3
A dasha year is counted as a solar year. A month is its twelfth part and a day the thirtieth part of a month. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 4
How Much A Birth-Time Error Shifts The Dasha Dates
The Moon moves about 0.55° in an hour and a nakshatra is 13.33°. So an error of one hour shifts about 4% of the first dasha. A planet with a long dasha shows more shift. Below is the average count:
| Time Error | Short Dasha (Sun, 6 years) | Long Dasha (Venus, 20 years) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | About 7 days | About 25 days |
| 30 minutes | About 1.5 months | About 5 months |
| 1 hour | About 3 months | About 10 months |
So when an event falls around a dasha date, the birth time must be right. If the time is not firm, check it against life events (rectification).
How The Length Of An Antardasha Is Found
Inside each Mahadasha the same 9 planets come again in turn, in the same order, starting from the Mahadasha’s own planet. Length of an antardasha = Mahadasha years × antardasha planet’s years ÷ 120.
Example: in Jupiter’s Mahadasha (16 years) the antardashas will be these. They add up to exactly 16 years:
| Antardasha | Count | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | 16 × 16 ÷ 120 | 2 y 1 m 18 d |
| Saturn | 16 × 19 ÷ 120 | 2 y 6 m 12 d |
| Mercury | 16 × 17 ÷ 120 | 2 y 3 m 6 d |
| Ketu | 16 × 7 ÷ 120 | 11 m 6 d |
| Venus | 16 × 20 ÷ 120 | 2 y 8 m |
| Sun | 16 × 6 ÷ 120 | 9 m 18 d |
| Moon | 16 × 10 ÷ 120 | 1 y 4 m |
| Mars | 16 × 7 ÷ 120 | 11 m 6 d |
| Rahu | 16 × 18 ÷ 120 | 2 y 4 m 24 d |
What The Dasha Result Depends On
This is the most important part. Hearing the name of a planet’s dasha does not decide good or bad. According to Phaladeepika, a planet’s goodness is made of many things: its nature, which houses it rules, where it sits, with whom, whose aspect it has, its own strength and its not being combust. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19
The text also gives the share of good results by the planet’s condition. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 30
| Planet’s Condition | Share Of Good Results |
|---|---|
| Own strongest sign (exalted) | Full, 100% |
| Moolatrikona sign | About 75% |
| Own sign | About 50% |
| A friend’s sign | About 25% |
| An enemy’s sign | Little |
| Debilitated or combust | Almost none |
This is the share of good results. For unfavourable results the text gives the reverse count. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 30
Which House The Dasha Lord Owns
Each planet owns certain houses in the chart. In its dasha the matters of those houses come to the front. If that owner planet is strong (in its own, exalted or friendly sign, and outside the 6-8-12 houses), then per the text the good things of that house come: Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 2–13
| House | In The Dasha Of A Strong Lord |
|---|---|
| 1st house lord | Authority, good health, radiance, steady progress |
| 2nd house lord | Family support, money through speech |
| 3rd house lord | Courage, support of brothers |
| 4th house lord | Land, house, vehicle, farming |
| 5th house lord | Children, the post of an advisor |
| 6th house lord | Victory over rivals, good health |
| 7th house lord | Spouse’s happiness, celebrations, successful travel |
| 8th house lord | Release from debt, end of quarrels |
| 9th house lord | Fortune, dharma, honour |
| 10th house lord | Success in work, fame |
| 11th house lord | Unobstructed income, meeting friends |
| 12th house lord | Spending on good works, honour |
If the house lord is weak (debilitated, in an enemy sign, combust, or in the 6-8-12), the text asks for patience in matters of that house during its dasha. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 14 This is not a warning but advice to prepare.
Where The Antardasha Planet Is From The Dasha Planet
The colour of a period changes by the house in which the antardasha planet falls, counted from the Mahadasha planet. If it is in the 6th, 8th or 12th, that time needs more effort. In the 9th it is luck, in the 10th position and reputation, and in the 11th gain. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 29
See Today’s Planet Movement With The Dasha
Where the dasha lord is moving in the sky today also changes the effect. If it is moving in the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 10th or 11th house from your Ascendant, the dasha is taken as good. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 59–60 To see today’s movement use the Today’s Transit Calculator.
Common Beliefs And The Truth · Mahadasha–Antardasha
| Common Belief | The Truth |
|---|---|
| Saturn’s or Rahu’s dasha is always bad | The result is set by the planet’s condition, the houses it owns and its place. The dasha of a well-placed Rahu or Saturn can be good too. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 15 |
| A kind planet’s dasha is always good | No. Even a kind planet’s dasha is taken as hard if it is debilitated, in an enemy sign or in the 6th or 12th. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 27 |
| Life changes the moment the dasha changes | Antardasha and transit also act inside a dasha. The change comes slowly. |
| The dasha comes from the birth date alone | No. The exact place of the Moon is needed, so the birth time is also needed. |
What To Do Now: 5 Steps · Mahadasha–Antardasha
- See your running Mahadasha and Antardasha above.
- Open your free Kundli and see which houses the dasha lord owns.
- From the table above, see which matters of that house will come forward.
- If the dasha lord is weak, be patient in the work of that house and take big decisions with thought.
- For direct advice, ask Pandit ji. The first pack is free.
For Astrologers: A Checklist · Mahadasha–Antardasha
- Order and years: Su 6, Mo 10, Ma 7, Ra 18, Ju 16, Sa 19, Me 17, Ke 7, Ve 20 = 120. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 2
- Balance dasha = remaining nakshatra arc ÷ 13°20′ × dasha years. Mantreshwara’s rule: remaining ghatis × years ÷ 60. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 3
- Years are solar; month = year/12, day = month/30. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 19, verse 4
- Results by lordship: a strong lord gives the good things of that house; a weak one calls for patience. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 2–13 Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 14
- The dasha of a Vargottama planet is good, but mixed if it is debilitated or combust. Mutual dasha-bhukti of 6/8/12 lords is hard. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 22
- If the bhukti lord is in the 6/8/12 from the dasha lord it is hard; in the 9th luck, in the 10th position, in the 11th gain. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 29
- Share of good results: exalted 1, moolatrikona 3/4, own 1/2, friend 1/4, enemy little, debilitated 0. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 30
- A planet in a prishthodaya sign gives results at the end of the dasha, shirshodaya at the start, ubhayodaya in the middle. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 33
- If the dasha lord’s transit is in the 1/3/6/10/11 from the Ascendant the dasha is good. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 59–60
- Rahu gives the merits and faults of the planet it joins. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 39
- Yogakaraka: a trine lord in a kendra, a kendra lord in a trine, or a link between them. Their mutual dasha-bhukti is good. Source: Phaladeepika, chapter 20, verse 42, 45–47
Keep in Mind
This result shows a tilt in timing and planet positions, not a guarantee. Planets show direction; effort and good deeds take you forward. For health, money or legal matters, ask an expert.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Mahadasha?
A big period of one planet in life. In Vimshottari the periods of 9 planets run in a cycle of 120 years.
What is an Antardasha?
The small periods of the same 9 planets inside a Mahadasha. Its length is Mahadasha years × planet’s years ÷ 120.
How do I find my running dasha?
Enter your birth date, time and place in the calculator above. It gives the current Mahadasha, Antardasha and the coming dates.
Which is the first dasha?
That of the lord of the birth nakshatra. Rohini’s lord is the Moon, so the first dasha is the Moon’s.
Is Saturn’s dasha always bad?
No. The result is set by the planet’s condition, the houses it owns and its place. The dasha of a strong Saturn can give good results.
How do I know the result of a dasha?
See which houses the dasha lord owns, how strong it is and where it sits. The tables above help.
If the birth time is 30 minutes wrong, how far do the dasha dates shift?
On average 1.5 to 5 months, by the length of the dasha.
How many years is each dasha?
Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17, Ketu 7, Venus 20. Total 120 years.
Does life change when the dasha changes?
The change comes slowly. The antardasha and today’s planet movement also act.
What should I do after knowing my dasha?
See the dasha lord’s houses in the free Kundli. For direct advice, ask Pandit ji.
✍️ Prepared and checked by: VedicDost Editorial Team