How is the dasha calculated?
Your birth star (Janma Nakshatra) is the sky section holding the Moon at birth. Each star has a ruling planet. That planet's main period is already running when you are born. The Moon's progress through the star sets how much time remains. This is why your exact birth time and place matter.
Swiss Ephemeris calculates the positions used for the dates. We use a star-based zodiac with the correction called Lahiri ayanamsa. Calculators using a different correction can give dates a few days apart.
How long does each planet's period last?
The planet-period system (Vimshottari Dasha) is the most widely used in Vedic astrology. It follows a fixed 120-year cycle of nine planets. Period lengths in years: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7. Then Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19 and Mercury 17.
What do antardasha and bhukti mean?
Each main period (Mahadasha) contains nine shorter periods (Antardasha), in the same planet order. South India calls the shorter period Bhukti. Each shorter period contains nine smaller ones (Pratyantardasha). The result shows all three current levels, each with its end date. The full timeline lists all nine main periods, with start and end dates.
- Planet period (Dasha)
- Time assigned to a planet, bringing that planet's chart themes forward.
- 120-year cycle (Vimshottari)
- The name means 'one hundred and twenty'. This nine-planet cycle is the main timing system of the Parashara school.
- Main planet period (Mahadasha)
- One of nine main periods, lasting 6–20 years.
- Shorter period (Antardasha or Bhukti)
- One of nine periods inside a main period. Bhukti is the South Indian name.
How much time remains at birth: a worked example?
Imagine the Moon halfway through a Venus-ruled birth star. Venus has a 20-year main period. Half has passed: 20 ÷ 2 = 10 years. Roughly 10 years remain at birth. The next planet then follows in the cycle. This illustrates the rule; it is not a result calculated for a real birth.
Where do I find today's period and the full timeline?
See today's main, shorter and smallest periods, with their end dates.
Your birth star sets where the cycle starts. The Moon's place within that star sets the time left at birth. Both the main and shorter periods were already running when you were born.
See all nine periods of the 120-year cycle, with start and end dates.
What if my birth time is not exact?
The dates start from the Moon's exact position at birth. Changing the time changes the remaining star fraction and period dates. Give the correct birthplace and timezone too. Match the birth details and Lahiri setting when comparing with another tool.