Understand your planet periods
Shukra (Venus) Mahadasha: What Venus's 20 Years Bring
Last updated · Kundlit editorial team
At a glance
- Length
- 20 years, the longest period (BPHS 46.15)
- Starts at birth if your Moon is in
- Bharani, Purva Phalguni or Purva Ashadha (for everyone else it follows Ketu's period)
- Comes next
- The Sun's period, 6 years
- What Venus rules
- Spouse and marriage, vehicles, home, comforts, music and art, trade
- Best and weakest sign
- Strongest in Pisces; own signs Taurus and Libra; weakest in Virgo
Try it with your birth details
See your result with the free calculator
No account is needed for the calculator. Enter your birth date, recorded time and place.
What happens in Shukra mahadasha, according to the shastras?
Venus rules wealth, vehicles, clothes, jewellery, music and the happiness of married life. It also rules trade, a comfortable house and marriage celebrations (Phaladeepika 2.6). BPHS 47.79–80 promises a rise in status, vehicles, fine clothes and sweet food every day. It adds honour from people in power and music in the home. In a trine house (5th or 9th) and its own sign, Venus gives more. It adds a house, money, a wedding in the family and children's welfare (47.81–82).
Saravali 40.45–46 adds land, a house, success, treasure and a love of song. It also adds income from farming and from authority. Phaladeepika 19.12 adds water travel and auspicious events at home. Jataka Parijata 18.157 sums it up as spouse, children, money and fame like a ruler's. How the dates are worked out is explained once on the mahadasha hub.
Textual basis: Phaladeepika, Mantreshwar, ch. 2, v. 6; BPHS ch. 47, vv. 78–89 (Maharishi ed.); Saravali, Kalyanavarma, ch. 40, vv. 45–47, 68; Phaladeepika, ch. 19, vv. 12, 26; Jataka Parijata, Vaidyanatha, ch. 18, vv. 157–168
How mahadasha dates are calculatedWhen is Venus mahadasha good, and when is it bad?
BPHS 47.79 makes Venus strong in Pisces, its best sign. Taurus and Libra, its own signs, also make it strong. So do houses 1, 4, 7 and 10. Say Venus rules the 9th or 10th house and sits in the 1st or 4th. Then BPHS 47.85–87 promises great comfort and a leading role. It also promises charity such as building temples and water tanks.
BPHS 47.83–85 makes Venus weak in Virgo, its weakest sign. The 6th, 8th or 12th house also weakens it. Then your own relatives turn hostile, and your spouse and children face trouble. Business gives losses. Saravali 40.47 adds disputes with family elders. It adds scandal involving relationships or authority. Jataka Parijata 18.168 gives one relief. Venus in Virgo but in a strong navamsa brings profit from farming and trade. The navamsa is the ninth-part chart.
Textual basis: BPHS ch. 47, vv. 78–89 (Maharishi ed.); BPHS ch. 3, vv. 49–54 (Maharishi ed.); Saravali, Kalyanavarma, ch. 40, vv. 45–47, 68; Jyotish Ratnakar, paragraph 333 (Venus), pp. 817–822; Jataka Parijata, Vaidyanatha, ch. 18, vv. 157–168
Shukra mahadasha effects in each house
Jyotish Ratnakar lists Venus's period house by house. Count the houses from your rising sign (lagna), not from your Moon sign.
| House | What the text says |
|---|---|
| 1st | Gains from people in power and from farming; energetic |
| 2nd | Wealth, fine food, sweet speech, generosity |
| 3rd | Courage, good vehicles and jewellery, help from brothers |
| 4th | Great comfort, vehicles, growth in farming, fame |
| 5th | Children, fame, honour |
| 6th | Loss of food and money, family trouble, fear of enemies, illness |
| 7th | Trouble for the spouse, travel abroad, illness, losses |
| 8th | Danger from weapons, fire and theft; some money and fame at times |
| 9th | Honour, happiness from father and elders, religious rites |
| 10th | Religious rites, wealth from authority, fame, new property |
| 11th | Honour, children, wealth, farming and trade, writes books |
| 12th | Honour and money from authority, but loss of place, life abroad, separation from mother |
Textual basis: Jyotish Ratnakar, paragraph 333 (Venus), pp. 817–822
Is Shukra mahadasha good for marriage?
Venus is the planet of marriage celebrations (Phaladeepika 2.6). BPHS 32.23 judges the spouse from the 7th house counted from Venus. Venus in its own sign in a trine brings weddings in the period (BPHS 47.82).
The same texts give the other side. A weak Venus brings trouble to the spouse (BPHS 47.84). Ratnakar gives trouble for the spouse when Venus sits in the 7th house. If Venus rules the 2nd or 7th, BPHS 47.88 warns of strain on the body. It gives Rudra or Tryambaka japa as the remedy (47.89). Ratnakar even says an exalted Venus can drain money through affairs. Yet it brings honour too. So the period does not promise marriage to everyone.
Textual basis: Phaladeepika, Mantreshwar, ch. 2, v. 6; BPHS ch. 32, v. 23 (Maharishi ed.); BPHS ch. 47, vv. 78–89 (Maharishi ed.); Jyotish Ratnakar, paragraph 333 (Venus), pp. 817–822
Is Shukra mahadasha good for every rising sign?
No. BPHS 34 makes Venus the only good planet for Gemini rising. It is the one strong success-giver for Capricorn and Aquarius rising (34.40–41). For Virgo rising it brings success together with Mercury (34.31). It is neutral for Libra. It is difficult for Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Pisces rising.
BPHS 34.10 says a good planet ruling a central house loses its goodness. Central houses are 1, 4, 7 and 10. This fault is strongest of all for Venus. Laghu Parashari (stanza 9) agrees. It warns such a Venus in the 2nd or 7th turns harmful in its period.
Textual basis: BPHS ch. 34, vv. 8–10, 19–44 (Maharishi ed.); Laghu Parashari (Jataka Chandrika), stanzas 9–10 and 39, B. S. Row tr., 1900
Which antardasha in Shukra mahadasha is best, and which is hard?
BPHS ch. 60 rates each sub-period by placement. A well-placed planet gives a good result. One in the 6th, 8th or 12th gives a hard one. Some also have a time pattern. Venus–Moon starts comfortable and ends with strain (60.29). Venus–Mercury is good at first, average in the middle and hard at the end (60.65).
The books split on Venus–Sun. BPHS 60.13–15 gives wealth and honour when the Sun is strong. But Jataka Parijata 18.159, Saravali 41.43 and Phaladeepika 21.76 give only trouble. Venus–Saturn is the famous pair. BPHS 60.53 gives honour and a daughter's birth. In each other's periods, Venus and Saturn act with unusual force (Laghu Parashari, stanza 39). That force can be good or bad.
| Sub-period | Length | BPHS 60: good / hard | Jataka Parijata 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venus | 3y 4m | Strong: honour, a new house, children's celebrations, profits. In 6/8/12: fear of theft, family trouble | Comforts, spouse, wealth, fame |
| Sun | 1y | Strong: wealth, honour, family joy. Weak: mental strain, father's trouble, conflict with authority | Health strain, farm loss, anger of authority |
| Moon | 1y 8m | Strong: vehicles, comfort, music, profit. Weak: money loss, conflict with authority | Restlessness, enemies, little comfort |
| Mars | 1y 2m | Strong: big gains, clothes, land. In 8/12: losses, quarrels, heavy spending | Drive, money, land; some health strain |
| Rahu | 3y | Well placed: comfort, wealth, successful travel. In 8/12: trouble for parents, hostility | Gains, but hostile relatives |
| Jupiter | 2y 8m | Well placed: lost position regained, honour, scripture study. In 6/12: loss of post, quarrels | Wealth and dharma, but strain for spouse and children |
| Saturn | 3y 2m | Strong: honour, friends, a higher post. In 8/12 or debilitated: early troubles, business loss | House, land, wealth; enemies beaten |
| Mercury | 2y 10m | Strong: favour, children, honest money. Weak: losses in trade | Children, friends, money, health |
| Ketu | 1y 2m | Well placed: profits, victory, with hard spells. In 8/12: worry, pointless quarrels, spending | Quarrels, enemies, money loss |
Textual basis: BPHS ch. 60, including v. 11 (Maharishi ed.); Jataka Parijata, Vaidyanatha, ch. 18, vv. 157–168; Saravali, ch. 41, vv. 43–48 (Venus sub-periods); Phaladeepika, ch. 21, vv. 75–76 (Venus sub-periods); Laghu Parashari (Jataka Chandrika), stanzas 9–10 and 39, B. S. Row tr., 1900
How antardasha lengths are worked outWhat remedies do the shastras give for a hard Shukra period?
BPHS 84 gives Venus's own worship. Its Vedic mantra is the one beginning Annat parisrutah. It is repeated 16,000 times (84.17–20). The fire offering uses fig (udumbara) wood (84.21). Verse 84.26 says to worship whichever planet is badly placed at that time.
BPHS ch. 60 adds remedies for hard sub-periods. Durga japa (repeated prayer to Durga) is for Venus–Venus (60.11). Vishnu sahasranama, the prayer of Vishnu's thousand names, is for Venus–Mercury (60.66). Venus–Saturn gets a sesame fire offering with Mrityunjaya japa or Chandi path. Do it yourself or through a priest, as you can afford (60.58–59). Mrityunjaya japa also covers Venus–Rahu and Venus–Ketu (60.44, 60.73). The verses also list animal gifts, which we leave out.
Textual basis: BPHS ch. 84 (graha shanti), vv. 10, 17–21, 26 (Maharishi ed.); BPHS ch. 60, including v. 11 (Maharishi ed.)
How long is each antardasha in Venus mahadasha?
A full 20-year period holds nine sub-periods. The first belongs to Venus itself. Each length is the main period's years × the sub-period's years ÷ 120. The dasha calculator gives your own dates.
| Sub-period | Length | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Venus (Shukra) | 3y 4m | 20 × 20 ÷ 120 |
| Sun (Surya) | 1y | 20 × 6 ÷ 120 |
| Moon (Chandra) | 1y 8m | 20 × 10 ÷ 120 |
| Mars (Mangal) | 1y 2m | 20 × 7 ÷ 120 |
| Rahu | 3y | 20 × 18 ÷ 120 |
| Jupiter (Guru) | 2y 8m | 20 × 16 ÷ 120 |
| Saturn (Shani) | 3y 2m | 20 × 19 ÷ 120 |
| Mercury (Budh) | 2y 10m | 20 × 17 ÷ 120 |
| Ketu | 1y 2m | 20 × 7 ÷ 120 |
Textual basis: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS), ch. 46, vv. 3, 12–16 (Maharishi ed.); BPHS ch. 51, vv. 1–3 (Maharishi ed.)
Example chart — illustrative, not a real person
How do you find the balance left at birth?
Take the Moon at 20° in Bharani. The star spans 13°20′–26°40′. Half remains. Venus's birth balance is 20 × 0.5 = 10 years. The Sun's six years follow.
These are the texts' results by Venus's strength; your own chart decides which apply, and a wrong birth time can shift the dates.
Frequently asked
Does Shukra mahadasha bring a car or a house?
For a strong Venus, yes. BPHS 47.79 names vehicles and 47.81 a house and money. In the Venus–Venus sub-period, an exalted or own-sign Venus gives a new house (BPHS 60.4).
Is retrograde Venus mahadasha bad?
No, not by the texts. Jyotish Ratnakar 333 gives a retrograde Venus many honours, pomp, clothes and jewellery. Saravali 40.68 says a retrograde planet's restless results apply to harsh planets. They do not apply to good ones like Venus.
What if Venus is debilitated in my chart?
Venus in Virgo is the weak case of BPHS 47.83–85. It means hostile relatives, strain on the marriage and business losses. Jataka Parijata 18.168 and Ratnakar 333 soften it. In a strong navamsa, that Venus's period brings gains from farming and trade.
Why does Venus mahadasha last 20 years?
BPHS 46.15 fixes the years of each planet. Venus gets 20, the longest of the nine.
Which mantra is chanted in Shukra mahadasha?
BPHS 84.17 gives Venus's Vedic mantra beginning Annat parisrutah, with 16,000 repetitions (84.19–20).
Sources
BPHS chapter numbers follow the Maharishi edition. Other editions number some chapters differently.
- BPHS ch. 47, vv. 78–89 (Maharishi ed.)
- BPHS ch. 60, including v. 11 (Maharishi ed.)
- Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS), ch. 46, vv. 3, 12–16 (Maharishi ed.)
- BPHS ch. 3, vv. 49–54 (Maharishi ed.)
- BPHS ch. 32, v. 23 (Maharishi ed.)
- BPHS ch. 34, vv. 8–10, 19–44 (Maharishi ed.)
- BPHS ch. 84 (graha shanti), vv. 10, 17–21, 26 (Maharishi ed.)
- Saravali, Kalyanavarma, ch. 40, vv. 45–47, 68
- Saravali, ch. 41, vv. 43–48 (Venus sub-periods)
- Phaladeepika, Mantreshwar, ch. 2, v. 6
- Phaladeepika, ch. 19, vv. 12, 26
- Phaladeepika, ch. 21, vv. 75–76 (Venus sub-periods)
- Jataka Parijata, Vaidyanatha, ch. 18, vv. 157–168
- Jyotish Ratnakar, paragraph 333 (Venus), pp. 817–822
- Laghu Parashari (Jataka Chandrika), stanzas 9–10 and 39, B. S. Row tr., 1900
- BPHS ch. 51, vv. 1–3 (Maharishi ed.)
परमोच्चगते शुक्रे स्वोच्चे स्वक्षेत्रकेन्द्रगे । नृपाऽभिषेकसम्प्राप्तिर्वाहनाऽम्बरभूषणम् ॥