How to Calculate Mahadasha

Find Moon's Nakshatra at Birth

The Moon's Nakshatra determines your starting Dasha:

1. Generate your Kundli at GrahaGuru
2. Find Moon's position (degree and sign)
3. Identify the Nakshatra (shown in chart)

Each Nakshatra spans 13°20' and belongs to a planet:

Nakshatra	Lord	Nakshatra	Lord
Ashwini, Magha, Mula	Ketu	Bharani, P.Phalguni, P.Ashadha	Venus
Krittika, U.Phalguni, U.Ashadha	Sun	Rohini, Hasta, Shravana	Moon
Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishta	Mars	Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha	Rahu
Punarvasu, Vishakha, P.Bhadra	Jupiter	Pushya, Anuradha, U.Bhadra	Saturn
Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati	Mercury

Know Mahadasha Durations

Each planet's Mahadasha lasts a fixed number of years:

Planet	Years	Themes
Ketu	7	Spirituality, detachment, past karma
Venus	20	Luxury, relationships, creativity
Sun	6	Authority, career, father, self
Moon	10	Mind, emotions, mother, public
Mars	7	Energy, property, siblings, courage
Rahu	18	Ambition, foreign, unconventional
Jupiter	16	Wisdom, children, luck, expansion
Saturn	19	Hard work, discipline, delays, karma
Mercury	17	Communication, business, education

Total: 120 years (Vimshottari cycle)

The sequence is: Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury → (repeats)

Calculate Dasha Balance at Birth

You're born in the middle of a Nakshatra, so that Dasha is partially complete:

Formula:

Balance = (Remaining Nakshatra portion / 13°20') × Mahadasha years

Example:

• Moon at 20° Aries = Bharani Nakshatra (13°20' to 26°40' Aries)
• Bharani lord = Venus (20 years Dasha)
• Moon has traveled: 20° - 13°20' = 6°40' into Bharani
• Remaining: 26°40' - 20° = 6°40' of Bharani left
• Balance = (6°40' / 13°20') × 20 = 10 years Venus Dasha at birth

List Your Complete Dasha Sequence

After the balance Dasha, list subsequent Dashas in order:

Example for someone born with 10 years Venus balance:

1. Venus: Birth to age 10
2. Sun: Age 10 to 16 (6 years)
3. Moon: Age 16 to 26 (10 years)
4. Mars: Age 26 to 33 (7 years)
5. Rahu: Age 33 to 51 (18 years)
6. Jupiter: Age 51 to 67 (16 years)
7. Saturn: Age 67 to 86 (19 years)
8. Mercury: Age 86 to 103 (17 years)
9. Ketu: Age 103 to 110 (7 years)

Understand Antardasha (Sub-periods)

Each Mahadasha has 9 Antardashas (sub-periods) within it:

• Antardasha sequence follows same order: Ketu→Venus→Sun→Moon→Mars→Rahu→Jupiter→Saturn→Mercury
• First Antardasha is of the Mahadasha lord itself
• Duration proportional to Mahadasha years

Antardasha Formula:

Antardasha months = (Mahadasha years × Antardasha lord's years) / 10 × 12

Example: Saturn Antardasha in Jupiter Mahadasha:

= (16 × 19) / 10 = 30.4 months ≈ 2 years 6 months

Analyze Your Current Dasha Lord

To predict Mahadasha effects, analyze the ruling planet:

• Which houses does it rule? (Lordship)
• Which house is it placed in? (Position)
• What sign is it in? (Dignity - exalted, own, debilitated)
• What aspects does it receive? (Influences)
• Is it retrograde or combust?
• Is it a benefic or malefic for your Lagna?

Combine Mahadasha-Antardasha Effects

Events happen when Mahadasha and Antardasha lords connect:

• Both rule same house: Strong results for that house
• One aspects the other: Their themes combine
• They're conjunct in birth chart: Intensified effects
• They're enemies: Conflicts, delays
• One rules 6/8/12 from other: Challenging period

Example: Jupiter Mahadasha, Venus Antardasha

Jupiter (wisdom, children) + Venus (relationships, luxury) = Marriage, birth of children, educational achievements with comfort.

Pratyantar, Sookshma, Prana Dashas

For precise timing, further sub-divisions exist:

• Pratyantar Dasha: Sub-sub-period (days to weeks)
• Sookshma Dasha: Even finer (days)
• Prana Dasha: Finest level (hours)

Major events occur when multiple Dasha levels align with favorable transits.