Vimshottari Dasha

The period sequence

Vimshottari apportions a 120-year cycle among nine planetary lords. The order is Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury. A mahadasha contains bhuktis, which contain smaller periods. Bhukti is also called antardasha; the next level antara is often called pratyantardasha.

Balance at birth

The starting balance depends on the Moon's remaining fraction of its nakshatra. Remaining balance equals the full period of the Moon's star lord multiplied by that remaining fraction. A Moon halfway through a Venus-ruled nakshatra has a simplified ten-year balance of Venus mahadasha.

Nested duration

Bhukti duration in years = mahadasha years × bhukti-lord years / 120. Venus mahadasha with Saturn bhukti gives 20 × 19 / 120, approximately 3.1667 years. Conversion to dates depends on the year-length convention used by the program.

Event-related selection

KP assesses period lords through the houses they signify. A candidate sequence is compared with the defined event's primary, supporting and opposing houses. Interpretive schools differ on whether particular houses must be represented by each lord or by the combined sequence; that distinction affects selection.

Mahadasha, bhukti and smaller periods provide successively narrower windows in the tradition. The strength assigned to each level should not be stated as a universal rule requiring a particular planet to act as a sympathetic observer or an executioner.

Fine timing

Sookshma and prana are further divisions. Finer output increases input sensitivity and does not correct uncertain birth data. A proposed time window is more meaningful when its assumptions and full period sequence are retained.