Free Mahadasha Antardasha And Pratyantar Dasha Calculator Now
A plain-English guide to the Vimshottari Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantar Dasha system — what the 120-year cycle means, how long each planetary period lasts, and how the calculator works out your dasha from your birth details.
In Vedic astrology, a Dasha is a planetary time-period — a stretch of years, months or days that a particular planet is said to “govern” in a person’s chart. The most widely used dasha system is the Vimshottari Dasha, a fixed 120-year cycle divided among nine planets. The word Vimshottari simply means “one hundred and twenty” in Sanskrit. The calculator on this page works out which Mahadasha (major period), Antardasha (sub-period) and Pratyantar Dasha (sub-sub-period) you are running, based on the position of the Moon at your birth. Below is a clear, factual explainer of how the whole system fits together, offered purely as reference information.
What is the Vimshottari Dasha system?
Vimshottari Dasha is a way of dividing a notional 120-year life-span into nine consecutive planetary periods. Each of the nine “grahas” of Vedic astrology — Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury — is allotted a fixed number of years. Added together, these nine periods total exactly 120 years, which is why the system carries that name. The order and the durations never change from one person to another; what differs is where in the cycle you start and how much of the first period is already used up at the moment of birth.
The nine Mahadasha periods and their durations
A Mahadasha is the major planetary period. Every person passes through these nine periods in the same fixed order, though the sequence begins at a different point for each individual. The durations are:
| Order | Planet (Graha) | Mahadasha length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketu | 7 years |
| 2 | Venus (Shukra) | 20 years |
| 3 | Sun (Surya) | 6 years |
| 4 | Moon (Chandra) | 10 years |
| 5 | Mars (Mangal) | 7 years |
| 6 | Rahu | 18 years |
| 7 | Jupiter (Guru) | 16 years |
| 8 | Saturn (Shani) | 19 years |
| 9 | Mercury (Budha) | 17 years |
| Total | 120 years |
Because the sequence is a loop, whoever your first Mahadasha lord is, the periods simply follow this fixed running order (Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury) and wrap back to the beginning once Mercury finishes.
How the dasha is calculated from the Moon’s nakshatra
The starting point of your Vimshottari sequence is decided by the Moon’s nakshatra at the moment of birth — not the Sun sign. The zodiac is divided into 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions), and each nakshatra is assigned to one of the nine planets as its ruler. The nine planets rule the 27 nakshatras in three repeating rounds (9 × 3 = 27), following the same Ketu-to-Mercury order.
- The planet that rules the nakshatra your Moon occupies at birth becomes your first Mahadasha lord.
- A nakshatra spans 13°20′ of the zodiac. The exact degree of the Moon within that nakshatra decides how much of the first Mahadasha has already elapsed before birth — so most people are born partway through their first period, not at its very start.
- From there, the remaining periods follow in the fixed order until the full 120-year cycle is complete, after which it repeats.
This is why an accurate birth date, exact time and place matter: a small change in birth time shifts the Moon’s degree, which changes the “balance” of the first dasha and therefore the dates of every period that follows.
How Antardasha and Pratyantar Dasha nest inside
Each Mahadasha is subdivided so that shorter cycles run inside the longer one, like nested wheels:
- Mahadasha — the major period, lasting years (6 to 20, as in the table above).
- Antardasha (Bhukti) — the sub-period. Within any Mahadasha, all nine planets each take a turn as the Antardasha lord, starting with the Mahadasha lord itself and then following the same fixed order. The length of each Antardasha is proportional to that planet’s own Vimshottari years, so a bigger planet gets a longer slice of the Mahadasha.
- Pratyantar Dasha — the sub-sub-period. Each Antardasha is itself split among all nine planets in the same proportional way, giving finer periods that often run for weeks or months.
Astrologers can go even deeper (Sookshma and Praana levels), but Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantar are the three that most people look at. Traditionally the running Mahadasha lord sets the broad backdrop, while the Antardasha and Pratyantar lords are read as finer timing within it.
Free Mahadasha Antardasha And Pratyantar Dasha Calculator Now
The calculator below computes your current Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantar Dasha automatically from your birth details. To use it, simply enter the required information as prompted — typically your date of birth, exact time of birth and place of birth — and submit the form.
- Enter your birth date, time and location as accurately as possible — the birth time in particular affects the Moon’s nakshatra degree and therefore the period dates.
- The tool identifies your Moon’s nakshatra, works out the first Mahadasha lord and the balance remaining, and then lays out the sequence of periods.
- The output is a timeline of periods and sub-periods; interpreting what a period may mean for you is a matter of qualified astrological judgement, and different astrologers may read the same chart differently.
Think of the calculator as a timekeeping tool: it tells you which planetary period you are in, not a fixed prediction of events. Dasha periods are one of many factors astrologers weigh alongside the birth chart as a whole.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Vimshottari” mean?
It is Sanskrit for 120. The system spreads a notional 120-year life-span across nine planetary periods that add up to exactly that figure.
Why does everyone start in a different Mahadasha?
Because the first period is decided by the Moon’s nakshatra at birth. Whichever planet rules that nakshatra becomes your first Mahadasha lord, and the exact degree of the Moon sets how much of it is left.
Which planet has the longest and shortest Mahadasha?
Venus has the longest at 20 years and the Sun the shortest at 6 years. The full order is Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19, Mercury 17.
What is the difference between Antardasha and Pratyantar Dasha?
Antardasha is the sub-period within a Mahadasha; Pratyantar Dasha is a further sub-division within an Antardasha. Each level splits its parent period among all nine planets in proportion to their Vimshottari years.
Why does birth time matter so much?
The Moon moves quickly, so even a few minutes can change its degree within a nakshatra. That changes the balance of the first dasha and shifts the dates of every period after it. An accurate time and place give the most reliable result.
Is a particular dasha “good” or “bad”?
No period is inherently good or bad. In Vedic tradition a dasha simply indicates which planet’s influence is prominent for a time; how it is interpreted depends on the whole chart and is a matter for a qualified astrologer. This page is for general understanding only.
Sources & last verified (July 2026):
- Dasha (astrology) — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasha_(astrology)
- Mahadasha / Vimshottari periods overview — Indastro: https://www.indastro.com/learn-astrology/mahadasha.html
- Vimshottari Mahadasha guide — Jagannatha Hora: https://jagannathhora.com/mahadasha/
tirumalatirupationline.com is an independent pilgrim-information guide. It is not affiliated with TTD, any temple, any astrologer or any government body. This dasha explainer is provided as general educational reference only and is not a prediction or professional astrological advice.
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Last reviewed: July 6, 2026
