Dasha (astrology)

The Sanskrit term "Dasha" in Hindu astrology is used to indicate planetary periods. The planetary periods indicate when the good or bad effects are produced according to their placement by sign (Rasi), house (Bhava), combinations (Yogas or Raja Yogas) or aspects (Drishti). The Dasha Paddhati (system) of Directional Astrology is unique to the Hindus; it is found nowhere else. There are many kinds of Dasha systems, Parashara mentions forty-two of them, but of these only two are in vogue, namely, "Vimshottari" and "Ashtottari".Template:Rp4 Dashas provide a system to judge the effects of the planets throughout a person's life, by indicating how the planets distribute their effects. Each dasha is controlled by one of the nine planets, and the quality and relative benevolence of each period is determined by the condition and position of that planet in the natal chart. There are nine planets or grahas which severally rule the nine dashas: the seven classical planets, plus the north node, Rahu, and south node, Ketu, of the Moon.

There are at least 43 different dasha systems. "Dasha" is the major period of a planet. It is called the "Poorna Dasha" if the planet is the most powerful or is in its sign of exaltation, which dasha gives health and wealth; the dasha of a powerless planet is called the "Rikta dasha", "Rikta" means poor or devoid of any power. Varahamihira explains that the dasha of the planet occupying unfriendly sign and navamsa will produce Aristaphala i.e. undesirable or miserable results; the planet that has fallen from exaltation but is in friendly or exalted navamsa gives ordinary results, and the planet that is ascending from debilitation but is in debilitated or unfriendly navamsa, gives a worthless period.

Vimshottari in Sanskrit stands for the number 120.Vimshottari Dasha assumes that the maximum duration of life of an individual human being is 120 years which is the aggregate duration of all nine planetary periods i.e. Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18,Jupiter 16, Saturn 19 and Mercury 17, in the order of their operation. It is not known when this system was discovered and why the number of years allotted to each varies. The year of the Vimshottari dasha is the astronomical solar year of 365.25 days. The classic text Phala Dipika explains:

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