Most people meet astrology as personality description. But its real predictive power lies in timing — and the main tool for timing is the Dasha system. The most widely used is the Vimshottari Dasha, a 120-year cycle divided among the nine planets, calculated from the Moon's exact position at your birth.
How it works
At any moment you are running a Mahadasha (a major planetary period, lasting anywhere from 6 to 20 years) and, within it, an Antardasha (a sub-period ruled by another planet). The combination colours that stretch of your life. A supportive planet's period tends to bring its good results; a challenging planet's period asks for patience and care.
- Sun — 6 years · Moon — 10 · Mars — 7 · Rahu — 18 · Jupiter — 16
- Saturn — 19 · Mercury — 17 · Ketu — 7 · Venus — 20
- Together these total the full 120-year Vimshottari cycle.
Why it matters for decisions
Two people with a strong 10th house won't get promoted in the same year — timing depends on whose period is running. This is exactly why astrologers can say 'the next 18 months favour a career move' or 'wait until the Jupiter sub-period begins.' It turns a static chart into a living calendar.
Knowing your current Mahadasha and Antardasha is one of the most practical things a reading can give you — it tells you not just what, but when.
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