Lesson 9

The timing of the events

After analyzing the strengths and conditions etc of the planets, one is in a position to know what kind of results they are going to give. But when the results are going to fructify can be learnt only by studying the dasas and the transits of the planets.

Dashas

The dasas are the ruling periods of planets. There are more than 50 different types of Dasha systems, but the most popular and accurate one is the Vimshottari Dasha system. We are explaining this system.
At the time of your birth, the star constellation in which your moon is placed in your birth chart, and the degrees in which it is placed, determines which dasas will be in operation during your life. The following chart illustrates, as per your nakshatra, the dasa with which your life starts, the span of each dasa and the sequence of dasas.

The period and the sequence of each Dasas is as follows:

Sun Dasha is 6 years
Moon Dasha is 10 years
Mars Dasha is 7 years
Rahu Dasha is 18 years
Jupiter Dasha is 16 years
Saturn Dasha is 19 years
Mercury Dasha is 17 years
Ketu Dasha is 7 years
Venus Dasha is 20 years

These are called Mahadasas

As the Vimshottari dasa follows a 120 year cycle one will not experience the mahadasa of all the planets in ones life. Depending on by how many degrees, moon has traveled in the nakshatra at the time of birth, the first dasa gets reduced proportionately. In every mahadasa of a planet there are sub divisional dasas of other planets called Antardasas. The first antardasa is that of the mahadasa planet, followed by the other planets in sequence. Following the same principle, the antardasas are further sub divided into Pratyantardasas and so on till we can arrive at the dasas at a daily basis or even hourly basis. The chart of the dasas of the example horoscope, given here to the left illustrates this.
The predictions and the timing of events is done by taking into account the planets involved in the dasa, the antardasa, pratyantardasa etc., their strengths, nature etc. as studied before. The following principles are kept in mind while analyzing a horoscope for dasa effects.
Let us say that we want to see when the native will get a house. The 4th house rules the house and property related matters. Hence examine the 4th lord, in whose house he is placed, with whom he is placed, who is aspecting him. Then examine the planets placed in the 4th house or the planets aspecting the 4th house. Then the placement of the above in the Vargas, their strengths etc and whether well placed in houses or not and whether involved in any raja yoga combinations etc. When the native is going through the dasa or antardasas of any of these favorably placed planets, good results for the house can be expected.
However the timing of event cannot be done only on the basis of dasa. The Gochara or the transit of planets must also be studied. Some times in spite of favourable results, if the Gochara is very adverse then the favourable results may not take place and vice versa.

You can read more about dasas from Brihat Parashara Hora Sastra > here
the next chapter, the last of the astro basics, is Gochara.