Hindu Predictive Astrology Part 11: Dasas and Bhuktis

Hindu Predictive Astrology — Complete Modern Guide

This is the most important article in the entire series. Everything you've learned so far — signs, planets, nakshatras, dignities, charts — comes together here. The Dasa system is what separates Hindu astrology from every other tradition: it tells you not just what may happen, but when.

Part 11 of 31 • Building the Horoscope • Covers: Book Chapter XII — Dasas and Bhuktis (Periods and Sub-periods)

The vexed question of timing events is solved to a great extent by the Dasa system in vogue among the Hindus.

From a scientific point of view, we cannot say with any sort of definiteness upon what basis each planet is allotted a certain number of years as its term of Dasa. But in actual practice, the Dasa system yields very satisfactory results. There are many Dasa systems among the Hindus, but Raman deals exclusively with Vimshottari. In the choice of any particular type of Dasa, the criterion must be that of experience — and Vimshottari has answered this test.

The Core Concept

The position of the Moon at birth determines the ruling Dasa. The Moon's nakshatra (constellation) at birth indicates which planet's Dasa is in effect. Each nakshatra has a planet assigned as its lord, and that lord's Dasa period runs first.

The total of all nine Dasa periods is 120 years, considered the natural life period of a human being.

The 120-Year Vimshottari Cycle

The nine planets are assigned the following Dasa periods, and they always follow in this fixed sequence:

Ke 7

Venus 20

Su 6

Mo 10

Ma 7

Rahu 18

Jup 16

Sat 19

Mer 17

Total: 7 + 20 + 6 + 10 + 7 + 18 + 16 + 19 + 17 = 120 years

Dasa Lord	Years	Nakshatras (Moon at birth in any of these → this Dasa runs)
☉ Sun — 6y	6	Krittika, Uttara, Uttarashadha
☽ Moon — 10y	10	Rohini, Hasta, Sravana
♂ Mars — 7y	7	Mrigasira, Chitta, Dhanishta
☊ Rahu — 18y	18	Aridra, Swati, Satabhisha
♃ Jupiter — 16y	16	Punarvasu, Visakha, Poorvabhadra
♄ Saturn — 19y	19	Pushyami, Anuradha, Uttarabhadra
☿ Mercury — 17y	17	Aslesha, Jyeshta, Revati
☋ Ketu — 7y	7	Makha, Moola, Aswini
♀ Venus — 20y	20	Pubba, Poorvashadha, Bharani

How to read this table: If the Moon at birth is in Mrigasira (any pada), the ruling Dasa at birth is Mars (7 years). After Mars Dasa ends, the next Dasa is Rahu (18 years), then Jupiter (16), Saturn (19), Mercury (17), Ketu (7), Venus (20), Sun (6), Moon (10) — always in this fixed sequence. The cycle repeats indefinitely.

Calculating the Dasa Balance at Birth

If the Moon is at the very beginning of a nakshatra at birth, the full Dasa period runs. But if the Moon has already traversed part of the nakshatra, a proportional part of the Dasa has already expired. Raman gives two methods:

Method 1: From Almanac (Using Ghatis)

If the almanac gives the elapsed/remaining ghatis of the constellation:

Example (standard horoscope):
Moon in Mrigasira, 1st pada.
Mars' Dasa rules (7 years).

8 ghatis 1 vighati already passed in Mrigasira
out of total duration of 57 gh. 16 vig.

If 57-16 ghatis → 7 years
then 8-01 ghatis → ?

7 × 8¹⁄₆₀ / 57¹⁄₁₆ = 0 years, 11 months, 23 days
(expired)

Total Mars Dasa:      7y 0m 0d
Expired:              0y 11m 23d
──────────────────────────────
Balance at birth:    6y 0m 7d

Method 2: From Exact Moon Degree

If you know the Moon's exact longitude:

Example: Moon at Taurus 25° 10'

Taurus = Krittika(3 padas) + Rohini(4) + Mrigasira(2)
Krittika(3) + Rohini(4) = 23° 20'
Moon at 25° 10' − 23° 20' = 1° 50' into Mrigasira

Mrigasira ruled by Mars (7 years).
Each nakshatra = 13° 20'

13° 20' : 7 years :: 1° 50' : ?
= 11 months, 16 days (expired)

Balance = 7y − 0y 11m 16d = 6y 0m 14d

Quick table method: Raman provides ready-reference tables (Appendix C in the book, reproduced in Part 31 of this series) where you can look up the balance directly from the Moon's degree without any calculation.

Complete Bhukti (Sub-Period) Tables

Each Dasa is divided into 9 Bhuktis (sub-periods), one for each planet, in the same fixed sequence. The sub-period of the Dasa lord itself always comes first. Here are all nine complete tables:

☉ Sun's Dasa — 6 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Sun	0	3	18
Moon	0	6	0
Mars	0	4	6
Rahu	0	10	24
Jupiter	0	9	18
Saturn	0	11	12
Mercury	0	10	6
Ketu	0	4	6
Venus	1	0	0
Total	6	0	0

☽ Moon's Dasa — 10 Years

Bhukti	Y	M
Moon	0	10
Mars	0	7
Rahu	1	6
Jupiter	1	4
Saturn	1	7
Mercury	1	5
Ketu	0	7
Venus	1	8
Sun	0	6
Total	10	0

♂ Mars' Dasa — 7 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Mars	0	4	27
Rahu	1	0	18
Jupiter	0	11	6
Saturn	1	1	9
Mercury	0	11	27
Ketu	0	4	27
Venus	1	2	0
Sun	0	4	6
Moon	0	7	0
Total	7	0	0

☊ Rahu's Dasa — 18 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Rahu	2	8	12
Jupiter	2	4	24
Saturn	2	10	6
Mercury	2	6	18
Ketu	1	0	18
Venus	3	0	0
Sun	0	10	24
Moon	1	6	0
Mars	1	0	18
Total	18	0	0

♃ Jupiter's Dasa — 16 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Jupiter	2	1	18
Saturn	2	6	12
Mercury	2	3	6
Ketu	0	11	6
Venus	2	8	0
Sun	0	9	18
Moon	1	4	0
Mars	0	11	6
Rahu	2	4	24
Total	16	0	0

♄ Saturn's Dasa — 19 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Saturn	3	0	3
Mercury	2	8	9
Ketu	1	1	9
Venus	3	2	0
Sun	0	11	12
Moon	1	7	0
Mars	1	1	9
Rahu	2	10	6
Jupiter	2	6	12
Total	19	0	0

☿ Mercury's Dasa — 17 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Mercury	2	4	27
Ketu	0	11	27
Venus	2	10	0
Sun	0	10	6
Moon	1	5	0
Mars	0	11	27
Rahu	2	6	18
Jupiter	2	3	6
Saturn	2	8	9
Total	17	0	0

☋ Ketu's Dasa — 7 Years

Bhukti	Y	M	D
Ketu	0	4	27
Venus	1	2	0
Sun	0	4	6
Moon	0	7	0
Mars	0	4	27
Rahu	1	0	18
Jupiter	0	11	6
Saturn	1	1	9
Mercury	0	11	27
Total	7	0	0

♀ Venus' Dasa — 20 Years

Bhukti	Y	M
Venus	3	4
Sun	1	0
Moon	1	8
Mars	1	2
Rahu	3	0
Jupiter	2	8
Saturn	3	2
Mercury	2	10
Ketu	1	2
Total	20	0

The Bhukti Shortcut Formula

Instead of memorising the tables, you can calculate any Bhukti independently:

Dasa years of Planet A × Dasa years of Planet B = Product
Last digit × 3 = Days. Remaining digits = Months.

Example 1: Sun Bhukti in Venus Dasa

20 × 6 = 120
Last digit: 0 × 3 = 0 days
Remaining: 12 months
= 1 year, 0 months, 0 days ✓

Example 2: Rahu Bhukti in Jupiter Dasa

18 × 16 = 288
Last digit: 8 × 3 = 24 days
Remaining: 28 months
= 2 years, 4 months, 24 days ✓

Antaras (Inter-Periods): Finer Subdivisions

The Bhuktis are further sub-divided into still more minute divisions called Antaras (inter-periods), these into Antaranataras, and so on, until Swara — the period necessary for inhaling and exhaling one breath — is reached. For all practical purposes, the Antara will be found quite sufficient.

Worked Example: Jupiter Antara in Saturn Bhukti of Ketu Dasa

Ketu's Dasa period: 7 years
Saturn's Bhukti in Ketu: 1y 1m 9d (= 13 months 9 days)
Full cycle: 120 years
Jupiter's share: 16 years

Jupiter Antara = 16/120 × (13 months 9 days)
= 1 month, 23 days, 4.8 hours

Finding the Ruling Bhukti at Birth

Once you know the balance of Dasa at birth, you can determine which Bhukti was running at the moment of birth:

Worked Example

Given: Balance of Mars Dasa at birth = 5 years, 11 months, 28 days. Total Mars Dasa = 7 years. ∴ Expired = 11 months, 16 days (approximately).

Add Bhuktis from the start of Mars Dasa:

                            Y   M   D
Mars' Bhukti:            0   4  27
Rahu's Bhukti:          1   0  18
──────────────────────────────────
Cumulative:             1   5  15

1y 5m 15d exceeds the expired period (0y 11m 16d).
∴ Birth occurred during Rahu Bhukti.

Balance of Rahu Bhukti:
1y 5m 15d − 0y 11m 16d = 5 months 29 days
of Rahu Bhukti remaining at birth.

Source: Hindu Predictive Astrology by B.V. Raman, Chapter XII — Dasas and Bhuktis (pages 52–58). All Bhukti tables and worked examples reproduced from the book.

Key Takeaways

Vimshottari Dasa is a 120-year cycle of 9 planetary periods in fixed sequence
Ketu(7) → Venus(20) → Sun(6) → Moon(10) → Mars(7) → Rahu(18) → Jupiter(16) → Saturn(19) → Mercury(17) = 120 years.
The Moon's birth nakshatra determines the starting Dasa
Each nakshatra has a planetary ruler. That planet's Dasa runs first, with balance proportional to Moon's progress through the nakshatra.
Two methods for Dasa balance: ghati proportion (almanac) or degree proportion (ephemeris)
Both give the same result. Ready-reference tables (Appendix C / Part 31) eliminate the need for calculation.
Each Dasa has 9 Bhuktis (sub-periods) — all 81 entries are in the tables above
The Bhukti of the Dasa lord itself always comes first, then follows the fixed sequence.
Shortcut: Dasa years × Bhukti planet's years. Last digit × 3 = days; rest = months.
Example: 18 × 16 = 288 → 28 months, 24 days = 2y 4m 24d for Rahu Bhukti in Jupiter Dasa.
Antaras (inter-periods) subdivide Bhuktis further for precision timing
Formula: (Planet's years / 120) × Bhukti duration. For practical purposes, Antaras are sufficient granularity.

With the Dasa system mastered, you now have the what (chart analysis) and the when (Dasa timing). In Part 12, we begin Part III: Core Predictive Principles, starting with Planetary Aspects — how planets see each other across the chart and modify each other's results. This completes the foundational toolkit for prediction.

Based on

Hindu Predictive Astrology

by B.V. Raman | First published 1938 | UBS Publishers' Distributors Ltd.

Hindu Predictive Astrology Part 11: Dasas and Bhuktis — The Vimshottari Timing System