Planetary periods
The Vimshottari dasha divides a life of one hundred and twenty years among the nine planets in a fixed sequence and fixed proportions. Which planet you begin with, and how much of its period remains at birth, is determined by the exact position of the Moon within its nakshatra.
Why timing matters
A chart shows what is possible; the dasha shows when. A powerful yoga involving a planet whose period never runs prominently may pass almost unnoticed, while an ordinary placement can dominate a decade if its period arrives at the right time. This is the mechanism most traditional prediction actually rests on.
Sub-periods
Each mahadasha divides into nine antardashas in the same sequence, and those divide again. The major period sets the theme of the years; the sub-period usually accounts for what changes within them.
Common questions
What is a mahadasha?
The major planetary period. The Vimshottari system divides one hundred and twenty years among nine planets in a fixed order, each ruling for a set number of years.
Why does my first dasha start part-way through?
Because the balance at birth depends on how far the Moon had already travelled through its nakshatra. Only the remainder of that planet's period is left to run.