Parashara: the Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra · Chapter 7 of 9
The dashas
The BPHS's chapter 46 is the great catalogue of period systems, and chapter 51 gives their sub-periods.
Vimshottari (BPHS 46.12–16; 51.1–2)
Count the nakshatras from Krittika to the birth nakshatra and divide by 9; the remainder gives the first period's lord, in the order Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus (equivalent to starting from Ketu at Ashvini). The years:
| Sun | Moon | Mars | Rahu | Jupiter | Saturn | Mercury | Ketu | Venus | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10 | 7 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 20 | 120 |
The balance at birth is the part of the Moon's nakshatra not yet traversed, as a fraction of the period (46.12–16). Sub-periods: each lasts (period years × sub-period years) ÷ 120, starting with the period's own lord, and so on recursively (51.1–2).
The text does not state whether a "year" is 365¼ days or 360; this must be chosen and stated.
Ashtottari (BPHS 46.17–22)
Used when Rahu is not in the ascendant but is in a kendra or trikona from the ascendant lord. Eight lords (no Ketu): Sun 6, Moon 15, Mars 8, Mercury 17, Saturn 10, Jupiter 19, Rahu 12, Venus 21 — 108 years. It uses 28 nakshatras including Abhijit, counted from Ardra, in groups of four (for malefics) and three (for benefics).
The conditional systems (BPHS 46.23–43)
| System | Years | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Shodashottari | 116 | day birth in the dark fortnight, or night birth in the bright |
| Dwadashottari | 112 | the ascendant in a navamsa of Venus |
| Panchottari | 105 | a Cancer ascendant in the Cancer dvadashamsa |
| Shatabdika | 100 | the ascendant vargottama |
| Chaturashiti-sama | 84 | the 10th lord in the 10th |
| Dwisaptati-sama | 72 | the ascendant lord in the 1st or 7th |
| Shashtihayani | 60 | the Sun in the ascendant |
| Shat-trimshat-sama | 36 | a day birth with the ascendant in the Sun's hora, or a night birth in the Moon's hora |
The conditions often overlap, and the text does not rank them; most astrologers use Vimshottari for everyone.
Yogini (BPHS 46.195–199)
Eight yoginis — Mangala (Moon) 1, Pingala (Sun) 2, Dhanya (Jupiter) 3, Bhramari (Mars) 4, Bhadrika (Mercury) 5, Ulka (Saturn) 6, Siddha (Venus) 7, Sankata (Rahu) 8 — 36 years. The first is found from (birth nakshatra number + 3) divided by 8.
Kalachakra (BPHS 46.52–100)
An elaborate system: the nakshatras are divided into "clockwise" and "anticlockwise" groups; each quarter of a nakshatra has a "body" and "life" sign and a fixed sequence of nine sign-lords; the lords' years are Sun 5, Moon 21, Mars 7, Mercury 9, Jupiter 10, Venus 16, Saturn 4; and the "jumps" between signs (the frog's leap, the monkey's step back, the lion's glance) have their own effects (46.52–119). Sub-periods are proportional (51.12). Part of this passage is missing from the transcription read.
Sign-based dashas (BPHS 46.155–190)
- Chara dasha (46.155–167): each sign's years are the count from the sign to its lord (forward for the first and third groups of three signs, backward for the second and fourth); Scorpio and Aquarius have two lords, with rules for choosing; add a year for an exalted lord, subtract one for a debilitated lord; the order runs from the ascendant, forward or backward by the 9th sign.
- Sthira (movable signs 7 years, fixed 8, dual 9), Yogardha, Kendradi, Karaka, Manduka, Shula (used for timing death — history only), Trikona, Drig and the ascendant-based rasi dasha (46.168–190).
Sub-periods of sign dashas (51.5–12): each one-twelfth of the period, starting from the dasha sign or its 7th, whichever is stronger, with special orders for fixed and dual signs.
Points left open
The research for this website found several points the text (in the version read) does not settle: the length of the year; whether Chara dasha counts inclusively (the worked examples do; some modern schools subtract one); the direction of counting (groups of three, or odd and even signs as in Jaimini). A careful astrologer states the choices.
Summary
- Vimshottari: 120 years, from the Moon's nakshatra, with proportional sub-periods (46.12–16; 51.1–2).
- Ashtottari (108) and eight conditional systems, each with a condition (46.17–43); Yogini (36) (46.195–199); Kalachakra (46.52–100).
- Chara and other sign dashas (46.155–190), with sub-periods of one-twelfth (51.5–12).
- Several conventions must be chosen and stated.
Exercises
- In Vimshottari, how long is the sub-period of Venus in Saturn's period?
- When does the BPHS prescribe Ashtottari?
- The ascendant is vargottama. Which conditional system applies?
- How long is each sub-period of a 9-year Chara dasha period?
Answers: 1. 19 × 20 ÷ 120 = 3.17 years. 2. When Rahu is not in the ascendant but is in a kendra or trikona from the ascendant lord. 3. Shatabdika (100 years). 4. 9 ÷ 12 = 0.75 years (9 months).