Dashas and Bhuktis
All of the analysis applied so far has ignored Timing, without having any clue when events will take place. We have been interpreting the birth chart, but we have not made timed predictions on your life in general
Vedic Astrology has a most brilliant system of timing when the effects of each planet will be felt. Not all your life is the same throughout its duration. These developments, these ups and downs are accounted for by the Dashas, when you run a particular planet from between 7 and 20 years depending upon the planet and various sub-periods or Bhuktis where you run through the series of planets as sub periods. The main periods just explained, are called the “Maha Dashas”. The Maha Dashas themselves are subdivided in sub periods, called “Antar Dashas” or “Bhuktis”. The sub periods follow the same order as the main periods, and divide up the time span of the particular main period, just like the main periods divide up a life time.
Main Dasha Periods
Sun 6 years
Moon 10 years
Mars 7 years
Rahu 18 years
Jupiter 16 years
Saturn 19 years
Mercury 17 years
Ketu 7 years
Venus 20 years
The Dashas are planetary cycles, which follow in a very specific order, with a very specific time span. There are various Dasha systems, but we will consider one of them here, the Vimshottari Dasha system.
When you run the Dasha of a Benefic planet, your life will be illuminated by this benefic planet and the aspected planets and houses it aspects or occupies. When you run the Dasha of a Malefic planet, your life may be disrupted by this malefic planet and events caused by the planets and houses the malefic planet aspects or occupies.
Knowing the Dasha you are running will help you understand the forces acting upon you and help you plan and foresee the good or hard times.
The effects of each Planet and each Astrological Yoga is seen in the Dasha periods when the particular planets involved are activated:

Tapash Lifetime Maha Dashas
The complete Dasha cycle is 120 years. After a 120 years, the cycle repeats itself.
Out of the full cycle, each planet Dasha period takes between 6 and 20 years.
Everybody is somewhere in this 120 year cycle. The point where we enter this cycle at the beginning of our life, is determined by the degree of the Moon at the time of birth. You pick up where you left off last lifetime – with the same Dasha when you died. From that point on, we travel through the cycle in the order shown in the 120-year table. As you can see, it takes years to finish one cycle.
During the Dasha of one particular planet, you run through the same sequences of all the planets in the same sequence in the subperiod called Bhuktis. The Bhukti sub period is not 120 years – it is compressed to be just the number of years of the particular Mn Dasha period it runs under.
So you get the interplay of one dominant planet in its Dasha against another planet in the Bhukti subperiod.

Rules for Interpreting Dashas
How do we use Dashas in conjunction with the birth chart? There are just three simple rules that reveal most of the effect of a Dasha period.
- The planet which Dasha is ruling will be activated in the birth chart. Whatever this planet does or is related to in the birth chart, according to the interpretation rules explained so far, will be experienced more pronounced in its Dasha period.
- Treating the position of the Dasha lord as the first house, look at the rest of the chart, and interpret all the other planetary positions in their new house positions as counted from the Dasha lord. In other words, interpret the birth chart with the Dasha ruler as the Ascendant.
- If the main Dasha lord and the sub Dasha (Bhukti) lord are related (conjunct, aspecting each other, etc.) then their effect in the chart will be quite noticeable.
So refer to the tables of Dashas and Bhuktis to predict when a particular Yoga will emerge
Example
Melissa Running Mercury Dasha

1 The planet for that Mercury Dasha will be activated in the birth chart
Mercury is Moolatrikona: In the best possible Avasthana position. Mercury is currently running a Maha Dasha (major planetary period) so it is especially influential at this time.
Mercury is in the 12th house the end of things and the Occult – hence your renewed interest and skill in the Occult
- Treating the position of the Dasha lord as the first house
Interpret the chart as if the 12th house is the Ascendant
Mercury is hemmed in by Ketu and the Sun.
So Ketu (significator of the Occult) reinforces the Occult Interest
Rahu and Ketu would be in the vertical axis giving access to the Occult.
Venus (Own house) is a strong Benefic in the 2nd House of Wealth 2011
Mars would be in the 11th house of Opportunity giving Access to the (Mars is the signification for Government, Army) 2016. Debilitated Mars with 2 Nicha-Bhanga Raja Yogas gives Raja Yoga
- If the main Dasha lord and the sub Dasha (Bhukti) lord are related (conjunct, aspecting each other, etc.) then their effect in the chart will be quite noticeable.
In Mercury Ketu 2010, Mercury Venus 2011 Mercury Sun 2014.
Given the way Ketu works in the 12th hose in Melissa’s chart of upset and loss she needs to beware that in the Ketu Dasha And Bhukti, a disruptive individual will try to disrupt her security in 06 21 2025