Vimshottari Dasha: The 120-Year Planetary Period System

Why is it called a 120-year cycle?

Each planetary lord receives a traditional number of years in the full sequence: Ketu 7, Venus 20, Sun 6, Moon 10, Mars 7, Rahu 18, Jupiter 16, Saturn 19 and Mercury 17. Together they total 120 years.

The starting point is connected to the Moon's birth Nakshatra. Because the Moon can be partway through that Nakshatra at birth, a person usually begins with only the remaining balance of the first Mahadasha rather than its complete duration.

The five timing levels used by Kya Kare

The hierarchy becomes progressively more specific. A Mahadasha is divided into Antardashas; each Antardasha is divided into Pratyantardashas; deeper subdivisions can continue into Sookshma and Prana.

• Mahadasha — broad planetary period
• Antardasha — sub-period inside the Mahadasha
• Pratyantardasha — deeper timing layer
• Sookshma — fine subdivision inside Pratyantardasha
• Prana — the finest timing level shown in Kya Kare

How the sub-period durations are determined

Each subdivision follows the same Vimshottari proportions. The child period's share is based on the ruling planet's traditional years divided by the 120-year cycle.

When Kya Kare has provider-returned Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantardasha boundaries, deeper Sookshma and Prana levels can be calculated deterministically from those parent timestamps. They are labelled as calculated depth rather than provider-returned data.

How to use a Dasha timeline

Think of the levels as context layers, not five unrelated predictions. The Mahadasha gives the broad background, while the active sub-periods narrow the timing window.

A responsible interpretation still needs the natal chart, planetary condition and house context. A Dasha ruler by itself does not guarantee a specific event.