A dasa system divides a life into periods ruled by planets or by signs. Parashara's chapter on dasas names about thirty of them. Vimshottari is given for people in general; nine more star systems are for charts that meet a stated condition, and the rest count through signs, the quarter of a star or the time of day. Nava computes three, all from the birth Moon: Vimshottari, Yogini and Ashtottari.
☕ Many clocks for one life
A dasa system splits a life into periods, each ruled by a planet or a sign. Parashara opens his chapter on dasas by naming Vimshottari as the one for people in general, and nine more star systems for special cases, all defined on the nakshatras (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 1–5, p. 505). He then names many others: Kalachakra, which he calls the highest, the sign dasas, Yogini and a group of smaller ones (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 6–11, p. 506). That makes about thirty, sorted by what they count in “The chapter's systems by kind” further down. The list closes with a line that reads as a reservation: not every one of them suits the purpose claimed for it.
The families differ in what they count. A star system starts from the birth star and gives each lord a fixed number of years; Vimshottari's count starts at Krithikai (Sun) and its nine lords repeat every nine stars (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 12–15, pp. 507–508). Kalachakra works on the quarter (pada) of the star. A sign system gives its periods to the twelve signs, counted from the lagna or another starting sign. A few run on the hour of birth within the day.
Why Vimshottari is the default: the verse gives it for everyone, while each of the others carries a condition of its own. Ashtottari is advised for a birth by day in the dark fortnight (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, v. 23, p. 516); Shodashottari wants the lagna in a particular hora (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, vv. 24–26, p. 517). The translator repeats the point: Vimshottari is the main dasa, and the rest are for particular circumstances (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam–Kapoor ed.), ch. 46, p. 527).
Nava computes three of the family, in the card “The three systems Nava computes” below, and all three start from the birth Moon. Vimshottari, with its bhuktis and pratyantars, is in the You tab's “Dasha / Bhukti” section. Yogini and Ashtottari are dated timelines in “Other dasha systems”, under “For astrologers”. All three take the balance at birth the same way: the share of the birth star the Moon has still to cross. Nava does not say which system applies to a chart; that stays the astrologer's call. The other systems are explained on the pages of this series, not computed.
What the app works out
- Vimshottari: 9 planets, 120 years
- Ashtottari: 8 planets, 108 years
- Yogini: 8 Yoginis, 36 years
- Mix-up: Yogini and Ashtottari replace Vimshottari. They run beside it as separate timelines; Vimshottari stays the general system.
- Mix-up: every dasa counts from the birth star. The sign dasas count through signs from a starting sign, and a few systems run on the time of day.
- Mix-up: when several systems agree, the answer is surer. Each system is given for its own kind of chart; agreement between them is not extra proof.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Nava show its dasa systems?
On the You tab. Vimshottari, with its bhuktis and pratyantars, is in the “Dasha / Bhukti” section. Yogini and Ashtottari are under “For astrologers”, in “Other dasha systems”: dated timelines, the running period first.
Why is Vimshottari the main dasa?
Parashara gives it for people in general and ties every other star system to a condition of its own. His translator says the same: Vimshottari for all, the others for particular charts.
Does Nava say which system applies to my chart?
No. The book's conditions for the special systems are short and in places hard to read, so Nava gives Yogini and Ashtottari as timelines only and leaves the choice to an astrologer.
Deep dive: the whole list, each family's page, and what this builds on
The table “The chapter's systems by kind”, then where each family is explained, and the page this one builds on.
🗂️ The chapter's systems by kind
| What it counts | Systems |
|---|---|
| Star systems for general use | Vimshottari |
| Star systems for special cases | Ashtottari, Shodashottari, Dwadashottari, Panchottari, Shatabdika, Chaturashiti-sama, Dwisaptati-sama, Shastihayani, Shat-trimsa-sama |
| The quarter of the star | Kalachakra |
| The time of day | Kala, Chakra |
| Sign systems | Chara, Sthira, Kendra, Karaka, Brahma-graha, Mandooka, Yogardha, Drig, Trikona, Rasi, Sandhya, Pachaka |
| Others | Yogini, Panchaswara, Pinda, Naisargika, Ashtavarga, Tara |
A few more systems in the chapter are used only for questions this site does not cover; they are left out here.
📚 Each family, one page
Ashtottari and Yogini are the two Nava computes beside Vimshottari. The other star systems are on the conditional nakshatra dasas; the wheel of star quarters on Kalachakra dasa; the sign systems on sign dasas; and Varahamihira's own system on the Brihat Jataka dasa.
🧭 What this builds on
How Vimshottari's nine lords take the 27 stars is on how the star lords repeat.