A very unique tool that Vedic astrology uses to time events in a person’s life is Dashas. There are many Dasha systems such as the Vimshottari Dasha, Chara Dasha, Ashtottari Dasha, Yogini Dasha etc that are in use. A Dasha is a time period in which a particular planet or Rashi dominates a person’s life. This also defines the pattern that will be more prominent in that time period. There are many Dasha systems and each astrologer has their own personal preferences as to which of them they use.
It is always advisable to use more than one Dasha system in order to more accurately predict an event or the series of events that are likely to happen in a specific time period. The most commonly used Dasha system is the Vimshottari Dasha system as it is very easy to calculate and is simple to use. It is a planetary Dasha where each time period is ruled by a planet. Other Dasha systems use different rulers of each time period.
Chara Dasha
The Chara Dasha is a Rashi based Dasha system that is primarily used in the Jaimini system of astrology. As we know that while the Parashari system of astrology primarily uses the planets and Nakshatras, Jaimini astrology is sign based. So, the ruler of a Jaimini Chara Dasha is a Rashi and not a planet. It is not as straightforward to calculate as the Vimshottari Dasha system but is useful as a timing tool. One peculiarity of the Chara Dasha is also that it does not always follow the same sequential order. The length of the time periods is also very unique to every single birth chart.
In the modern-day when we use software to calculate charts, the calculation method is not always understood by students of astrology. But, if one pays attention to the calculated Chara Dasha it is seen that for some birth charts the Rashi order of the Dasha is forward and for some, it is in the reverse order.
Odd And Even Quarters
The Rashis are classified into odd and even quarters in Jaimini. This classification helps us to calculate the Chara Dasha sequence. The 12 Rashis are divided into four sets of three Rashis each. The first three Rashis of Aries (Mesha), Taurus (Rishaba) as well as Gemini (Mithuna) are the Odd Rashis. Cancer (Kartaka), Leo (Simha) and Virgo (Kanya) are even while Libra (Tula), Scorpio (Vrischik) and Dhanus (Sagittarius) are odd. Capricorn (Makara), Aquarius (Kumbha) as well as Pisces (Meena) are even.
Chara Dasha Calculation: Dasha Sequence
Step 1
The first step to calculate the Chara Dasha order is to determine the Rashi that is in the ninth house. For example, for the Aries Lagna, the ninth house Rashi is the sign of Saggitarius. Similarly for the Leo Lagna, the ninth house is Aries.
Step 2
Determine if the ninth house is in an odd or even quarter (as described above). If the ninth house is an odd quarter sign the sequence of the Chara Dasha Rashi will be in the forward direction. Similarly, if the ninth house is in an even quarter the sequence of the Dasha will be in the backward order. So, in the Aries Lagna where the ninth house is Saggitarius, the 9th house is in an odd quarter. So, the Dasha sequence is in the forward direction. For the Leo Lagna, the Cancer Lagna the ninth house is Pisces. This is an even quarter and so the Dasha sequence will be backwards. The major Dasha sequence starts with the Rashi itself and then goes backwards or forwards.
The Chara Dasha Sequence For Each Lagna
Aries: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.
Taurus: Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Vigro, Leo, Cancer and Gemini.
Gemini: Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, and Leo.
Cancer: Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo and Leo.
Leo: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo.
Virgo: Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and Leo.
Libra: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo.
Scorpio: Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Sagittarius.
Sagittarius: Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius and Capricorn.
Capricorn: Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces and Aquarius.
Aquarius: Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn.
Pisces: Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius.
An easy way to remember this is that the Lagnas of Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Scorpio, Saggitarius and Capricorn will always have the order of the Chara Dasha in reverse.
Chara Dasha Calculation: Chara Dasha Sub Period
Those familiar with the Vimshottari Dasha know that the sub-period of the Mahadasha usually starts with the very same ruler as the Mahadasha and then progresses from there. For example, the first subperiod in a Mars Dasha is a Mars sub-period. But, in the Chara Dasha system, it is not so. The last sub-period is the same as the Rashi of the main Dasha. So an Aries Chara Dasha will have the last sub-period as Aries and not the first.
The direction of the sub-period is calculated in exactly the same way as it is for the major periods. One must however remember that the starting Rashi comes last and not first.
The Chara Dasha Sub Period Sequence For Each Lagna
Aries: Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and then Aries
Taurus: Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini and then Taurus.
Gemini: Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer and then Gemini.
Cancer: Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo and then Cancer.
Leo: Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer and then Leo.
Virgo: Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo and then Virgo.
Libra: Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo and then Libra.
Scorpio: Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Arises, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and then Sagittarius.
Sagittarius: Scorpio, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces, Aquarius, and then Capricorn.
Aquarius: Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn and then Aquarius.
Pisces: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and then Pisces.
Chara Dasha Calculation: Dasha Length
The Dasha length is also determined by a method of counting backwards or forwards. We determine whether to count forward or backwards by the same method used previously. The count is from the Rashi till the Rashi lord. While counting when a planet is encountered that is in its own sign the duration is of 12 years. Once the count reaches the lord of the Rashi we subtract one. So, for example, for Cancer Dasha, we count backwards to the placement of the Moon and then subtract 1.
Exceptions to this are the Rashis that have two rulers. Scorpio (Vrischik) is ruled by Mars as well as Ketu. Aquarius is ruled by Rahu as well as Saturn. In these two cases, it must be determined which of the two rulers is stronger. If either Mars or Ketu is in Scorpio it is stronger. Similarly, if either Rahu or Saturn is in Aquarius, it is stronger. If there are more planets with one of the rulers, it is stronger. If both the Rashi rulers are placed together, the one with the higher degree even by a minute is the stronger of the two.
So, in this way the counting is done from the Rashi to the Rashi ruler with 12 years added for own house placement and one is subtracted from the final count. This final number then arrived at is the number of years of the Chara Dasha.
Chara Dasha Calculation: Counting Rules For Chara Dasha Length
Aries: Count Forward to Mars, then subtract 1
Taurus: Forward to Venus, then subtract 1
Gemini: Count forward to Mercury, then subtract 1
Cancer: Count backwards to the Moon, then subtract 1
Leo: Count backwards to the Sun, then subtract 1
Virgo: Count backwards to Mercury, then subtract 1
Libra: Count forward to Venus, then subtract 1
Scorpio: Count forward to Mars (or Ketu), then subtract 1
Sagittarius: Count forward to Jupiter, then subtract 1
Capricorn: Count backwards to Saturn, then subtract 1
Aquarius: Count backwards to Saturn (or Rahu), then subtract 1
Pisces: Count backwards to Jupiter, then subtract 1
Sub Period Length
The length of the sub-period within a Chara Dasha period is one-twelfth (1/12) of the main period. So, for a major period of 12 years, the sub-period will be 12 months. And so the sub-sub period will be 30 days.
Sub-Sub Period Length
| Major Period InYears | Sub Period In Months | Sub-Sub Period In Days And Hours |
| 12 | 12 | 30 – 0 |
| 11 | 11 | 27 – 12 |
| 10 | 10 | 25 – 0 |
| 9 | 9 | 22 – 12 |
| 8 | 8 | 20 – 0 |
| 7 | 7 | 17 – 12 |
| 6 | 6 | 15 – 0 |
| 5 | 5 | 12 – 12 |
| 4 | 4 | 10 – 0 |
| 3 | 3 | 7 – 12 |
| 2 | 2 | 5 – 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 2 – 12 |
