Vimshottari Dasha is a nakshatra based dasha. It is used for predicting the time of events in a natives life.
Vimshottari dasha is 120 years ling. In Vimshottari dasha, every planet is given specific number of years:
Jupiter – 15 years,
Saturn – 19 years,
Mercury – 17 years,
Ketu – 7 years,
Venus – 20 years,
Sun – 6 years,
Moon – 10 years,
Mars – 7 years,
Rahu – 18 Years
Moon is given utmost importance in vedic Astrology. The nakshatra in which moon is at the time of birth decides which dasha will the the first dasha in native’s life. The pada of the nakshatra decides how many years of the first dasha are left. For example: If a person is born in Ashwini nakshatra at the end of 2nd pada, then the first dasha in native’s life be Ketu. This is because Ashwini nakshatra is ruled by Ketu.
The main dasha that is running is called Mahadasha. This mahadasha is divided into 9 parts for 9 planets. This is called as antardasha. Each Antardasha is again divided to 9 parts. this is Vidasha or Pratuantar Dasha. Each Pratyantar Dasha is divided into 9 equal parts called as Sookshma Dasha. Sookshma dasha is divided into 9 equal parts called as Prana Dasha. The order in which planets appear in sub-dashas is same as mahadasha and the time is also proportional to the years allocated in the mahadasha.
When dasha of a planet begins, the houses signified by the planet give results. Results are also obtained of from the planets of the Dasha Lord.