What Ashtottari Dasha Is
Ashtottari Dasha (अष्टोत्तरी दशा) is an 108-year planetary period system — a secondary Dasha used alongside Vimshottari. It includes eight planets (Sun through Rahu, excluding Ketu) and is triggered by specific Rahu placements in the birth chart. Like Vimshottari, it starts from the birth Nakshatra's ruling planet. Some astrologers use it for cross-verification, particularly for Rahu-dominated charts.
Ashtottari Dasha Periods
| Planet | Years |
|---|---|
| Sun | 6 |
| Moon | 15 |
| Mars | 8 |
| Mercury | 17 |
| Saturn | 10 |
| Jupiter | 19 |
| Rahu | 12 |
| Venus | 21 |
When to Use Ashtottari Dasha
Parashara specifies Ashtottari Dasha applies when Rahu is in a Kendra or Trikona from the Lagna, or in specific positions relative to the Lagna lord. In practice, most Indian astrologers use Vimshottari as the primary system and consult Ashtottari when predictions need secondary confirmation, especially for charts where Rahu plays a dominant role. Do not replace Vimshottari with Ashtottari — use both and look for convergence.