Presented at ACVA Tenth International Symposium on Vedic Astrology, 2003; Venue: Phoenix Room, Radisson Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona, AZ; Date: Sunday – November 16, 2003 ; Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Naisargika Dasha is the natural growth and decay of the body. This was one of the two dasa used by Varahamihira (other was Mula dasa).


Naisargika means natural and dasa refers to the state of a being at any point of time. Naisargika dasa is based on the observation of nature and life process of human beings and indicates the natural growth process of a being starting with its birth and physical growth to maturity. Thereafter the mature state is retained and the superior beings (all creatures) enjoy the bounties of nature and all that the world has to offer. The process of decay culminating in death follows.


Dasa order

Kalyanavarma [Saravali sloka 41-21]

kramaso sadhaparigraha isto naisargikascaiva||
Translation: The Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Sun, Saturn and Lagna, in that order furnish the periods of the Naisargika dasa.

Seven or eight stages have been identified in this natural process. Let us examine these for the human being. These are like the Seven Stages of Man. The reader will appreciate that it is the Hindu scholars (Varahamihira) who had the Seven Ages of Man while the Greeks (Yavana) recommended Eight Ages.
However, Hesoid used the Five Ages of Man while Ovid used Four Ages of Man1 But these Ages are like the Yuga periods and do not refer to the stages of human life. So they must not be mixed with the Seven/Eight Stages.

1. Baby : Moon
Infancy; The baby is totally dependent on the mother who is the focus, life support, and the very objective of being. The baby learns to use its limbs and the highest development and growth of the brain occurs during this stage. Mother is represented by the Moon.
2.Child : Mars
The growth of the physical body and strength is the highest during this period. The bones begin to harden. The focus during this stage is to become physically independent. Mars symbolizes this stage of growth. Being a perfect brahmachary (celibate), Mars ensures that the thoughts of sexuality are not to enter the mind.
3. Juvenile : Mercury
Unbridled freedom is enjoyed and joyous abandon define this stage. The need for learning the ways of the society and taming the naughty kid is the focus as learning begins. Mercury symbolizes this stage. Mercury is a eunuch and this state lasts till puberty.
4. Youth : Venus
Adolescence, post pubescent period; With puberty starts the series of chemical and hormonal changes that cause the body to develop sexual features. The ‘opposite sex’ becomes the focus of this stage. Venus symbolizes this stage. In the earlier stages there is learning as Venus is the daitya guru and teaches the knowledge necessary for survival in this material world. Mundane subjects and all knowledge focused on being able to earn a living come in this category. In the later stage, this matures into marriage and parenthood. However, the children are still babies or very young and the spouse is still very physically attractive. Physicality dominates the thinking and wisdom is yet to dawn. Physical growth is completed during this stage.
5. Adult : Jupiter
Children have become physically independent (i.e. have learnt toilet habits, walking, brushing etc.) and need some support in the form of learning the homework they bring from school. The physical attraction towards spouse decreases as the respect for sharing and emotional support increases. Relationships become more than just skin deep. This is the stage of the dawn of wisdom and is symbolized by Jupiter. Physical growth was completed and the stage marks the sustenance of the developed body.
6. Elder : Sun
The children have grown and flown the nest. Spouse maybe there but the relationship has gone far beyond the physical level and there has been and continues to been a lot of soul searching. This stage marks the beginning of the decay of the body as the frown begins to show. The individual gradually becomes more and more lonely and realizes that the definition of family cannot be limited to the four walls of a house. Thoughts of social contribution are foremost. The Sun symbolizes this stage.
7. Old : Saturn
The body fails to replace the old cells with as much vigor as it did in the ‘good old days’. Politics, power and corruption tend to leave a bad taste as you recall that the society at large was much better and definitely more innocent in the ‘good old days’. In reality you were too self-focused to have realized that the society was full of the same, or maybe more evils in the ‘good old days’ and due the poor communication systems, no one got to know anything. Loneliness is the order of the day and your children, grand children or maybe a few more generations are too busy to find the time for you. All sorts of illnesses begin to grip the body. Mobility reduces and rigidity seems to creep into every joint. The spouse is no longer alive and even if she is in body, is at best, just a very good friend. Saturn the old, symbolizes this stage. You begin to appreciate the holy books and the wisdom of the sages.
8. Very Old : Lagna/Nodes
With on leg in the grave, you have become very dependant, and you wait for the last day when the body shall cease to move. The stage of fear is gone. This stage is symbolized by the lagna as none of the planets (having a body) can symbolize this stage where the body is of not much consequence.

In view of the foregoing, both Kalyan Verma and Varahamihira state that the order of the dasa of the planets in the natural (naisargika) scheme is (1) Moon, (2) Mars, (3) Mercury, (4) Venus, (5) Jupiter, (6) Sun, and (7) Saturn [and maybe (8) Lagna]. Most Vedic astrologers have objected to this eighth stage on the grounds that this is really the same as old age. This issue needs to be examined and we feel that the use of seven planets is correct as the lagna cannot indicate the physical body as it is only a mathematical point in the eastern horizon whereas the remaining seven planets symbolize the physical body.

Planetary periods

Vaidyanatha Diksita [Jatakaparijata sloka V-2] nakhah sasi dvau navakam dhrtisca krtih khabana ravipurvakanam|
ima niruktah kramaso grahanam naisargike hyayusi varsasankhya||
Translation: 20, 1, 2, 9, 18, 20 and 50 are the periods in years for the planets in the order of Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn in the Naisargika (natural) longevity estimation (and dasa).
Varahamihira [Brhajjataka sloka 8-9] ekam dvau nava vimsatirdhrti krti pancasad esam
kramaccandrarenduja sukra jivadinakrid daiva karinam samah |
svaih svaih pusta phalani sarga janitaih paktirdasayah kramad ante
lagnadasa subheti yavana necchanti kecit tatha || 9||
Translation: 1, 2, 9, 20, 18, 20 and 50 years are the periods of the planets in the order of Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, the Sun and Saturn in the Naisargika dasa applicable to all creatures. If both the naisargika dasa and the normal [read Mula dasa] period indicate favorable results in their concurrent periods, then the same is sure to occur. Yavanacarya (Greek/foreign astrology inputs), opines that the dasa of Lagna shall be the last and produces prosperity. This [view of Yavanacarya] is objected to by some .

It is evident that both Vaidyanatha Diksita and Varahamihira have excluded the period of the Lagna in the mahadasa. Using only the seven planet periods, the dasa is shown for the scribe
Note that the age at which the naisargika dasha starts for all human beings is fixed.
Moon starts at 0, Mars 1, Mercury 3, Venus 12, Jupiter 32, Sun 50, Saturn 70.

Antardasa planets

Kalyan Varma defines2In the opening sloka of the Antardasa phala adhyaya (Chapter 42-1) the antardasa based on drsti. He allocates fractional weightage based on the aspect of the dasa lord.

  • We know that all planets have a full aspect on the seventh house. Hence, the minimum weight of 1/7th is given to planets in the seventh house from the dasa lord.
  • The next weaker aspect of all planets (¾ pada) is on the chaturasras (the 4th and 8th houses). Kalyan Varma gives the next higher weightage of 1/4th to planets in these houses.
  • The next weaker aspect of all planets (½ pada) is on the trikona (5th & 9th houses) and the weightage given for them is slightly more – 1/3rd for all planets in these houses.
  • Kalyan Varma has given a slightly more weightage of ½ for planets conjoining the dasa lord.
  • The next weaker aspect of all planets (¼ pada) is on the upachaya (excluding trika houses (6th & 11th) i.e. only on the 3rd and 10th house. The next higher weightage possible is 1 (whole) and this is given to planets in 2, 3, 6, 10, 11 & 12 houses. Some astrologers tend to ignore this on the ground that it is not specifically mentioned in Saravali.
  • Kalyan Varma opines3Saravali Ch.42-2 that if two or more planets tenant a sign, only the strongest amongst them will rule over the sub period. However, Satyacarya4Saravali 42-4 and others are clear that all the planets in a sign shall furnish the antardasa (instead of only strongest). Further, their order shall be based on strength with the strongest furnishing the first antardasa and so on.
  • A careful reading of the antardasa phala adhyaya of Saravali reveals that the dasa lord shall not have an antardasa, as it is the root indicating the overall trend of the period. The antardasa of the (other) planets will give results according to their nature5Saravali 42-2.

Order of antardasa

The planets in the kendra (1, 4, 7 & 10 houses), followed by those in the panapara (2, 5, 8 & 11 houses) and finally apoklimas (3, 6, 9, 12 houses) shall furnish the antardasa. Jaimini and Parasara spell out the standard rules for this.


The given rules must be used to first determine the stronger sign, and later the stronger planet in the signs must be found using the following rules. The rules given for the strength of signs are exclusive in that when comparing the strength of two signs, use the first rule. If that works, then no need to go further. If you find that the signs are still equally strong, then use the next rule and so on in the order given. This also applies to the planets.

Strength of signs

1. A sign with more planets is stronger.
2. The signs aspected or conjoined Jupiter, Mercury or the lord of the sign, is stronger.
3. If there are an equal number of planets/aspects, then the state of the planets in the signs must be ascertained i.e. exalted planets are stronger than mulatrikona, who are stronger than in own signs, etc. Debilitation signs are weakest.
4. If they are still equal in strength, then the natural strengths of the lords placed in Dual signs being stronger than fixed signs and fixed signs being stronger than movable signs is considered.
5. The sign lorded by atmakaraka is stronger.
6. If both lords have the same degrees, then the lord of a sign being in a different oddity than its own sign is stronger.
7. If the strengths are still equal, the degrees of the sign-lord must be delineated. One with higher degrees (as used in the Cara Karaka scheme) is stronger.
8. The sign that gives a higher dasa period is stronger.

Strength of planets

1. A planet placed in exaltation/mulatrikona or own sign is stronger in decreasing order.
2. The degrees of planet must be delineated. One with higher degrees (as used in the Cara Karaka scheme) is stronger.
3. If both have equal number of degrees, the one with higher minutes/seconds is stronger.

Calculation of antardasa

Add the fractional or whole weights of the six planets (excluding the dasa lord) and divide the dasa period by this sum. The result (called multiplier) should be multiplied by the individual fractional weights of the six planets to yield their antardasa periods6Saravali 42-5. Kalyan Varma elaborates the mathematics involved in using fractions. .

The Jagannath Hora software from Sri Jagannath Center has provided the calculations given in this paper. or
However, as software are changing with time, we recommend that the calculations be tried from two softwares and checked for accuracy before using.
As of 25 Jun, 2015 all available software miscalculate the order and sub-periods of the Naisargika Dasha. This is the primary reason why it is not popular. Else it is among the best dasha systems and the great Varahamihira, Kalyana Verma and a few others primarily used this.


2 In the opening sloka of the Antardasa phala adhyaya (Chapter 42-1)
3 Saravali Ch.42-2
4 Saravali 42-4
5 Saravali 42-2
6 Saravali 42-5. Kalyan Varma elaborates the mathematics involved in using fractions.


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