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Dasa Interpretation
by Hank Friedman
Note: Since I first wrote this article, I've learned a lot. I now always focus on Point 3 B -- Confluent Themes -- because the areas of life affected by both the Dasa and Bhukti lords are the most important to pay attention to. I added a section 4 to the article to emphasize and illustrate this point.
And, of course, the condition of both the Dasa Lord and the Bhukti Lord are very important (e.g. when strong, there are positive results, and when weak, negative ones). And whether or not there is a relationship between the Dasa Lord and the Bhukti Lord in the birth chart (and in D-charts) is paramount. When the Dasa Lord and Bhukti Lord have no connection in a chart, then the Dasa lord's condition and themes prevail.
1. The Most Important Dasas
A. The Dasa of the Lagnesh. Perhaps the most important dasa to run is the dasa of the lord of the Lagna (1st house). This dasa represents burgeoning self-awareness, the blossoming of oneself, truly becoming the individual we each are. During this dasa, we may discover more about our true desires, gifts, and nature, and/or may make a greater commitment to realize our authentic hopes and dreams. Because many people do not run their lagnesh's dasa either at all or at a productive age, the bhuktis of the lagnesh can be looked at for similar, albeit milder, results.
B. The Dasa/Bhukti of the 9th & 10th lords. When both the 9th and 10th lords in a chart are strong, they give excellent results. Whether it is the dasa of the 9th lord and the bhukti of the 10th lord or vice versa, this period can represent a very major turning point in a person's life, especially if the two lords are related to each other in the birth chart. It can represent a shift into greater status, grounding in life, breakthroughs in achievement, or simply a very significant life change. (Logically, the dasa/bhukti of the 4th and 5th lords would be an echo of this pair, and perhaps represent a significant, but somewhat lesser, personal life turning point.)
C. The Dasa of a Yoga-forming Planet. The dasa of a planet that by itself forms a yoga, e.g. a Pancha Mahapurusha yoga, is a very significant period in a person's life, in that many breakthroughs pertaining to the theme of the yoga-forming planet will manifest.
D. The Dasa/Bhukti of Two Yoga-forming Planets. When a person runs the dasa and bhukti of two planets that form a yoga in the birth chart, this period becomes the time when the themes represented by the yoga fully express themselves. Note: besides named yogas, any relationship between two planets is thematic and can be looked at in this way.
i. Positive Yogas. When the two planets involved form positive yogas, then the period of their dasa and bhukti often will be very fruitful. The ripening of the themes of the yoga can bring many blessings into the person's life. I would include in this category such additional combinations like a Full Moon (i.e. Sun/Moon or Moon/Sun periods), the dasa/bhukti of the Yogi/Duplicate Yogi (if the latter is not also the Avayogi), Sun/Retrograde Planet combinations (which like the Full Moon represent the time when the bright planet expresses its strength), Neecha and Neecha Bhanga planet pairs, and pairs of participants in multiple planet yogas (e.g. the Jupiter/Mercury period for someone with a Saraswati yoga).
ii. Negative Yogas. When the dasa/bhukti planets form negative combinations in a person's chart, it can represent both a downturn in the person's life and/or the time in the person's life when they come to grips with the birth chart pattern once and for all, and work through the karma and release it. I would include in this category not only classically negative yogas such as Shakata, Dainya Parivartana, and Kemadruma (which would manifest during the Moon's dasa) but also the New Moon (which would manifest during Moon/Sun and Sun/Moon), all Sun/Combust Planet periods, planet pairs in planetary war with each other, Papa yoga-forming planets, and pairs of participants in multiple negative yogas.
2. The Yogas of Lordship.
An interesting way to interpret dasa/bhukti themes is to look at the pairs of houses ruled by the dasa and bhukti lord. During the dasa and bhukti, these houses become activated together, as if they formed yogas in the birth chart. E.g. taking the seed example from 1B above, the combination of dasa and bhukti of 9th and 10th lords respectively is a major life turning point because these two houses are so important and so powerful in effecting good.
In extending this theme, the most important pairs for yoga-like results (i.e. significant life changes for the better) would be 9th/10th, 4th/5th, 5th/9th, 1st/9th, and 1st/5th in descending order of importance. As with all dasas, the stronger the dasa and bhukti lords are, the more potent the results, and if they have a relationship in the birth chart, they are much more noteworthy.
Here are some possible results of combinations to of dasa and bhukti lords:
1st and 2nd: The development of deeper values. Commitment to the family. Investing oneself in one's work more fully. Expressing one's voice more authentically.
1st and 3rd: Beginning an important new project or enterprise. Starting a physical training regime. Investing oneself deeply in an artistic process.
1st and 4th: Deepening one's connection with oneself. Becoming more conscious of one's needs. Standing up for oneself more.
1st and 5th: New peaks of self-expression. The undertaking of creative projects or spiritual practices.
1st and 6th: Dealing with health issues. Changing one's work or health habits.
1st and 7th A major time for primary relationships. Working to end a relationship or relationship pattern, and/or to start a new relationship or way of relating.
1st and 8th: A potent time of self-analysis or self-work. The breaking down of ego. Positive breakthroughs in intimacy or negative loss of appropriate boundaries.
1st and 9th: Hearing ones soul's calling. Committing to a spiritual path. Becoming a teacher.
1st and 10th: Taking major actions in ones life. Attempting greater achievements. Changing careers to become more true to oneself. Becoming more visible in the eyes of the world.
1st and 11th: Awakening to ones deepest wishes. Aiming towards greater fulfillment. Learning to receive. Presenting oneself to a larger audience.
1st and 12th: The reliquishment of ego. The loss of self positively, e.g. spiritual breakthroughs, or negatively, breakdowns or addictions. (The strength/weakness of the two house lords is the determining factor.)
2nd and 11th: Changes in financial status. Making money in new ways. Bringing more people into ones family.
3rd and 10th: Making major efforts to advance ones career. Beginning an art or writing project.
4th and 10th: Issues of balance between the personal and professional life.
4th and 11th: Forming important connections. The beginning of new friendships (or deepending of existing ones). Focusing on personal well-being.
5th and 7th: The start or evolution of a personal intimate relationship. A significant change in one's relationship to their child.
5th and 9th: Spiritual breakthroughs. Becoming aware of the patterns passed from father to son. Travel, higher education, and becoming a teacher.
7th and 8th: Dealing with major issues in relationship. Divorce or renewal of the relationship.
7th and 12th: Facing ones orientation towards pleasure. Addiction and overindulgence issues. Sexual issues. Possible loss of relationship or deepening of union.
3. Special Issues.
A. Bookends. Occasionally, a person will run the dasa and bhukti of planets both ways, e.g. Sun/Moon and Moon/Sun. In these cases, the pair of dasa/bhuktis will in some way have very similar themes. In the case where the first of the pair happens in childhood, and the second in adulthood, often the events occurring during childhood will find their resolution or fully blossoming in the second sequence during adulthood.
B. Confluent Themes. I look carefully at the ways that the dasa and bhukti lords affect or activate the same houses. In addition to the basic factors such as house lordship and occupation, and aspecting a house or its lord, I also include the houses signified by the dasa and bhukti lords (e.g. Jupiter is karaka for the 5th house), and the house cusps whose nakshatras are ruled by the dasa and bhukti lords.
For example, if the Lagna was in Magha, ruled by Ketu, and a person had Saturn in the First House and was running their Ketu/Saturn period, then the First House would be activated doubly during this period. Or if the dasa lord aspects both the Sixth House and its lord, then Sixth House themes will be very stimulated during the dasa.
C. Amsas in Dasa Analysis. With respect to the Iyer analysis of divisional charts, it is important to reaffirm the importance of yogas in divisional charts. A yoga that only exists in a subchart may indeed become activated during the dasa/bhukti of the relevant planets.
4. Examples of Confluent Themes:
In the chart of Donald Trump, his current dasa -- Jupiter/Saturn -- we first notice that Saturn aspects Jupiter, so this is definitely an important period.
(The dasas where Dasa and Bhukti lords have a relationship in the birth chart are significant, and represent the awakening of, and possible fruition or completion of, the themes represented by their relationship.)
A closer inspection shows that Saturn is also in Jupiter's Nakshatra, and so there are dual influences, not just one-sided.
And both planets have strength: Saturn is Vargottama and Jupiter is Retrograde.
Notice how Jupiter and Saturn both aspect the 6th house and influence the 2nd house. Therefore both 2nd house and 6th house themes will prevail.
How will this manifest? Trump will face, and in fact already is facing, strong enemies (6th house lord Saturn has strength), but paradoxically, because of Jupiter's strength, he is actually benefiting from this opposition.
In Jupiter/Mercury, we notice Jupiter in Mercury's sign, with Mercury both strong and unaspected by malefics (and so therefore benefic).
As a result, Mercury's themes (in the 11th house) will be alive. (But note that Dasa and Bhukti lords do not both activate any houses).
The Jupiter/Ketu period, on the other hand, is likely to have pure Jupiter effects, because Ketu has no relationship with Jupiter. Note however that both influence the 10th house.
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In sum, in evaluating Dasas and Bhuktis, always focus on:
Each lord's condition (strength/weakness) to see both the magnitude of effects and capacity for positive and negative effects.
Look for any kind of relationship between the two lords.
And see what houses are influenced by both lords.
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