New Numerology API

Dashas (planetary periods)

Pratyantardasha in Vedic astrology

A pratyantardasha is the third level of a Vimshottari dasha: a sub-period inside an antardasha. Each antardasha is split into nine pratyantardashas, one per planet, in the usual order. Each lasts the antardasha's length times that planet's years, divided by 120. These short periods are mainly used to time events in the near future.

Updated

More terms in Dashas (planetary periods)

© API for Astrology (apiforastrology.com). "Glossary dasha bar". All rights reserved. Not to be copied or reused.120 year cycle, one period after anotherKeVenusSuMoonMaRahuJupiterSaturnMercuryJupiter: 16 yearsKeVenusSuMoonMaRahuJupiterSaturnMercuryInside Jupiter, each planet gets a share

Pratyantardasha: how the API computes it

A pratyantardasha is the third level of a Vimshottari dasha. It is a part of an antardasha, the sub-period inside a main period. The API builds each level the same way (DA-04).

A period is split into nine parts. They run in the usual order, starting with the planet that rules the period. Each part lasts the parent period's length times that planet's years, divided by 120.

Take John Doe. He is in a Jupiter mahadasha (main period) of 16 years, from Dec 20, 2014 to Dec 20, 2030. His Jupiter antardasha lasts 16 times 16 divided by 120, which is about 2.13 years.

Inside that, the Jupiter pratyantardasha lasts about 0.28 years, roughly 104 days. These periods are short. So they are mainly used to time events in the near future.

POST /v1/dasha/vimshottari returns three levels by default. So pratyantardashas come back unless you send a lower levels value. Send 4 or 5 for the even shorter periods inside them.

Every period has a start date and an end date in the local time of the birth place.

Get it from the API

Vimshottari dasha periods with dates. Here is the call to API for Astrology (apiforastrology.com) for our sample, John Doe, born Aug 15, 1990, 10:30 AM, New York.

POST /v1/dasha/vimshottari

# John Doe, born Aug 15, 1990, 10:30 AM, New York
curl -X POST "https://apiforastrology.com/api/astrology/v1/dasha/vimshottari" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ASTROLOGY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"year":1990,"month":8,"day":15,"hour":10,"minute":30,"second":0,"latitude":40.7128,"longitude":-74.006,"timezone":"America/New_York"}'
Answer (long lists shortened)200 OK
{
  "system": "vimshottari",
  "year_length_days": 365.25,
  "moon_nakshatra_index": 5,
  "nakshatra_fraction_elapsed": 0.09303881,
  "starting_lord": "Mars",
  "balance_at_birth_years": 6.348728,
  "balance_method": "time",
  "levels": 3,
  "periods": [
    {
      "lord": "Mars",
      "start": "1989-12-20T13:27:09.380502",
      "end": "1996-12-20T07:27:09.380502",
      "years": 7,
      "partial_at_birth": true,
      "balance_years": 6.348728,
      "periods": [
        {
          "lord": "Mars",
          "start": "1989-12-20T13:27:09.380502",
          "end": "1990-05-18T16:54:09.380502",
          "years": 0.408333,
          "elapsed": true,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Mars",
              "start": "1989-12-20T13:27:09.380502",
              "end": "1989-12-29T06:15:13.880502",
              "years": 0.023819,
              "elapsed": true
            },
            {
              "lord": "Rahu",
              "start": "1989-12-29T06:15:13.880502",
              "end": "1990-01-20T15:10:16.880502",
              "years": 0.06125,
              "elapsed": true
            },
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "1990-01-20T15:10:16.880502",
              "end": "1990-02-09T12:25:52.880502",
              "years": 0.054444,
              "elapsed": true
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Rahu",
          "start": "1990-05-18T16:54:09.380502",
          "end": "1991-06-06T05:12:09.380502",
          "years": 1.05,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Rahu",
              "start": "1990-05-18T16:54:09.380502",
              "end": "1990-07-15T05:32:51.380502",
              "years": 0.1575,
              "elapsed": true
            },
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "1990-07-15T05:32:51.380502",
              "end": "1990-09-04T08:47:15.380502",
              "years": 0.14
            },
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "1990-09-04T08:47:15.380502",
              "end": "1990-11-04T02:08:06.380502",
              "years": 0.16625
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Jupiter",
          "start": "1991-06-06T05:12:09.380502",
          "end": "1992-05-12T02:48:09.380502",
          "years": 0.933333,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "1991-06-06T05:12:09.380502",
              "end": "1991-07-21T16:04:57.380502",
              "years": 0.124444
            },
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "1991-07-21T16:04:57.380502",
              "end": "1991-09-13T15:30:09.380502",
              "years": 0.147778
            },
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "1991-09-13T15:30:09.380502",
              "end": "1991-10-31T22:33:45.380502",
              "years": 0.132222
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "lord": "Rahu",
      "start": "1996-12-20T07:27:09.380502",
      "end": "2014-12-20T19:27:09.380502",
      "years": 18,
      "periods": [
        {
          "lord": "Rahu",
          "start": "1996-12-20T07:27:09.380502",
          "end": "1999-09-02T11:39:09.380502",
          "years": 2.7,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Rahu",
              "start": "1996-12-20T07:27:09.380502",
              "end": "1997-05-17T05:40:57.380502",
              "years": 0.405
            },
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "1997-05-17T05:40:57.380502",
              "end": "1997-09-25T17:26:33.380502",
              "years": 0.36
            },
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "1997-09-25T17:26:33.380502",
              "end": "1998-02-28T20:54:27.380502",
              "years": 0.4275
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Jupiter",
          "start": "1999-09-02T11:39:09.380502",
          "end": "2002-01-26T02:03:09.380502",
          "years": 2.4,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "1999-09-02T11:39:09.380502",
              "end": "1999-12-28T08:46:21.380502",
              "years": 0.32
            },
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "1999-12-28T08:46:21.380502",
              "end": "2000-05-15T03:51:09.380502",
              "years": 0.38
            },
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "2000-05-15T03:51:09.380502",
              "end": "2000-09-16T08:17:33.380502",
              "years": 0.34
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Saturn",
          "start": "2002-01-26T02:03:09.380502",
          "end": "2004-12-02T01:09:09.380502",
          "years": 2.85,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "2002-01-26T02:03:09.380502",
              "end": "2002-07-09T21:42:36.380502",
              "years": 0.45125
            },
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "2002-07-09T21:42:36.380502",
              "end": "2002-12-04T08:58:57.380502",
              "years": 0.40375
            },
            {
              "lord": "Ketu",
              "start": "2002-12-04T08:58:57.380502",
              "end": "2003-02-03T02:19:48.380502",
              "years": 0.16625
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "lord": "Jupiter",
      "start": "2014-12-20T19:27:09.380502",
      "end": "2030-12-20T19:27:09.380502",
      "years": 16,
      "periods": [
        {
          "lord": "Jupiter",
          "start": "2014-12-20T19:27:09.380502",
          "end": "2017-02-07T00:15:09.380502",
          "years": 2.133333,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Jupiter",
              "start": "2014-12-20T19:27:09.380502",
              "end": "2015-04-03T16:53:33.380502",
              "years": 0.284444
            },
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "2015-04-03T16:53:33.380502",
              "end": "2015-08-05T01:51:09.380502",
              "years": 0.337778
            },
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "2015-08-05T01:51:09.380502",
              "end": "2015-11-23T11:07:57.380502",
              "years": 0.302222
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Saturn",
          "start": "2017-02-07T00:15:09.380502",
          "end": "2019-08-21T07:27:09.380502",
          "years": 2.533333,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Saturn",
              "start": "2017-02-07T00:15:09.380502",
              "end": "2017-07-03T12:23:33.380502",
              "years": 0.401111
            },
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "2017-07-03T12:23:33.380502",
              "end": "2017-11-11T14:24:45.380502",
              "years": 0.358889
            },
            {
              "lord": "Ketu",
              "start": "2017-11-11T14:24:45.380502",
              "end": "2018-01-04T13:49:57.380502",
              "years": 0.147778
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "lord": "Mercury",
          "start": "2019-08-21T07:27:09.380502",
          "end": "2021-11-26T05:03:09.380502",
          "years": 2.266667,
          "periods": [
            {
              "lord": "Mercury",
              "start": "2019-08-21T07:27:09.380502",
              "end": "2019-12-16T14:18:45.380502",
              "years": 0.321111
            },
            {
              "lord": "Ketu",
              "start": "2019-12-16T14:18:45.380502",
              "end": "2020-02-02T21:22:21.380502",
              "years": 0.132222
            },
            {
              "lord": "Venus",
              "start": "2020-02-02T21:22:21.380502",
              "end": "2020-06-19T20:58:21.380502",
              "years": 0.377778
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "balance_conventions": {
    "longitude": {
      "fraction_elapsed": 0.09312764,
      "balance_years": 6.348107,
      "first_period_ends": "1996-12-20T02:00:06.412309"
    },
    "time": {
      "fraction_elapsed": 0.09303881,
      "balance_years": 6.348728,
      "first_period_ends": "1996-12-20T07:27:09.380502"
    },
    "used": "time",
    "other": "longitude",
    "shift_days": 0.2271,
    "sources_agree": true,
    "note": "longitude measures how far the Moon has moved through its birth nakshatra; time measures how long it has been there (bhayat over bhabhog), as a desktop program does. Every later date moves by the same shift."
  },
  "meta": {
    "ayanamsa": "lahiri",
    "ayanamsa_value": 23.7260727,
    "julian_day": 2448119.10483,
    "ephemeris": "JPL DE440s",
    "node": "true",
    "timezone": {
      "source": "zone",
      "offset_hours": -4,
      "zone": "America/New_York",
      "abbreviation": "EDT",
      "dst": true,
      "dst_hours": 1,
      "ambiguous_resolved_by_fold": null,
      "note": "read from the IANA tz database at this instant, so daylight saving and historical offset changes are included"
    }
  }
}

Where the API returns it

POST/v1/dasha/vimshottariVimshottari dasha periods with dates
POST/v1/reading/dailyDaily reading for a chart
POST/v1/reading/weeklyWeekly reading for a chart

What the API reference says

Each line is quoted from the reference page of the endpoint named above it.

  • POST /v1/dasha/vimshottari · Vimshottari dasha periods with datesSet levels in the request body. 1 gives the main periods (mahadasha) and 2 adds sub-periods (antardasha). 3 adds the next level (pratyantardasha), and so on up to 5.

Feature page: Dashas (planetary periods). Who uses it: Astrology apps. See dasha periods in a full reading in the sample report. The classical rules the API follows are in the rulebook.

How we check the numbers

Every value here starts from planet positions worked out from NASA JPL planet data (DE440). We test them against NASA JPL Horizons, NASA's planet position service. On 25,571 positions from 1850 to 2149, the Sun and planets agree within 0.001 arc seconds. The Moon agrees within 0.011. On 2,000 random birth charts, the rising sign agrees with Swiss Ephemeris within 0.004 arc seconds. An arc second is 1/3,600 of a degree. A practicing astrologer reviews the rules behind these answers. See how we test.

Related terms

From the blog

Astrology API

Get these values from the API

Create a free test key and call any endpoint on this page. Or try a request in the API reference first.

Your first answer

John Doe, New York

POST /v1/planets200 OK
  • RisingVirgoHast
  • SunCancerAshlesha
  • MoonTaurusMrigashira
  • MarsAriesKrittika

Real API output. A free test key gets the same answer.

  1. 01

    Test key: 1,000 test calls a month to build with

  2. 02

    Free plan: 2,000 live calls a month, no card needed

  3. 03

    Open rules: every rule is published, so you can check any answer