Rahu Mahadasha Mercury Antardasha
Lasts 2 years 6 months 18 days
Rahu Mahadasha sets the main subject for 18 years, and the Mercury Antardasha colours it for 2 years 6 months 18 days. Rahu stands for ambition, foreign links, unconventional paths and obsession. Mercury stands for intellect, trade, communication and learning. The combination tends to bring those two sets of themes together.
Rahu regards Mercury as a friend, so the sub-period usually supports what the Mahadasha is building. This is the fourth of nine sub-periods in the Rahu Mahadasha. As a middle sub-period, it tends to carry the main weight of the Mahadasha, when its themes are most visible.
Which life areas this sub-period touches depends on your Moon sign, because the houses each planet rules change with it. For Aries Moon, Mercury rules the 3rd and 6th houses. For Leo Moon, Mercury rules the 2nd and 11th houses. Rahu and Ketu own no sign, so their effect comes through the sign and house they occupy in your chart. Your own chart, with its placements, aspects and transits, decides how this plays out. Pick your Moon sign below for a version tailored to it.
Rahu-Mercury for your Moon sign
Frequently asked
How long does Rahu Mahadasha Mercury Antardasha last?
2 years 6 months 18 days. It is calculated as 18 years × 17 years ÷ 120 years. It is the fourth of nine sub-periods in the Rahu Mahadasha, and the start date depends on your birth details.
Is Mercury a friend of Rahu in Vedic astrology?
By natural friendship, Rahu regards Mercury as a friend. Rahu regards Mercury as a friend, so the sub-period usually supports what the Mahadasha is building. Natural friendship is only one layer, and the houses involved and the planets' placement in your chart matter as much.
Does my Moon sign change the Rahu-Mercury dasha?
Yes. Your Moon sign decides which houses Rahu and Mercury rule, and so which life areas are active. It also decides whether any of them is a yogakaraka. There are 12 versions of this page, one for each Moon sign.
What decides how Rahu-Mercury works out for me?
The strength and placement of Rahu and Mercury in your birth chart, the houses and signs involved, and the transits running at the time. Astrika reads natal chart, dasha and transit together, and remedies, if any, depend on your own chart.