Sun Mahadasha
6 years in the Vimshottari cycle
Sun Mahadasha lasts 6 years. It is the third of nine dashas in the Vimshottari order, coming after Venus and before Moon. Sun stands for authority, father, government and self-respect. It tends to put identity, status and dealings with authority in the foreground, and it rewards people who take clear ownership of their work.
Sun rules Leo, so the houses it rules shift with your Moon sign: the 5th house for Aries Moon, the 1st house for Leo Moon. Each Mahadasha is split into nine Antardashas starting with Sun itself, and each one blends Sun with another planet.
Your Moon sign, the placement of Sun in your birth chart and current transits decide how this dasha plays out. Use the nine sub-period pages below, then pick your Moon sign for a version tailored to it.
Sun Mahadasha: the nine Antardashas, in order
Frequently asked
How long is Sun Mahadasha?
Sun Mahadasha lasts 6 years in the Vimshottari system, which runs on a 120-year cycle. It follows Venus Mahadasha and is followed by Moon Mahadasha. When it starts depends on the Moon's position at your birth.
What are the Antardashas in Sun Mahadasha and how long is each?
There are nine, in order: Sun 3 months 18 days, Moon 6 months, Mars 4 months 6 days, Rahu 10 months 24 days, Jupiter 9 months 18 days, Saturn 11 months 12 days, Mercury 10 months 6 days, Ketu 4 months 6 days, Venus 1 year. Each length is the Mahadasha years × the sub-period planet's years ÷ 120.
Is Sun Mahadasha good or bad?
Neither on its own. Sun stands for authority, father, government and self-respect, and the result depends on the houses it rules for your Moon sign, its strength and placement in your chart, and transits.
Does my Moon sign change Sun Mahadasha?
Yes. The Moon sign decides which houses Sun rules and so which life areas the dasha works through. Astrika reads natal chart, dasha and transit together before answering.