Ashtottari

17-20. Maharishi Parashar said. O Brahmin, the sages have recommended the adoption of Ashtottari, when Rahu not being in Lagn, in any other Kendr, or Trikon to the Lord of the Lagn. From 4 Nakshatras from Ardra commences the Dasha of Surya, from 3 after that begins the Dasha of Candr, 4 after that will bring the Dasha of Mangal, 3 after that the Lord of Dasha will be Budh, 4 therefrom will have Sani, as the Dasha Lord, 3 thereafter the Lord will be Guru, Rahu will be the Lord of the Dasha 4 Nakshatras after that and then Sukr will take over the lordship of the Dasha 3 Nakshatras from the last one mentioned above. The Lord of the Dasha at birth will be determined by counting in this order up to the Janm Nakshatr. The duration of Ashtottari Dasha for Surya, Candr, Mangal, Budh, Sani, Guru, Rahu and Sukr are 6, 15, 8, 17, 10, 19, 12 and 21 in that order. Thus in this Dasha system only 8 Grahas play the role of Dasha Lords, Ketu having been denied this privilege.

21-22. The Dashas of the various Grahas have been specified above. In the case of malefic Grahas the Dasha span of one Nakshatr is ¼ of the Dasha of the Grah. It is 1/3^rd in the case of benefics. Thus the expired portion of the Dasha is calculated, according to the method, followed for Vimshottari Dasha, by multiplying the Bhayat, i.e. the expired period of the stay of Candr in the Janm Nakshatr, by the Dasha portion of the Janm Nakshatr and dividing it by Bhabhog, i.e. the total period of the stay of Candr in the Janm Nakshatr. Then the balance of Dasha at birth can also be ascertained. If Uttarashadha happens to be the Janm Nakshatr, the duration of its first three Padas is taken, as Bhabhog and the Dasha calculations should be done accordingly. The Dasha and calculations for Abhijit Nakshatr are done by taking the 4^th Pad of Uttarashadha plus the 15^th part of the beginning of Shravan. For Shravan the Bhabhog would be the total of its duration in Ghatikas minus the 1/15^th part of the beginning of Shravan.