The most difficult time period

Introduction

Which might be the worst time phase for a person to go through based on the Dasha system in Vedic astrology? That is the purpose behind this article.

Read the three-level Dasha table

Look at this birth chart and then the Dasha table, where Time Periods 1, 2 and 3 represent the Mahadasha, Antardasha and Pratyantardasha.

If you're going through the Dasha of Saturn, Rahu, Mars or Ketu, there's every chance you're going to run into complications. For example, on 31 December 2025, this person is going through Rahu Mahadasha, Jupiter Antardasha and Mercury Pratyantardasha.

The end dates mark the beginning of each new time phase, and he's going to remain in this chapter until early April the coming year. He is going through Rahu Mahadasha, but the Jupiter Antardasha and Mercury Pratyantardasha seem to be all right.

Identify the Rahu-Saturn pattern

Amongst the four planets I mentioned earlier—Rahu, Saturn, Ketu and Mars—Saturn and Rahu's chapters are going to be the most difficult. If you're going through Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha, or Saturn Mahadasha and Rahu Antardasha, these two time periods are going to be the most difficult phases of your life.

How do you identify this? Stay with the Dasha table. In late August 2027, he's going to enter Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha. You get a warning that the coming time phase is not the nicest, so you need to brace yourself.

Find the affected life area

Which phases of his life are going to be most affected by this difficult time phase? You'll have to study where Rahu and Saturn are placed in his main chart. You see here Saturn is placed in the house linked to marriage. Therefore, his troubles in life could be linked to marriage.

If this person is in his 20s or early 30s and is about to enter the Rahu–Saturn period, there is every chance that marriage would become very difficult, or an existing marriage could face challenges. Similarly, if Rahu and Saturn strongly influence the career house, the person is very likely to encounter career-related challenges during difficult Dashas.

Understand the speed break

I have taken the example of Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha. Similarly, the Mahadasha could be Saturn and the Antardasha Rahu. You might ask which of the two is most difficult. Let's step back a bit.

During Rahu Mahadasha, I think the native gets accustomed to experiencing new things. Things keep happening one after another. Even if life is chaotic, it's a bit of an adventure ride and you get accustomed to things moving along. As soon as you enter Saturn Antardasha within Rahu Mahadasha, you reach a speed break. You feel the impact of Saturn Antardasha under Rahu Mahadasha much more.

Compare the uphill experience

If you've been going through Saturn Mahadasha, the Antardashas would be Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus and so on, and eventually you reach Rahu Antardasha. During Saturn Mahadasha, you might get accustomed to things moving slowly in life.

As soon as you enter Rahu Antardasha, you experience some frustration. Rahu creates a strong desire to get things moving, while Saturn causes events to unfold slowly. It's like climbing uphill. During Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha, you experience a speed break, and I think its impact is felt much more.

If it's Saturn Mahadasha and Rahu Antardasha, you already know things haven't been moving quickly. Even if Rahu brings frustration, I think you'll cope better. The most difficult combination, in my view, is Rahu Mahadasha and Saturn Antardasha.

Prepare in advance

If you've identified from the Dasha table that you're going to enter this time phase in the coming year, you can prepare yourself better.

Remember the period ends

You must also remember that the entire Rahu and Saturn chapter is going to be about two or three years long, and within it you'll also go through Pratyantardashas. It's not as if this entire long time phase is going to be very difficult.

This time phase is not timeless. You know its end date, so all you can do is prepare yourself better. Knowing in advance that you are going to go through some difficulty helps you cope much better than a sudden occurrence of difficulty.