Yogini Dasha Calculator

Find your Yogini Dasha timeline from date, time, and place of birth. Yogini Dasha is a 36-year Vedic cycle of 8 yoginis; this tool shows your starting yogini, the current Yogini Mahadasha and Antardasha, and the full timeline as the cycle repeats. Uses sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa and a 365.25-day (Julian year) dasha year.

100% private - the Yogini Dasha calculation runs entirely in your browser. No birth data sent anywhere.

Enter birth details

Supports 1900 onwards for better calculation reliability.

Birth time helps place your starting yogini accurately when the Moon is near a nakshatra boundary (~33 minute ambiguity at the bound).

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Quick facts

Full cycle36 years (sum of 8 yogini periods)
Number of yoginis8
Yogini orderMangala, Pingala, Dhanya, Bhramari, Bhadrika, Ulka, Siddha, Sankata
Years per yogini (same order)1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Starting yogini rule(Moon’s nakshatra number + 3) mod 8
RepeatsThe 36-year cycle repeats about 2 to 3 times per lifetime
ConventionThis calculator uses 365.25 days per dasha year
Required inputDate, time, and place of birth
EngineMeeus lunar theory + Lahiri ayanamsa (same engine as Kundli)
Privacy100% client-side; no birth data leaves your browser

What is Yogini Dasha?

Yogini Dasha is a Vedic planetary-period system built on a 36-year cycle of 8 yoginis. Where the more common Vimshottari Dasha spans 120 years across a single rotation of 9 lords, the Yogini cycle is short - only 36 years - so it repeats roughly 2 to 3 times across a lifetime. Each yogini is linked to a ruling graha and rules a fixed number of years from 1 to 8.

Like other nakshatra dashas, the Yogini timeline is anchored to the Moon at birth: the nakshatra the Moon occupies determines which yogini you start in, and the balance of that first yogini is proportional to how much of the nakshatra remained ahead of the Moon when you were born.

The 8 yoginis and their years

The 8 yoginis run in a fixed sequence, each with its own ruler and its own number of years. The eight values add to exactly 36, the length of one full cycle.

Order #YoginiRulerYears
1MangalaMoon1
2PingalaSun2
3DhanyaJupiter3
4BhramariMars4
5BhadrikaMercury5
6UlkaSaturn6
7SiddhaVenus7
8SankataRahu8
Total36

How your starting yogini is determined

Vedic astrology divides the sidereal zodiac into 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions). The Moon’s position at your birth lands in one nakshatra, numbered 1 to 27. The starting yogini follows a simple rule: take that nakshatra number, add 3, and divide by 8. The remainder is the yogini’s position in the sequence, where a remainder of 0 maps to the 8th yogini, Sankata.

Worked example: the Moon in Anuradha (nakshatra number 17) gives 17 + 3 = 20, and 20 divided by 8 leaves a remainder of 4, so the starting yogini is the 4th one, Bhramari. The balance of that first yogini is the fraction of the nakshatra still ahead of the Moon, times the yogini’s full years.

Because the Moon moves about 13 degrees per day, its nakshatra changes roughly every 24 hours. Near a nakshatra boundary, even a small uncertainty in birth time can shift your starting yogini to the adjacent one, so the tool flags such cases.

Yogini Mahadasha vs Antardasha

Yogini Dasha is hierarchical. The main period is the Yogini Mahadasha(1 to 8 years). Each Mahadasha is sub-divided into 8 Antardashas in the same fixed yogini sequence starting from the Mahadasha’s own yogini, with each Antardasha sized in proportion to its yogini’s years out of 36. So a 4-year Bhramari Mahadasha contains a Bhramari Antardasha of (4 / 36) x 4 years, a Bhadrika Antardasha of (5 / 36) x 4 years, and so on, summing to the full 4 years across all 8 sub-periods.

For your first (birth-balance) Mahadasha, which conceptually began before you were born, the timeline shows only the antardashas remaining from birth, starting with the one that was running at your birth moment. This calculator does not compute the deeper Pratyantardasha level for Yogini Dasha.

The 8 yoginis: names, rulers, and durations

A neutral reference for each yogini: the literal meaning of the Sanskrit name, its ruling graha, and its number of years. These are name meanings and goddess associations only. This version does not assign good or bad verdicts, symptoms, or remedies to any yogini - that interpretive layer is deliberately left out.

YoginiName meaningRulerYears
Mangalaauspicious, welfareMoon1
Pingalatawny, reddish-brownSun2
Dhanyawealthy, blessed, grainJupiter3
Bhramarithe bee (a form of Devi)Mars4
Bhadrikagentle, good, auspiciousMercury5
Ulkameteor, firebrandSaturn6
Siddhaaccomplished, perfectedVenus7
Sankatadifficulty, narrow strait (a form of Devi)Rahu8

Each Mahadasha’s length is that yogini’s years; each is sub-divided into 8 antardashas in the same order, scaled by (sub-yogini years / 36).

How to read your timeline

The output above is in three parts. Currently Running names your active Yogini Mahadasha and Antardasha with their start and end dates and an approximate time remaining. Full Yogini Timeline groups your dashas into 36-year cycles: the first group is your birth balance and partial first cycle, and the current cycle and the next are open by default while other cycles stay collapsed until you expand them. Each Mahadasha row expands to its antardashas, and your current Mahadasha is highlighted and expanded automatically.

The third part, Antardashas of your current Mahadasha, repeats the active Mahadasha’s sub-periods as a standalone table for quick reference. Time remaining is computed from today’s date in your browser, so it advances as dates pass.

Yogini vs Vimshottari Dasha

Yogini and Vimshottari are two distinct dasha systems, and traditional practice reads them together rather than picking one. The table below contrasts the two; both start from the Moon’s nakshatra but differ in cycle length, the number and identity of periods, and the sequence.

FeatureYogini DashaVimshottari Dasha
Full cycle36 years120 years
Periods8 yoginis9 planetary lords
Repeats in a lifetimeYes, about 2 to 3 timesNo, one partial rotation
Anchored toMoon’s nakshatra at birthMoon’s nakshatra at birth

For the 120-year system with its Mahadasha, Antardasha, and Pratyantardasha, Vimshottari Dasha Calculator computes your full timeline from the same birth details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Yogini Dasha?

Yogini Dasha is a Vedic planetary-period (dasha) system built on a 36-year cycle of 8 yoginis. Each yogini rules a fixed number of years (1 to 8, summing to 36) and is associated with a ruling graha. Your starting yogini is set by the Moon's nakshatra at birth, and the 8 yoginis then run in a fixed sequence. Because the cycle is only 36 years, it repeats about 2 to 3 times over a typical lifetime.

How long is the Yogini Dasha cycle?

36 years for one full cycle. The 8 yogini periods are Mangala 1 year, Pingala 2, Dhanya 3, Bhramari 4, Bhadrika 5, Ulka 6, Siddha 7, and Sankata 8, which add to exactly 36. This calculator uses a 365.25-day (Julian) dasha year; note that dasha-year length conventions vary between traditions.

How is my starting yogini calculated?

The starting yogini is found from the number of the nakshatra (1 to 27) in which the Moon sits at birth. Take the nakshatra number, add 3, and divide by 8; the remainder gives the yogini's position in the sequence (a remainder of 0 means the 8th yogini, Sankata). For example, the Moon in Anuradha (nakshatra number 17) gives (17 + 3) = 20, and 20 divided by 8 leaves 4, so the starting yogini is the 4th, Bhramari. The balance of that first yogini is proportional to how much of the Moon's nakshatra was still ahead at birth.

What are the 8 yoginis and their years?

In order: Mangala (ruler Moon) 1 year, Pingala (Sun) 2, Dhanya (Jupiter) 3, Bhramari (Mars) 4, Bhadrika (Mercury) 5, Ulka (Saturn) 6, Siddha (Venus) 7, and Sankata (Rahu) 8. The eight years-values sum to 36, the length of one full cycle.

What is the difference between Yogini Dasha and Vimshottari Dasha?

They are two different dasha systems. Vimshottari Dasha uses a 120-year cycle of 9 planetary lords and is the default system in most North Indian readings. Yogini Dasha uses a 36-year cycle of 8 yoginis. Both start from the Moon's nakshatra at birth, but they use different period lengths and a different sequence, so they are read side by side rather than as substitutes. This calculator computes the Yogini system; our Vimshottari Dasha calculator computes the other.

Can the same yogini repeat in my lifetime?

Yes. Because one Yogini cycle is only 36 years, most people live through the full 8-yogini sequence 2 to 3 times. Each repeat is a fresh 36-year cycle in the same fixed yogini order. This calculator shows your current cycle and the next by default, and lets you expand your earlier cycles back to birth.

Where does Yogini Dasha come from?

Yogini Dasha appears in the received Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (BPHS) tradition, where the dasha section enumerates the 8 yoginis (the exact verse numbering varies by edition). Some manuscript catalogs also associate Yoginidasha material with the Rudrayamala tradition. This tool follows the standard 36-year, 8-yogini scheme and the (nakshatra number + 3) mod 8 starting rule attested across independently published sources.

Does birth time matter for Yogini Dasha?

Yes. The starting yogini depends on the Moon's nakshatra, and the Moon changes nakshatra roughly every 24 hours. If your birth time places the Moon near a nakshatra boundary, a small error can shift the starting yogini to the adjacent one. The tool flags these boundary cases so you can verify your birth time (about a 33-minute window at the engine's precision).

How accurate are the dates?

The Moon position is computed from Meeus lunar theory with the Lahiri sidereal ayanamsa, the Indian Government Rashtriya Panchang convention, at approximately 0.3 degrees vs Swiss Ephemeris. That translates to a small birth-time-dependent shift in the period boundaries, largest near a nakshatra edge. Yogini period lengths use a 365.25-day (Julian) dasha year, one of several dasha-year conventions in use. Verify against a primary ephemeris if you need exact dates.

Is Yogini Dasha better or worse than Vimshottari?

Neither. They are different tools built on different period lengths, and traditional practice uses more than one dasha system as cross-references rather than ranking them. This calculator simply computes the Yogini timeline accurately so you can read it alongside your Vimshottari Dasha.

What does each yogini's name mean?

The names have literal Sanskrit meanings: Mangala (auspicious), Pingala (tawny), Dhanya (blessed or grain), Bhramari (the bee, a form of Devi), Bhadrika (gentle or good), Ulka (meteor), Siddha (accomplished), and Sankata (difficulty or narrow strait, a form of Devi). These are name meanings and goddess associations, not predictions about the corresponding period. This version is a calculator with a neutral glossary and does not assign good or bad verdicts to any yogini.

Want your full birth chart with D1 and D9 charts, planetary positions, and Vimshottari Dasha embedded? Free Kundli Generator computes the complete chart from the same birth details.

Need your Moon sign or nakshatra first? Rashi Calculator finds your Janma Rashi and the Moon’s nakshatra, which is what sets your starting yogini.

Sources

  • Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Santhanam translation) - the Yogini Dasha section of the dasha chapter for the 36-year framework and the 8-yogini enumeration. In the online Sanskrit edition the enumeration appears at chapter 46, verse 196 (verse numbering varies by edition).
  • Manuscript-catalog references associating Yoginidasha material with the Rudrayamala tradition (an association, not asserted here as primary).
  • The nakshatra-to-yogini mapping and the (nakshatra number + 3) mod 8 starting rule, cross-checked for all 27 nakshatras against the independently published table at astrobelief.com (accessed 16 July 2026); the 8-yogini order, rulers, and years additionally match the tables published at PanchangBodh and AnytimeAstro (both accessed 16 July 2026).
  • Yogini name meanings in the glossary follow standard dictionary senses (Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1899).
  • N.C. Lahiri, Indian Astronomical Ephemeris (Rashtriya Panchang) for the sidereal Lahiri ayanamsa.
  • Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, 2nd ed., 1998, for the Moon position.
Cultural / informational purposes only
Yogini Dasha results on this page are for cultural and informational purposes only. They describe a sidereal Vedic astrology reference frame, not predictions of life events, and are not a substitute for professional advice. Last updated: July 2026.