365 vs 360 days/year in the Vimshottari Dasa

1. Referring the statement in Phala Deepika (page 196) for mahadasa calculation to take the Solar
year, which is the time taken by the Sun to complete one round of the Zodiac from any reference
position, Prof. K.S. Krishnamurti has guided to adopt the Solar year of 365.25 days alone for
calculating the Vimshottari Dasa system, but to take 360 days/ a year for easy calculation of sub sub
(DBAS) dasa periods. (KP Reader I, pages 96-97)
2. This length of the Solar year is in line with the following references:
1) According to the present universally used Gregorian calendar, the average year is 365.2425 days,
which is applied in the SWs like KPAstro 4.1, KPStarOne, JHora.
2) The moderns take the mean length of the sidereal Solar year to be of 365.2564 days (365d-6h9m-9.50 sec).
3) In Surya Siddhanta, the length of the sideral Solar year is 365.2587 days (365. gh 15.31.30),
which is longer than the above mean length (365.2564) by about 3m19sec only.
4) In Siddhanta Siromani, a Solar year consists of 365.2584 days (365. gh 15.30.22), which is longer
than the above mean length (365.2564) by about 2m53sec only.
3. Some remarks on the 360 day year are as given under.
1) The 360 day year doesn't refer to the length of a Solar year (365.25 days) or Lunar year (360
tithis, about 354.36 solar days) and is called a Savan year or the civil year. Nowadays it is not in use
in any part of the world except for sacrificial purposes particularly for the Soma-yajna.
2) In Surya Siddhanta, the Solar month is said to have 30.4382266 days (30. gh 26.17.37) and the
Lunar month has 29.5305833 days (29. gh 31.50.6). The difference of 0.907643 days (gh 54.27.31)
gets corrected by one intercalary month after every 32 months and 15.246 days. For the pure Lunar
year of about 340 days, the panchangs in India are corrected to be in line with the solar year by
adding one adhika masa every 3 years or so.
3) By taking a month of 30 days and a year of 360 days, one cannot go by the universally used
Gregorian calendar. If the 360 day year rather than the 365 day year is used for the mahadasa
calculation, the gap between them would become more divergent with the dasa period, i.e. 6.25
days (365.25-360) after 1 year, 31.5 days (6.25x6) after 5 years, about 6 months after 35 years, a
whole year after 70 years, and a native may have to celebrate his 72 birthday even while he has yet
to complete his 71st year under Vimshottari dasa of the 365 day year.
4) The simplicity of calculation by dividing the year into months by multiplying by 12 and further
converting into days by multiplying of 30 in the calculation of the dasa balance at birth and sub sub
(Dasa-Bhukti-Antra-Sookshma) dasa periods (in Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra, Phala Deepika,
Tables of Bhukti and Anthara etc) cannot be understood as taking a 360 day year - 12 months x 30
days per month. The year is taken as 365.25 days. The actual dates computed by rigorous
calculations by taking actual days of the months and by this simple method differ only by a few days;
accurate practically for all astrological purposes.
4. Observation
1) By taking a month of 30 days and a year of 360 days, one cannot go by the universally used
Gregorian calendar. If the 360 day year rather than the 365 day year is used for the mahadasa
calculation, the gap between them would become more divergent with the dasa period, i.e. 6.25
days (365.25-360) after 1 year, 31.5 days (6.25x6) after 5 years, about 6 months after 35 years, a

whole year after 70 years, and a native may have to celebrate his 72 birthday even while he has yet
to complete his 71st year under Vimshottari dasa of the 365 day/year.
2) As far as my study goes, the 365 days/year Vimshottari dasa starting from Moon has been used
by all well known astrologers, like Dr. B V Raman, Prof. K S Krishnamurti, Prof. P S Sastri, J.N.
Basin, Bepin Behari, K N Rao, Sajay Rath, V. K. Choudhry, Dr. K.S. Charak, P.V.R. Rayudu.
3) Some astrologers like Sadasiva Giri, Hira Gulrajani, N. Sundara Rajan, Rohini Ranjan, have used
the regular solar year of 360 days. Since the 360 day year dasa option is already incorporated in the
SWs like KPAstro 4.1, JHora, the statistical study can be done easily to prove whether the 360 day
year gives the better results.
4) The bottom line is that one can use what works better for him as an individual astrologer, while
simultaneously respecting the personal preferences of others.
References
Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra
https://groups.yahoo.com//k_p/conversations/messages/37522
Dasa-Bhukti Computation- 360 or 365 Days by N. Sundara Rajan, The Astrological Magazine,
January 2004
For Beginners in Jyotish-3 by Rohini Ranjan
http://www.boloji.com/astro/00308b.htm
How Long is a Year in Vimsottari Mahadasa? by Jyotish Sastri, The Astrological Magazine, October
& November 2000
http://www.shyamasundaradasa.com//how/how_long_year_1.html
How many Days Make a Year? by Prof. P S Sastri, The Astrological Magazine, June 1987
In Quest of Origin of Parasars Vimshottary Dasa-Period by K.R. Kar in KP & Astrology Year Book
2004
Know your Dasha by All India Astrological Services
http://www.hinduastrology.com/learnastrology/dasha.asp
KP Reader I, by K.S. Krishnamurti
Phala Deepika, translated by S.S. Sareen
Table of Duration of Dasa, Bhukti and Anthara in Vimshottari Dasa in: PROF. K. S.
KRISHNAMURTI'S Advance Emphemeris for 1991 to 2000 by B. Bala
Timing Events Through Vimshottari Dasha by KN Rao
Vimottari & Udu Dasas by Sanjay Rath