Shashtihayani Dasha as per BPHS: Rules, Nakshatra Calculation & Case Studies of Boris Becker & Greg Chappell

Boris Becker was unseeded when he won Wimbledon at the age of 17

As per Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Chapter 47, Shlokas 40–41), if the Sun is placed in the Lagna, the Shashtihayani Dasha is applicable.

Calculation: The Dasha is calculated based on the Nakshatra of the Moon at birth.

• Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika: Jupiter Dasha (10 years)

• Rohini, Mrigshira, Ardra, Punarvasu: Sun Dasha (10 years)

• Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha: Mars Dasha (10 years)

• Purvaphalguni, Uttaraphalguni, Hasta, Chitra: Moon Dasha (6 years)

• Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha: Mercury Dasha (6 years)

• Jyeshtha, Mula, Purvashadha, Uttarashadha: Venus Dasha (6 years)

• Abhijit, Shravana, Dhanishtha: Saturn Dasha (6 years)

• Shatabhisha, Purvabhadrapada, Uttarabhadrapada, Revati: Rahu Dasha (6 years)

Abhijit Nakshatra (in Capricorn, from 6°40' to 10°53'20") is used in the calculation. Ketu Dasha will never occur in this Dasha system.

The order of the Dashas depends on the birth Nakshatra and follows the sequence: Jupiter → Sun → Mars → Moon → Mercury → Venus → Saturn → Rahu.

To illustrate this Dasha, I am using the horoscopes of two sports stars: Boris Becker (AA rating) and Greg Chappell. Both horoscopes are sourced from Astrodatabank with AA and A ratings, respectively. In both charts, the Sun is placed in the Lagna, making the Shashtihayani Dasha applicable.

The Sun is the 10th lord.

Horoscope of Boris Beckar [ Rashi Chart] Rodden rating AA

Navamnsa Chart of Boris Beckar

Shastihayani Dasha of Boris Beckar

Shastihayani Dasha of Boris Beckar

As a teenager, Becker won the Tennis World Young Masters at the NEC in Birmingham in 1985, before taking his first top-level singles title in June that year at Queen's Club. Two weeks later, on 7 July, he became the first unseeded player and the first German to win the Wimbledon singles title, defeating Kevin Curren in four sets. In the third round against Joakim Nyström, Nyström had twice served for the match before Becker won. Becker was then ranked 20th in ATP ranking and was unseeded, as Wimbledon at that time did not seed players beyond the top 16.

For sports, we should focus on the 3rd house and 3rd lord. In his case, the 3rd house is under the aspect of Moon (9th lord), and Moon also represents art. Moon is strong in Paksha Balam.  The 3rd lord Saturn is very well placed in the 5th house (intelligence, acumen) under the aspect of Mars (Lagna lord, energy) and Venus (power to show the art). It is important to note that Jupiter, the 5th lord, aspects Lagna lord Mars, and the controlled Mars (energy) aspects the 3rd lord. Thus, Lagna lord Mars and 5th lord Jupiter aspect Saturn indirectly (3rd lord, sports), and 9th lord Moon aspects the 3rd house.

Saturn is also the 4th lord in Scorpio Lagna, so the aspect of Mars (as Lagna lord) on Saturn and the aspect of Saturn on Mars form a Rajyoga, because the Lagna lord behaves both as Kendra and Trikona lord. The Mars-Saturn connection gives a warrior personality and, under the current Desh-Kaal-Patra, also gives the personality of a sports person.

He was under the Shashtihayani Dasha of Mercury-Saturn-Moon on 7 July 1985.The Mahadasha lord Mercury, as 8th and 11th lord, is in the 12th house under sign exchange with Venus[12^th Lord] in the 11th house. The 11th house is the house of gains, fulfilment of desires, and victory.

Saturn, the Antardasha lord, is not only in the 5th house but under the influence of Mars (energy, Lagna lord, Rajyoga), Venus (7th and 12th lord, foreign land), and Mercury (due to sign exchange as 11th lord, victory, and 8th lord, surprise).

Moon, the Pratyantardasha lord, is very well placed in its own house in the 9th house (luck), aspecting the 3rd house (sports).In D-9, Mercury, though debilitated, is under the aspect of exalted 5th lord Jupiter (a blessing); Antardasha lord Saturn is exalted in the 12th house (foreign land); and Pratyantardasha lord Moon is in Rajyoga due to conjunction with 10th lord Sun. This perfectly justifies the glorious achievement.

In transit on 7^th July 1985, the Mahadasha lord Mercury was in Cancer, aspecting the 3rd house of sports. The Antardasha lord Saturn, was exalted, aspecting the 9th lord, Moon and the 9th house. Jupiter in transit was in Capricorn in the 3rd house (sports) and aspecting the 9th house and 9th lord Moon, making him very lucky to win the title as the youngest player—a record later broken by Michael Chang in 1989, who won the French Open at 17 years, 110 days. Both Saturn [Kaal] and Jupiter [Blessings] activated the 9^th House and 9^th Lord Moon.

Boris Becker officially announced his retirement on June 25, 1999, immediately following his fourth-round loss to Patrick Rafter at Wimbledon. He was under the Shashtihayani Dasha of Saturn-Mars-Venus. Saturn and Mars are aspecting each other, forming a Rajyoga—then why did he take retirement? In transit, Saturn, the Mahadasha Lord, was in Aries, and Antardasha lord Mars was in Libra, activating the 6-12 axis, where the 12th house is the house of retirement. Saturn (Kaal) and Jupiter (blessings) in transit both aspect the Libra sign from Aries, the 12th house of retirement. The Pratyantardasha lord was Venus, the 12th lord.

Now, let me take the other example of the great Australian cricketer Greg Chappell. In his chart, the Sun is in the Lagna, so the Shashtihayani Dasha is applicable.

Picture of Greg Chappell in 4th Ashes Test, SCG, January 4th, 1975

Horoscope of Greg Chappell [ Rashi Chart ] Rodden Rating A

Navamnsa Chart of Greg Chappell

Shastihayani Dasha of Greg Chappell

Shastihayani Dasha of Greg Chappell

Greg Chappell scored a maximum of 4 centuries in a calendar year in 1975. These were all in Test cricket:

• 144 vs England (Sydney, January 4, 1975)

• 102 vs England (Melbourne, February 8, 1975)

• 123 vs West Indies (Brisbane, November 28, 1975)

• 109* vs West Indies (Brisbane, December 1975 – same match as the previous, centuries in both innings)

·         This is his highest in any single year, ahead of years like 1974 (2 Test centuries) and 1982 (3 Test centuries). He was under the Shashtihayani Dasha of Rahu-Mars (24th Nov 1974 onwards till 24th Nov 1975) and later Rahu-Moon (24th Nov to 16th December 1975). For Cancer Lagna, Mars is the Yogakaraka, being the lord of the 5th and 10th, placed in the 3rd house of talent, self-effort, and sports. Also, Mars makes the relation between the 3rd house (sports) and 10th house (occupation, honour).In D-9, Mars as 9th lord aspects the 3rd lord Venus and the 10th house (honour). Mars (9th lord) is under sign exchange with Mercury (4th lord), making a strong Rajyoga further galvanised by the aspect of Jupiter (10th lord) and Saturn (11th lord).

·         Moon, the Lagna lord, though weak in Paksha Bala, is under sign exchange with Sun, the 2nd lord. As per Jatakaalankara (Chapter 6, Shloka 1): When Lagna lord is in the 2nd house and 2nd lord in Lagna, the native is wealthy, intelligent, of good character, engaged in noble deeds, and enjoys numerous worldly pleasures. Moreover, Moon (Lagna lord, both Kendra and Trikona) + Saturn (7th lord) = Rajyoga.In D-9, Moon in the 6th house (fight) as 5th lord under the aspect of Jupiter as 10th lord—a very potent Rajyoga justifying his exemplary performance.

He retired from cricket on 6th January 1984 under the Shashtihayani Dasha of Jupiter-Moon-Sun. Moon and Sun are under sign exchange, with Sun as Pratyantardasha lord in Lagna, conjunct with 12th lord Mercury, hinting at retirement. The Antardasha lord Moon is also under indirect conjunction with Mercury, the 12th lord (retirement). The Mahadasha lord Jupiter was transiting the 6th house (Sagittarius) from Lagna, aspecting the 12th house of retirement. Saturn (Kaal) was aspecting the 12th lord Mercury, fully justifying his retirement. Thus, both Jupiter and Saturn were activating the 12th house (Gemini) and its lord Mercury, the house of retirement.

Conclusion

The Shashtihayani Dasha, as described in Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra (Chapter 47, Shlokas 40–41), applies when the Sun is placed in the Lagna. Its unique structure—based on the Moon's birth Nakshatra, incorporating Abhijit Nakshatra, following the fixed planetary sequence (Jupiter → Sun → Mars → Moon → Mercury → Venus → Saturn → Rahu), and excluding Ketu—provides a specialised tool for timing events in such horoscopes.

The horoscopes of Boris Becker (Scorpio Lagna) and Greg Chappell (Cancer Lagna), both with Sun in Lagna and sourced from Astrodatabank with high reliability ratings, effectively illustrate the working of this Dasha. In Becker's chart, the Mercury-Saturn-Moon period perfectly timed his historic Wimbledon victory in 1985, supported by strong Rajyogas, beneficial placements, and favourable transits. Conversely, his retirement in 1999 under Saturn-Mars-Venus highlighted the activation of the 12th house axis.

Similarly, Greg Chappell's exceptional performance in 1975, with four Test centuries, occurred under Rahu-Mars and Rahu-Moon, justified by powerful Yogakaraka Mars and multiple Rajyogas. His retirement in 1984 under Jupiter-Moon-Sun was clearly indicated by the involvement of the 12th lord and transits activating the house of retirement. These examples demonstrate that the Shashtihayani Dasha accurately reflects both peaks of achievement and periods of withdrawal in the lives of sports personalities with Sun in Lagna, validating its efficacy as a conditional Dasha system.

“You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards, and when you reach your limits, that is real joy.”— Arthur Ashe (Tennis Legend & Wimbledon Champion)

Published in Express Star Teller May 2026

Written and researched by Sunil Dutt