Mercury mahadasha
17 years of the 120-year vimshottari cycle
Commerce and intellect. Trade, writing, networks and wit; fortunes multiply through communication. Nervous energy is the tax.
Sub-periods
Every mahadasha divides into nine antardashas in the same planetary order, starting with the mahadasha lord's own — so a Mercury mahadasha opens with Mercury–Mercury, its most concentrated stretch. Each antardasha's length is proportional: the Mercury–X antardasha runs 17 × X's years ÷ 120.
When does yours run? The dasha calculator gives your full timeline with current maha- and antardasha.