Uḍu Daśa

उडु uḍu means (1) a star, (2) a lunar mansion in the moon’s path [Varāhamihira Bṛhat Saṁhitā] and (3) water. The uḍu daśā are नक्षत्र (nakṣatra) based daśā where the अधरिक (adharika) or subordinate, is the graha which is subordinate to the nakṣatra. Although Parāśara has used a slightly different word आधारिक (ādhārika) referring to the nakṣatra as the foundation for these daśā.

To understand these daśa consider the graha as small balls of karma sandwiched between two slices of the zodiac – (1) first with twelve signs called rāśi chakra at the bottom and (2) second with 27/28 mansions called nakṣatra chakra at the top. For this reason, it is said that the influence of the Sun (ruling rāśi chakra) is in the trunk of the body which is called sūrya maṇḍala whereas the influence of the Moon (ruling nakṣatra chakra) is higher above in the head which is called soma maṇḍala. This is the tri-maṇḍala śarīra view comprising bhū-bhuva-svaḥ.

To study all ten uḍu daśā we must visualise the nakṣatra maṇḍala on top of the head with the graha floating under it in the region of the neck. Further we have to be clear as to whether to use the 27-nakṣatra circular maṇḍala or the 28-nakṣatra square maṇḍala for each uḍu daśā.

Maharṣi Parāśara lists other daśā as a separate list starting with the word अथ (atha) from śloka 46.6-11. These include kāladaśā, cakradaśā, kālacakradaśā[1]; caraparyāyā and sthiraparyāyā[2]; Kendra daśa, kārakā kendra daśa and kārakā kendra graha daśa[3]; brahmā-grahāśrita daśa[4]; Maṇḍūka daśa and Śūla daśa[5]; Yogardha daśa, Dṛg daśa, Trikoṇa daśa and Rāśi daśa (Nārāyaṇa 3 types)[6]; Pañca Svara daśa, Yogini daśa[7]; Piṇḍa, Aṁśa and Naisargika (āyus) daśa[8]; Aṣṭakavarga daśa, Saṅdhyā daśa, Pācaka daśa[9];

[1] अथा कालदशा चक्रदशा प्रोक्ता मुनीश्वरैः। कालचक्रदशा चाऽया मान्यासर्वदशासु या॥ ६॥

athā kāladaśā cakradaśā proktā munīśvaraiḥ | kālacakradaśā cā’yā mānyāsarvadaśāsu yā || 6||

[2] दशाऽथ चरपर्याया स्थिराख्या च दशा द्विज। daśā’tha caraparyāyā sthirākhyā ca daśā dvija 7½

[3] केन्द्राद्‌य च दशा ज्ञेया कारकादिग्रहोद्‌भवा॥ ७॥ kendrādya ca daśā jñeyā kārakādigrahodbhavā 7½

[4] ब्रह्मग्रहाश्रितर्क्षाद्या दशा प्रोक्ता तु केनचित्‌। brahmagrahāśritarkṣādyā daśā proktā tu kenacit 8½

[5] माण्डूकी च दशा नाम तथा स्थूलदशा स्मृता॥ ८॥ māṇḍūkī ca daśā nāma tathā sthūladaśā smṛtā 8½

[6] योगार्धजदशा विप्र दृग्‌दशा च ततः परम्‌। त्रिकोणाख्या दशा नाम तथा राशिदशा स्मृता॥ ९॥

yogārdhajadaśā vipra dṛgdaśā ca tataḥ param | trikoṇākhyā daśā nāma tathā rāśidaśā smṛtā || 9||

[7] पञ्चस्वरदशा विप्र विज्ञेया योगिनीदशा। pañcasvaradaśā vipra vijñeyā yoginīdaśā 10½

[8] दशा पैण्डी तथांशी च नैसर्गिकदशा तथा॥ १०॥ daśā paiṇḍī tathāṁśī ca naisargikadaśā tathā 10½

[9] अष्टवर्गदश सन्ध्यादसा पाचकसंज्ञिका। aṣṭavargadaśa sandhyādasā pācakasaṁjñikā 11½