Hayanaratna · by Balabhadra
Chapter 7 · Finding the Dashas
दशानयनाधिकाराध्यायः
कैश्चिद्राशित्यागोपि ॥ तद्यथा तेजास्सिंहः ॥स्पष्टांशादीन्सप्त खेटान्सलग्नान्कृत्वांशाद्यं भुक्तमादाय तेषाम्॥योल्पांशः स्यात्तद्दशायास्तु पूर्वं स्थाप्यास्तस्मादप्यधो योधिकांश इति॥
Some also drop the signs. For example, Tejahsimha: Make the seven planets and the lagna (rising sign) exact, in degrees and so on. Take the degrees gone of each. The one with the fewest degrees: its dasha (planet period) is set first. Below it, set the one with more degrees.
Simple meaning: Tejahsimha: drop the signs. The planet with fewest degrees gets the first period.