The 27 Nakshatras: Your Lunar Mansion Guide

If you think knowing your Sun, Moon, and rising signs gives you the complete astrological picture, Vedic astrology has a surprise for you: the Nakshatras. These 27 lunar mansions form the backbone of Vedic astrology's predictive power and psychological depth, revealing layers of your personality and karma that zodiac signs alone can't touch.

While Western astrology largely abandoned the lunar mansions (though they were known to ancient Greek astrologers), Vedic astrology has preserved and developed them into a sophisticated system that's essential to every chart interpretation. Your birth Nakshatra—the lunar mansion where your Moon was positioned at birth—says as much about you as your sun sign, if not more.

Let's explore this uniquely Vedic concept that bridges astronomy, mythology, and psychology into a profound tool for self-understanding.

What Are Nakshatras?

The word Nakshatra comes from Sanskrit: naksha (map) + tra (guard), meaning "that which does not decay" or "star map." Nakshatras are the 27 (sometimes 28) divisions of the ecliptic that the Moon travels through during its monthly cycle around Earth.

While the twelve zodiac signs divide the 360° ecliptic into segments of 30° each, the Nakshatras divide it into 27 segments of 13°20' each. This means each zodiac sign contains approximately 2.25 Nakshatras, providing much finer granularity than signs alone.

The Moon moves through one complete Nakshatra in approximately one day, spending about 2.25 days in each zodiac sign. This rapid movement makes the Nakshatras especially important for the Moon's position but also relevant for all planets.

Historical Roots

The Nakshatras are among the oldest components of Vedic astrology, mentioned in the Rig Veda (the oldest Vedic text, dating to at least 1500 BCE). They were originally used for calendar-keeping, agricultural timing, and ritual purposes before being integrated into predictive astrology.

Each Nakshatra is associated with:

• A specific range of degrees (13°20')


• A ruling planet (different from zodiac sign rulers)


• A presiding deity from Hindu mythology


• A symbol representing its energy


• Specific qualities, characteristics, and themes


• Animals, sounds, colors, and body parts

The 27 Nakshatras: Complete List

Let's look at all 27 Nakshatras in order as they appear along the zodiac:

Aries (0° - 30°)

1. Ashwini (0°00' - 13°20' Aries)

• Ruler: ketu
• Deity: Ashwini Kumaras (divine twin physicians)
• Symbol: Horse's head
• Quality: Swift, healing, pioneering, impulsive
• Theme: New beginnings, healing, speed

2. Bharani (13°20' - 26°40' Aries)

• Ruler: Venus
• Deity: Yama (god of death and dharma)
• Symbol: Yoni (womb/vagina)
• Quality: Creative, sexual, intense, transformative
• Theme: Birth, death, restraint, creativity

3. Krittika (26°40' Aries - 10°00' Taurus)

• Ruler: Sun
• Deity: Agni (fire god)
• Symbol: Flame, razor, axe
• Quality: Sharp, cutting, purifying, critical
• Theme: Burning away impurities, criticism, nurturing

Taurus (0° - 30°)

4. Rohini (10°00' - 23°20' Taurus)

• Ruler: Moon
• Deity: Brahma (creator god)
• Symbol: Ox cart, chariot
• Quality: Beautiful, fertile, materialistic, fixed
• Theme: Growth, beauty, desire, creation

5. Mrigashira (23°20' Taurus - 6°40' Gemini)

• Ruler: Mars
• Deity: Soma (moon god)
• Symbol: Deer's head
• Quality: Searching, gentle, curious, restless
• Theme: The quest, searching, exploration

Gemini (0° - 30°)

6. Ardra (6°40' - 20°00' Gemini)

• Ruler: rahu
• Deity: Rudra (storm god, fierce form of Shiva)
• Symbol: Teardrop, diamond
• Quality: Intense, transformative, destructive, penetrating
• Theme: Storms, upheaval, intellectual intensity

7. Punarvasu (20°00' Gemini - 3°20' Cancer)

• Ruler: Jupiter
• Deity: Aditi (mother of gods)
• Symbol: Quiver of arrows, house
• Quality: Renewal, return, nurturing, philosophical
• Theme: Return to source, repetition, restoration

Cancer (0° - 30°)

8. Pushya (3°20' - 16°40' Cancer)

• Ruler: Saturn
• Deity: Brihaspati (Jupiter as priest of gods)
• Symbol: Cow's udder, lotus, arrow
• Quality: Nourishing, spiritual, auspicious, disciplined
• Theme: Nourishment, spirituality, peak expression

9. Ashlesha (16°40' - 30°00' Cancer)

• Ruler: Mercury
• Deity: Nagas (serpent deities)
• Symbol: Coiled serpent
• Quality: Serpentine, mysterious, penetrating, seductive
• Theme: Kundalini, wisdom, entanglement, mysticism

Leo (0° - 30°)

10. Magha (0°00' - 13°20' Leo)

• Ruler: Ketu
• Deity: Pitris (ancestral spirits)
• Symbol: Throne room, palanquin
• Quality: Regal, ancestral, authoritative, traditional
• Theme: Ancestry, tradition, kingship, legacy

11. Purva Phalguni (13°20' - 26°40' Leo)

• Ruler: Venus
• Deity: Bhaga (god of marital bliss)
• Symbol: Front legs of bed, hammock
• Quality: Pleasure-loving, creative, relaxed, artistic
• Theme: Romance, procreation, enjoyment, rest

12. Uttara Phalguni (26°40' Leo - 10°00' Virgo)

• Ruler: Sun
• Deity: Aryaman (god of contracts and partnerships)
• Symbol: Back legs of bed
• Quality: Generous, helpful, friendly, contractual
• Theme: Partnership, patronage, agreements, service

Virgo (0° - 30°)

13. Hasta (10°00' - 23°20' Virgo)

• Ruler: Moon
• Deity: Savitar (sun god, creative aspect)
• Symbol: Hand, fist
• Quality: Skillful, crafty, clever, dexterous
• Theme: Skill, craft, manifestation, sleight of hand

14. Chitra (23°20' Virgo - 6°40' Libra)

• Ruler: Mars
• Deity: Tvashtar (divine architect)
• Symbol: Bright jewel, pearl
• Quality: Bright, charismatic, artistic, illusory
• Theme: Beauty, design, illusion, architecture

Libra (0° - 30°)

15. Swati (6°40' - 20°00' Libra)

• Ruler: Rahu
• Deity: Vayu (wind god)
• Symbol: Young shoot blowing in wind, coral
• Quality: Independent, scattered, adaptable, flexible
• Theme: Independence, flexibility, trade, movement

16. Vishakha (20°00' Libra - 3°20' Scorpio)

• Ruler: Jupiter
• Deity: Indra-Agni (king of gods and fire god)
• Symbol: Triumphal archway, potter's wheel
• Quality: Goal-oriented, ambitious, focused, dual
• Theme: Achievement, determination, fork in road

Scorpio (0° - 30°)

17. Anuradha (3°20' - 16°40' Scorpio)

• Ruler: Saturn
• Deity: Mitra (god of friendship)
• Symbol: Lotus flower, triumphal archway
• Quality: Devoted, friendly, balanced, successful
• Theme: Friendship, devotion, balance, success

18. Jyeshtha (16°40' - 30°00' Scorpio)

• Ruler: Mercury
• Deity: Indra (king of gods)
• Symbol: Circular amulet, umbrella, earring
• Quality: Senior, protective, authoritative, intense
• Theme: Seniority, protection, power, occult knowledge

Sagittarius (0° - 30°)

19. Mula (0°00' - 13°20' Sagittarius)

• Ruler: Ketu
• Deity: Nirriti (goddess of destruction)
• Symbol: Tied roots, elephant goad
• Quality: Destructive, foundational, investigative, transformative
• Theme: Getting to root, destruction before creation

20. Purva Ashadha (13°20' - 26°40' Sagittarius)

• Ruler: Venus
• Deity: Apas (water goddess)
• Symbol: Elephant tusk, fan, winnowing basket
• Quality: Invincible, purifying, proud, victorious
• Theme: Invincibility, purification, declaration

21. Uttara Ashadha (26°40' Sagittarius - 10°00' Capricorn)

• Ruler: Sun
• Deity: Vishvadevas (universal gods)
• Symbol: Elephant tusk, small bed
• Quality: Noble, righteous, ambitious, concerned with social welfare
• Theme: Final victory, righteousness, leadership

Capricorn (0° - 30°)

22. Shravana (10°00' - 23°20' Capricorn)

• Ruler: Moon
• Deity: Vishnu (preserver god)
• Symbol: Ear, three footprints
• Quality: Listening, learning, connecting, pervasive
• Theme: Listening, learning, connecting disparate elements

23. Dhanishta (23°20' Capricorn - 6°40' Aquarius)

• Ruler: Mars
• Deity: Eight Vasus (elemental deities)
• Symbol: Drum, flute
• Quality: Musical, wealthy, rhythmic, generous
• Theme: Abundance, music, rhythm, group activities

Aquarius (0° - 30°)

24. Shatabhisha (6°40' - 20°00' Aquarius)

• Ruler: Rahu
• Deity: Varuna (god of cosmic waters)
• Symbol: Empty circle, 100 flowers, 100 physicians
• Quality: Healing, secretive, mystical, reclusive
• Theme: Healing, secrets, mysticism, isolation

25. Purva Bhadrapada (20°00' Aquarius - 3°20' Pisces)

• Ruler: Jupiter
• Deity: Aja Ekapada (one-footed goat, form of Rudra)
• Symbol: Front legs of funeral cot, two-faced man, sword
• Quality: Intense, passionate, philosophical, dual-natured
• Theme: Transformation, idealism, purification through fire

Pisces (0° - 30°)

26. Uttara Bhadrapada (3°20' - 16°40' Pisces)

• Ruler: Saturn
• Deity: Ahir Budhnya (serpent of the deep)
• Symbol: Back legs of funeral cot, twins
• Quality: Deep, patient, wise, contemplative
• Theme: Depth, wisdom, connection to cosmic mysteries

27. Revati (16°40' - 30°00' Pisces)

• Ruler: Mercury
• Deity: Pushan (nourisher, protector of travelers)
• Symbol: Fish, drum
• Quality: Wealthy, nourishing, protective, journey-ending
• Theme: Completion, nourishment, safe passage, wealth

How Nakshatras Work in Practice

Determining Your Starting Dasha

Your birth Nakshatra has a crucial practical function: it determines which planetary period (dasha) you're born into. The Vimshottari Dasha system—Vedic astrology's primary timing technique—is calculated based on your Moon's Nakshatra position at birth.

Each Nakshatra is ruled by one of the nine planets in a repeating sequence (Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury). You're born into that planet's dasha, and the specific degree within the Nakshatra determines how much of that period you've already completed.

For example, if you're born with Moon at 5° Aries (Ashwini Nakshatra, ruled by Ketu), you'll begin life in Ketu dasha. The exact degree tells us how many of Ketu's 7-year period remains.

This makes the Nakshatra absolutely central to predictive astrology. To learn more about how the dasha system works, read our guide on Vedic Dasha systems.

Psychological and Karmic Insight

Your birth Nakshatra reveals psychological patterns and karmic themes beyond what your zodiac sign shows:

• Ashwini natives are swift, pioneering healers, always rushing to new beginnings
• Bharani natives deal with themes of creative restraint, sexuality, and transformation
• Rohini natives are beautiful, materialistic, and deeply connected to growth and fertility
• Ardra natives experience intense storms of change and intellectual penetration
• Pushya natives are spiritually nourishing, often religious or devoted to causes

The deity associated with each Nakshatra provides mythological context. For instance, Ashlesha's serpent deity (Nagas) connects to kundalini energy, mysticism, and the ability to penetrate mysteries—themes that manifest in Ashlesha natives' lives.

Compatibility and Relationships

Vedic astrology uses Nakshatras extensively in compatibility analysis (called Guna Milan or Ashtakoota). When matching potential partners, astrologers compare:

• Nakshatra compatibility (certain Nakshatras naturally harmonize or clash)
• Nakshatra lords (planetary ruler compatibility)
• Gender of Nakshatras (masculine/feminine balance)
• Ganas (temperament: divine, human, demon)

This system provides much more nuanced compatibility assessment than comparing Sun signs alone. Two people might have compatible zodiac signs but incompatible Nakshatras, or vice versa.

Muhurta: Electional Astrology

Nakshatras are crucial for muhurta—selecting auspicious timing for important events like weddings, business launches, surgeries, or travel.

Certain Nakshatras are considered generally auspicious (like Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati), while others are challenging (like Ardra, Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Mula). The Moon's transit through Nakshatras is carefully tracked to time activities appropriately.

This practical application shows how Nakshatras bridge cosmic patterns with daily life decisions.

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Beyond the Birth Nakshatra

While your Moon's Nakshatra is most emphasized (it's called your Janma Nakshatra or birth star), Vedic astrology also considers:

Sun's Nakshatra: Your soul purpose and life direction themes

ascendant Nakshatra: Physical characteristics and life approach

Other planetary Nakshatras: Each planet's Nakshatra adds flavor to how that planet expresses

Additionally, Vedic astrology tracks:

• Janma Nakshatra: Your birth Nakshatra
• Sampat Nakshatra: 2nd and 3rd from birth Nakshatra (wealth)
• Vipat Nakshatra: 4th and 5th (danger)
• Kshema Nakshatra: 6th and 7th (well-being)
• Pratyak Nakshatra: 8th and 9th (obstacles)
• Sadhaka Nakshatra: 10th and 11th (achievement)
• Vadha Nakshatra: 12th and 13th (destruction)
• And so on through 27...

When the Moon transits certain Nakshatras relative to your birth Nakshatra, it creates favorable or challenging periods for various activities.

The 28th Nakshatra: Abhijit

Traditional texts sometimes reference a 28th Nakshatra called Abhijit, occupying a small portion between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana (approximately 6°40' to 10°40' Capricorn). However, most modern Vedic astrology uses the 27-Nakshatra system, treating Abhijit as an intercalary division used only for special muhurta purposes.

Abhijit is considered the most auspicious Nakshatra, and some astrologers use it for selecting especially important timings, but it's not used in dasha calculations or regular chart interpretation.

Practical Application: Finding Your Nakshatra

To discover your birth Nakshatra:

Calculate your Vedic birth chart using an accurate Vedic astrology calculator (you'll need exact birth date, time, and location)

Locate your Moon's position in degrees (e.g., "Moon at 18°30' Scorpio")

Identify the Nakshatra: Each 13°20' segment corresponds to one Nakshatra. At 18°30' Scorpio, you'd be in Jyeshtha Nakshatra (which runs from 16°40' to 30°00' Scorpio)

Note the pada (quarter): Each Nakshatra is divided into four padas of 3°20' each, corresponding to the four Navamsha divisions. Your pada adds another layer of interpretation

Read about your Nakshatra's qualities: Explore the mythology, deity, ruling planet, and themes associated with your birth star

Most Vedic astrology software will automatically calculate and display your Nakshatra, making this process easy.

Integrating Nakshatras with Other Techniques

Nakshatras don't stand alone—they integrate with other Vedic astrology techniques:

With zodiac signs: Your Nakshatra refines your sign placement. Two people with Moon in Scorpio might have very different experiences if one is in Vishakha (ambitious, goal-oriented) and the other in Jyeshtha (powerful, occult-oriented).

With divisional charts: The Nakshatra and pada determine Navamsha placement, crucial for understanding marriage and soul purpose.

With dashas: As mentioned, Nakshatras determine your dasha starting point and sequence.

With transits: The Moon's transit through Nakshatras creates a detailed monthly calendar of favorable and unfavorable days.

This integration makes Nakshatras essential to comprehensive Vedic chart analysis rather than an isolated technique.

The Cosmic Web

The Nakshatras represent one of Vedic astrology's most distinctive and powerful features—a system that combines astronomical precision with mythological depth to reveal patterns of destiny, personality, and timing that zodiac signs alone can't access.

Whether you're exploring Vedic astrology for the first time or deepening your existing practice, understanding the Nakshatras opens doorways to prediction, self-knowledge, and cosmic connection that have guided millions of people for thousands of years.

Your birth Nakshatra is a cosmic address more specific than your zodiac sign—it's the particular star mansion where your Moon resided when you took your first breath, linking you to specific deities, themes, and karmic patterns that will unfold throughout your life.

To understand the complete context of Vedic astrology and how Nakshatras fit into the larger system, explore our introduction to Vedic astrology. And to see how Vedic astrology's approach differs from Western astrology, read our comparison article on Vedic vs Western astrology.

Related Articles:

• Dasha System Explained


• Vedic Vs Western