The 27 Nakshatras — Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology

What Are Nakshatras?

The Nakshatras (नक्षत्र) are 27 lunar mansions — segments of the ecliptic through which the Moon travels during its monthly cycle. Each Nakshatra spans 13°20' of the zodiac, and together they cover all 360°.

While the 12 Rashis (zodiac signs) provide a broad framework, the Nakshatras add an incredibly detailed layer of analysis. Your birth Nakshatra (Janma Nakshatra) — determined by the Moon's position at birth — is considered one of the most important factors in Vedic astrology.

The 27 Nakshatras at a Glance

#	Nakshatra	Span	Lord	Deity	Symbol
1	Ashwini	0°–13°20' Aries	Ketu	Ashwini Kumaras	Horse head
2	Bharani	13°20'–26°40' Aries	Venus	Yama	Yoni (womb)
3	Krittika	26°40' Aries–10° Taurus	Sun	Agni	Razor/flame
4	Rohini	10°–23°20' Taurus	Moon	Brahma	Chariot/ox cart
5	Mrigashira	23°20' Taurus–6°40' Gemini	Mars	Soma	Deer's head
6	Ardra	6°40'–20° Gemini	Rahu	Rudra	Teardrop
7	Punarvasu	20° Gemini–3°20' Cancer	Jupiter	Aditi	Bow & quiver
8	Pushya	3°20'–16°40' Cancer	Saturn	Brihaspati	Lotus/arrow
9	Ashlesha	16°40'–30° Cancer	Mercury	Nagas	Coiled serpent
10	Magha	0°–13°20' Leo	Ketu	Pitris (ancestors)	Royal throne
11	Purva Phalguni	13°20'–26°40' Leo	Venus	Bhaga	Hammock/bed
12	Uttara Phalguni	26°40' Leo–10° Virgo	Sun	Aryaman	Bed/fig tree
13	Hasta	10°–23°20' Virgo	Moon	Savitar	Open hand
14	Chitra	23°20' Virgo–6°40' Libra	Mars	Vishvakarma	Bright jewel
15	Swati	6°40'–20° Libra	Rahu	Vayu	Coral/sprout
16	Vishakha	20° Libra–3°20' Scorpio	Jupiter	Indra-Agni	Triumphal arch
17	Anuradha	3°20'–16°40' Scorpio	Saturn	Mitra	Lotus
18	Jyeshtha	16°40'–30° Scorpio	Mercury	Indra	Circular amulet
19	Moola	0°–13°20' Sagittarius	Ketu	Nirriti	Tied roots
20	Purva Ashadha	13°20'–26°40' Sagittarius	Venus	Apas (water)	Elephant tusk
21	Uttara Ashadha	26°40' Sag–10° Capricorn	Sun	Vishve Devas	Elephant tusk
22	Shravana	10°–23°20' Capricorn	Moon	Vishnu	Three footprints
23	Dhanishta	23°20' Cap–6°40' Aquarius	Mars	Vasus	Drum
24	Shatabhisha	6°40'–20° Aquarius	Rahu	Varuna	Empty circle
25	Purva Bhadrapada	20° Aquarius–3°20' Pisces	Jupiter	Aja Ekapada	Sword/bed legs
26	Uttara Bhadrapada	3°20'–16°40' Pisces	Saturn	Ahir Budhnya	Twin/serpent
27	Revati	16°40'–30° Pisces	Mercury	Pushan	Fish/drum

Understanding Your Janma Nakshatra

Your birth Nakshatra reveals:

Core personality traits — More specific than your Moon sign alone
Vimshottari Dasha starting point — The Nakshatra lord determines which planetary period (Dasha) you were born into
Compatibility — Nakshatra matching is the primary method for marriage compatibility (Ashtakoota Milan)
Naming convention — Traditional first syllables for names are derived from birth Nakshatra

The Nakshatra Padas

Each Nakshatra is further divided into 4 padas (quarters) of 3°20' each. The Padas correspond to the Navamsha (D-9 chart) — one of the most important divisional charts in Vedic astrology. This gives us 108 Padas in total (27 × 4), which is why 108 is considered a sacred number in Hindu tradition.

Nakshatra Groups

Nakshatras are classified by their fundamental nature:

Dhruva (Fixed) — Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada — Good for permanent activities
Chara (Movable) — Punarvasu, Swati, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha — Good for travel and change
Tikshna (Sharp) — Ardra, Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Moola — Intense energy, good for competition
Mridu (Soft) — Mrigashira, Chitra, Anuradha, Revati — Gentle energy, good for arts and pleasure
Ugra (Fierce) — Bharani, Magha, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha, Purva Bhadrapada — Powerful, transformative

Coming Up Next

In the following articles, we'll explore each Nakshatra in depth, starting with Ashwini — the star of healing and swift action. We'll also cover how to use Nakshatras for Muhurta (electional astrology) and Prashna (horary astrology).

"The Nakshatras are the cosmic clock — they mark not just the movement of time, but the unfolding of karma."