Nakshatra - Stars That Shape Your Destiny

In India, especially in the Hindu religion, Nakshatra holds great importance, especially in fixing dates for different events. An astrologer or a Pandit looks over the list of nakshatras in order, matches the date with the moon's placement, and decides on a suitable “muhurta” or time for a particular ritual.

Kundli or Janam Patri, charts, and mantras are all impacted by Nakshatra and are therefore utilised while designing any auspicious document. There are important dates each year in each month for different nakshatras.

These are favourable dates to start a journey, conduct an activity, purchase items, visit pilgrimages or name a baby. It is believed that everything, right from an individual's birth, will bring happiness and wealth to the family if birth nakshatras are considered.

What is Nakshatra?

Nakshatra is made of two words - “Naksha” and “Tara”. “Naksha” means a map, and “Tara” means a star. So, collectively, they mean the “mapping of the stars”. Moreover, the Meaning of nakshatra can also be a lunar mansion. You may find its references in Rig Veda, Yajurveda and Atharva Veda.

Nakshatra meaning has been clearly mentioned in Indian astrology. It is a Vedic term used to describe constellations or groups of stars that influence a person’s life from the time they are born with the moon located at a certain angle.

When the Moon travels and takes different positions in different nakshatras, it influences the zodiac signs of the people in whom it is born. The Moon rules the nakshatras and takes almost 28 days to move from one zodiac sign to another. Moreover, the Moon occupies every nakshatra for about a day and is about 13 degrees and 20 minutes in length.

To better understand the nakshatras, they are further divided into four padas. Each Nakshatra Pada is 3 degrees and 20 minutes in size. Each pada is also the 9th division of every zodiac, called “navamsa.” Each of them is influenced by its specific navamsa and the ruling planet.

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How can you know your Nakshatra?

Knowing your nakshatra is essential as it shapes your personality, behaviour, and characteristics, as well as your relationship with different people based on the placement of the planets in each nakshatra.

In order to know your nakshatra or the nakshatra in which you were born, you must visit an astrologer who has the exact time, place, and date of your birth. Based on the information that you provide, the astrologer will match the position of the moon with your birth information and identify your nakshatra.

During an individual's birth, the moon's position is in a particular zodiac sign at a particular degree. This happens under a group of stars or constellations or nakshatra and, of course, the planets travelling alongside.

Types of Nakshatras

The first question that comes to our mind is: How many Nakshatras are there? The following is the list of all 27 nakshatras. Each constellation has a different nakshatra name.

The 27 nakshatra names in English are the same as in Hindi, while in Tamil, we call it the “natchathram list”, which has different names for each nakshatra according to their language. Similarly, we have 27 nakshatra names in Telugu as well.

The nakshatra list in order of the moon’s placement has been numbered. This nakshatra sequence is how the moon impacts our life through different degrees when we take birth. Let us know the names of all these nakshatras in English or 27 stars in English.

Given below are name of all nakshatra:

1. Ashwini2. Bharani3. Krittika
4. Rohini5. Mrigashirsha6. Ardra
7. Punarvasu8. Pushya9. Ashlesha
10. Magha11. Purva Phalguni12. Uttara Phalguni
13. Hasta14. Chitra15. Swati
16. Vishakha17. Anuradha18. Jyeshta
19. Moola20. Purva Ashadha21. Uttara Ashadha
22. Shravana23. Dhanishta24. Shatabhisha
25. Purva Bhadrapada26. Uttara Bhadrapada27. Revati

An extra nakshatra has also been added to the 27 nakshatra order. It’s made by overlapping Uttarashada and Sravana nakshatra, and the moon travels in this extra nakshatra between them.

27 Nakshatras And Their Lords

All nakshatra names are associated with different features that form the personality of their natives. The 27 nakshatra and their lords, both deities and planets, bring their attributes to their specific native and represent their qualities through them. Likewise, keeping in mind different features of the nakshatra, ancient Vedic books mention nakshatra signs or symbols or these nakshatra images.

The 27 nakshatra chart or the nakshatra table will help us improve our awareness of 27 constellations or nakshatras. We will look at each of the features corresponding to the nakshatra in order of the moon’s visit.

The following is the list of each nakshatra, with its respective nakshatra lord, ruling planet/ planetary lord, and nakshatra symbols. It will help us better understand Nakshatra Lord meaning

NakshatraNakshatra LordPlanetary LordNakshatra Symbol
AshwiniAshwin KumaraKetuHorse’s Head
BharaniLord YamaVenusYoni
KrittikaAgniSunKnife
RohiniBrahmaMoonCart, temple, banyan tree
MrigashirshaSomaMarsDeer’s head
ArdraRudraRahuTeardrop, diamond, a human head
PunarvasuAditiJupiterBow and quiver
PushyaBrihaspatiSaturnCow’s udder, lotus, arrow and circle
AshleshaSarpas or NagasMercurySerpent
MaghaPitrs or forefathersKetuRoyal throne
Purva PhalguniAryamanVenusFront legs of the bed, hammock, fig tree
Uttara PhalguniBhagaSunFour legs of the bed, hammock
HastaSaviti or SuryaMoonHand or fist
ChitraTvastar or VishwakarmaMarsBright jewel or pearl
SwatiVayuRahuShoot of plant, coral
VishakhaIndra and AgniJupiterTriumphal arch, potter’s wheel
AnuradhaMitraSaturnTriumphal arch, lotus
JyeshtaIndraMercuryCircular amulet, umbrella, earring
MoolaNirtiKetuBunch of roots tied together, elephant goad
Purva AshadhaApahVenusElephant tusk, fan, winnowing basket
Uttara AshadhaVisvedevasSunElephant tusk
ShravanaVishnuMoonEar or three footprints
DhanishtaEight VasusMarsDrum or flute
ShatabhishaVarunaRahuEmpty circle, flowers or stars
Purva BhadrapadaAjaikapadaJupiterSwords or two front legs of cot, a man with two faces
Uttara BhadrapadaAhirbudhnyaSaturnTwins, back legs of cot, snake in the water
RevatiPushanMercuryPair of fish, drum
Abhijit (Additional nakshatra)BrahmaMercury or KetuHorse’s Head

Rashi and Nakshatra List

The sky is divided into 12 zodiac signs (Rashi) and 27 nakshatras. Under each nakshatra names list, there is a Rashi list, and therefore, when the moon travels through different nakshatras, it automatically visits all the zodiac signs one after the other.

If you know your Sun sign or Rashi, the following are the 27 nakshatra names with Rashi.

NakshatraNakshatra Rasi or Zodiac Sign
AshwiniAries
BharaniAries
KrittikaAries and Taurus
RohiniTaurus
MrigashirshaTaurus and Gemini
ArdraGemini
PunarvasuGemini and Cancer
PushyaCancer
AshleshaCancer
MaghaLeo
Purva PhalguniLeo
Uttara PhalguniLeo and Virgo
HastaVirgo
ChitraVirgo and Libra
SwatiLibra
VishakhaLibra and Scorpio
AnuradhaScorpio
JyeshtaScorpio
MulaSagittarius
PurvashadhaSagittarius
UttarashadhaSagittarius and Capricorn
AbhijitCapricorn
ShravanaCapricorn
DhanisthaCapricorn and Aquarius
ShatabhishakAquarius
PurvabhadrapadaAquarius Pisces
UttarabhadrapadaPisces
RevatiPisces

Features of Nakshatras

While formulating characteristics of each nakshatra, the following are the main features considered to give each individual specific characteristics under a specific nakshatra. Here are 27 Nakshatras Characteristics.

Gender

Nakshatras are divided into two categories: Male and Female. Their behaviour, personality and characteristics show some similarities and differences.

Male Nakshatras: Ashwini, Bharani, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Swati, Jyeshta, Mula, Purvashadha, Uttarashadha, Shravana, Purva Bhadrapada and Abhijit.

Female Nakshatras: Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashirsha, Ardra, Punarvasu, Purva Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Vishakha, Anuradha, Dhanistha, Shatabhishak, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati

Gana

Gana relates to the temperament of individuals under each nakshatra. It places nakshatras under different categories of Gana on the basis of how they behave and react to a particular situation. Nakshatras are kept under the following three broad Ganas.

Deva Gana: Deva Gana includes the quality of being humble and good-hearted. Ashwini, Mrigashirsha, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, and Revati come under this category.

Manusya Gana: Manusya Gana includes the quality of being human and thus has both good and bad qualities. Bharani, Rohini, Ardra, Shravana, and the Purva and Uttara Nakshatras come under this category.

Rakshasa Gana: Rakshasa Gana includes the quality of a demon. It is being stubborn and aggressive. Krittika, Ashlesha, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha, Jyestha, Mula, Dhanistha, and Shatabhishak Nakshatras come under this category.

Animal and Bird

In Vedic astrology, nakshatras are closely associated with the attributes of animals and birds. The animal and bird of each nakshatra say a lot about the individual characteristics born in that particular nakshatra. An individual's behavioural aspects match those of the bird and animal.

Guna

Guna means Energy. We have three main gunas to represent the energies of different nakshatras. We have nine stars or zodiac signs in each Guna with their corresponding nakshatra.

Rajas: Rajas guna is the energy of movement, ambition, activity and change.

Tamas: Tamas Guna brings the energy of being lazy, low on activity and materialistic.

Sattva: Sattva guna brings the energy of manifestation and intelligence.

Nakshatras and Their Characteristics

There are 27 nakshatras in total. These nakshatra names were first found in Vedanga Jyotisha, one of the earlier known Indian texts dated to the last centuries of BCE (Before the Common Era or Before Christ). Let’s read about the characteristics of each Nakshatra.

Ashwini Nakshatra

Ashwini Nakshatra has the symbol of a Horse’s Head. The ruling planet is Ketu, and the presiding deity is Ashwini Kumara. According to nakshatra astrology, people are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 0 and 13.2 degrees in Aries. They are courageous, sharp-minded, assertive, and take the initiative.

Bharani Nakshatra

Bharani nakshatra has the symbol of a Yoni. The ruling planet is Venus, and the presiding deity is Yama. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 13-20′ and 26-40′ in the Aries sign. They have pure hearts but make impulsive decisions.

Krittika Nakshatra

Krittika nakshatra has the symbol of a Knife or spear. The ruling planet is the Sun, the supreme power, and the presiding deity is Agni. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 26°40′ and 30°00′ in Aries and 30°00′ to 40°00′ in Taurus. They desire to gain knowledge continuously but are impatient.

Rohini Nakshatra

Rohini Nakshatra has the symbol of a Cart, temple, and banyan tree. The ruling planet is the Moon, and the presiding deity is Lord Brahma. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 0°00′ and 53°20′ in Taurus. They are elegant, calm and gentle but get angry at the slightest remark.

Mrigasira Nakshatra

Mrigasira Nakshatra has the symbol of a Deer’s head. The ruling planet is Mars, and the presiding deity is Soma. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 23°20 degrees in Taurus and 6°40' degrees in Gemini. They are intelligent, sincere and obedient but very sensitive and indecisive.

Ardra Nakshatra

Ardra Nakshatra has the symbol of a Teardrop, a diamond, and a human head. The ruling planet is the Rahu, and the presiding deity is Rudra. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 6°40' and 20°00' degrees in Gemini. They are not emotionally balanced and have the destructive qualities of Lord Rudra and Lord Shiva.

Punarvasu Nakshatra

Punarvasu Nakshatra has the symbol of a Bow and quiver. The ruling planet is Jupiter, and the presiding deity is Goddess Aditi. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 20 degrees 00 minutes of Mithun (Gemini) to 03 degrees 20 minutes of Karka (Cancer). They are polite and kind in behaviour at a younger age, but later, as they grow, they start becoming slightly aggressive and arrogant.

Pushya Nakshatra

Pushya Nakshatra has the symbol of a Cow’s udder, lotus, arrow, and circle. The ruling planet is Saturn, and the presiding deity is Brihaspati. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 93:2 and 106:4 in the Cancer Sun Sign.

It is also known as Maha Nakshatra or highly auspicious Nakshatra. People born in this nakshatra tend to be excited to progress in life and are caring and protective.

Ashlesha Nakshatra

Ashlesha Nakshatra has the symbol of a Serpent. The ruling planet is Mercury, and the presiding deity is the Sarpas or Nagas. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 16:40-30:00 degrees Cancer. They tend to be secretive and manipulative and are meant to be great politicians.

Magha Nakshatra

Magha Nakshatra has the symbol of a Royal throne. The ruling planet is Ketu, and the presiding deity is the Pitrs. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 00°00′ to 13°20′ degrees in the Leo sign. They tend to be kind-hearted and have a king-like aura. They are run by moral standards and principles.

Purva Phalguni Nakshatra

Purva Phalguni Nakshatra has the symbol of the Front legs of a bed, hammock, and fig tree. The ruling planet is Venus, and the presiding deity is the Aryaman.

People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 13.20 degrees and 26.40 degrees in the Sinha or Leo zodiac sign. They tend to be proficient, polite, honest, knowledgeable and inclined towards the field of art and social work.

Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra

Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra has the symbol of the four legs of the bed, which is a hammock. The ruling planet is the Sun, and the presiding deity is the Bhaga. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 26:40 degrees Leo and 10:00 degrees Virgo.

They tend to be cool and calm even in difficult situations. Because of their nature, they have no enemies around them.

Hasta Nakshatra

Hasta Nakshatra has the symbol of the Hand or fist. The ruling planet is the Moon, and the presiding deity is the Savita or Surya. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 10 – 23:20 in the Virgo zodiac sign. They tend to be disciplined and don’t like delays. They fall in the category of desired professionals.

Chitra Nakshatra

Chitra Nakshatra has the symbol of the Bright jewel or pearl. The ruling planet is Mars, and the presiding deity is Vishwakarma. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 23:20 degrees Virgo and 6:40 degrees Libra. They are known as lone rangers and are intelligent. They tend to be creative and workaholics.

Swati Nakshatra

Swati Nakshatra has the symbol of a Shoot of a plant, coral. The ruling planet is Rahu, and the presiding deity is Vayu or wind. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 186:4 and 200:0 in the Scorpio Sun Sign. They are known as a young planet in the winds. They tend to be socially interactive and goal-oriented.

Vishakha Nakshatra

Vishakha Nakshatra has the symbol of a Triumphal archway and a potter’s wheel. The ruling planet is Jupiter, and the presiding deity is Lord Indra. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 20:00 degrees Libra-3:20 degrees Scorpio. They tend to be optimistic and sharp-minded. They are determined to complete any task they take up. They are god-fearing and careful of their deeds.

Anuradha Nakshatra

Anuradha Nakshatra has the symbol of a Triumphal archway and lotus. The ruling planet is Saturn, and the presiding deity is Mitra. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 03°20' and 16°40' degrees in Scorpio. They tend to be pure-hearted and believe in simple living. They are selfless, have attractive personalities, and shine in social and political fields.

Jyeshtha Nakshatra

Jyeshtha Nakshatra has the symbol of a Circular amulet, umbrella, and earring. The ruling planet is Mercury, and the presiding deity is Indra. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 16:40 – 30 in Scorpio. They tend to be passionate about love.

Moola Nakshatra

Moola Nakshatra has the symbol of a Bundle of roots tied together, an elephant goad. The ruling planet is Ketu, and the presiding deity is Nirit. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 0°00 and 13°20′ in the Sagittarius sign. They tend to be peaceful, courageous, and sometimes manipulative.

Purva Ashadha Nakshatra

Purva Ashadha Nakshatra has the symbol of an Elephant tusk, fan, and winnowing basket. The ruling planet is the Sun, and the presiding deity is Apah. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 13:20 – 26:40 in the Sagittarius zodiac sign. They tend to be enthusiastic, energetic and very intelligent and perform well even in unfavourable circumstances.

Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra

Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra has the symbol of an elephant tusk. The ruling planet is the Sun, and the presiding deity is Visvedevas. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 26:40 degrees Sagittarius and 10:00 degrees Capricorn. They tend to be intelligent, hardworking, and multitasking.

Shravana Nakshatra

Shravana Nakshatra has the symbol of an Ear or three footprints. The ruling planet is Jupiter, and the presiding deity is Vishnu. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between Shravana and Nakshatra. They tend to be very religious and are fond of visiting temples.

Dhanishta Nakshatra

Dhanishta Nakshatra has the symbol of a Drum or flute. The ruling planet is Mars, and the presiding deity is Eight Vasus. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 23°20′ Capricorn to 06°40′ Aquarius. They tend to be vibrant, frank and easily adapt to situations but spend a lot of money.

Shatabhisha Nakshatra

Shatabhisha Nakshatra has the symbol of an Empty circle, flowers, or stars. The ruling planet is Rahu, and the presiding deity is Varuna. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 06°40' and 20°00' degrees in the Aquarius zodiac sign. They tend to have an objective in life and tell the truth.

Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra

Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra has the symbol of a Sword or two front legs of the cot, a man with two faces. The ruling planet is Jupiter, and the presiding deity is Ajikapada. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between 16:40 – 30 in Scorpio. They tend to lead a simple life and are peaceful but short-tempered.

Uttara Bhadrapada Nakshatra

Uttara Bhadrapada Nakshatra has the symbol of Twins, the back legs of the cot, and snakes in the water. The ruling planet is Saturn, and the presiding deity is Ahir Budhyana. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between degrees 3:20 – 16:40 in the Pisces zodiac. They tend to be happy and have good communication skills.

Revati Nakshatra

Revati Nakshatra has the symbol of a Pair of fish and drums. The ruling planet is Mercury, and the presiding deity is Pushan. People are born in this nakshatra when the moon is between degrees 16.40 – 30.00 in the Pisces sign. They tend to be sweet and friendly and do not intrude into anyone’s space.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rohini Nakshatra is the most powerful nakshatra and is the nakshatra of lord Krishna.
According to Vedic Astrology, Krittika, Sravana, Punarvasu, Magha, and Shatabhisha nakshatras are intelligent.
Rohini, Mrigashirsha, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Swat, Anuradha, Mula or Moola, Uttara Ashadha, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati are good for marriage.
Bharani Nakshatra has a long life and has the gana, Manusya/ human.
Natchathiram is a Tamil word for Nakshatra or a group of stars. The people of Tamil Nadu believe that it has a great impact on their lives.
The following nakshatras are considered to be very auspicious for the birth of a baby. These nakshatras are as follows: Rohini nakshatra, Mrigashirsha nakshatra, Pushya nakshatra, Hasta nakshatra
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