- Span: 00°00′ Leo to 13°20′ Leo
- Deity: Pitris
- Dasha Lord: Ketu
- Symbol: Throne
- Animal (Yoni): Rat (male)
- Shakti or power: tyage kshepani shakti = power to leave the body
This nakshatra is ruled by the Pitris, the ancestors, as a deity. Ancestor worship was an important part of ancient times and religious practices. Celebrating your past, those that came before and paved the way for you, was seen as a sacred duty. Honoring and paying respects to older relatives, understanding your lineage, family history, tradition and culture are all things that come under this domain.
In modern times, the science of genetics shows how much of our behavior and actions are influenced by our past, by our lineage. With a lot of tastes, capabilities and tendencies being passed down through generations.
The name Magha translates into “mighty”, “the great”, “magnificent” and other words of importance. Magha deals with anything majestic, important and strong.
The main symbol of this star is a throne. The throne represents something important, but mostly it represents an inheritance here. Something from the past influencing the present. Associating with the meaning of ancestors, everything we inherit from them comes through the realm of Magha. Wealth, property, appearance, knowledge, status or genes. Magha denotes those rewards of the past coming into play now.
The throne also represents a quest for achievement, and Magha people are usually go getters or great achievers in life. Usually, these natives are hard workers who will eventually reach some sort of high position. The explicit results of this will often vary, but Magha will usually show honors and prestige in some degree. For instance, think of tenured or commended college professors. Although not the most wealthy, powerful or important people in the world; they often find prestige and status in their fields.
Magha represents the power to leave the body, this deals with all processes of death and transformation. Magha deals with transporting souls to Pitra Loka (the ancestors realm). Pitra Loka is one of many destinations a soul can take after death, it is seen as a transitory realm. We go there to rest and meet our ancestors before either going back for another incarnation, or moving on to other realms.
Magha represents change guided by the past, by wisdom and intelligence of ancient sources. Magha is all about moving the present with influences of the past.
Ketu, being the planet of our former incarnations, represents yet again this link to the past. Ketu also deals strongly with identities, representing strong attachments to tradition, such as in tribal cultures. A symbol related to Ketu is the flag, as all flags are ruled by Ketu. A lot of times, Magha natives will find themselves strongly attached to some form of identity, they love celebrating who they are. This could relate to tastes or preferences, but also race, religion and nationality.
Ketu also represents paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother, so some close relationship or similarity with these relatives could be present in a Magha native.
Some loose notes:
- Strong relationship with the past and traditions.
- Connection with ancestors, they might follow a family activity or follow a similar path to an older relative.
- Love for history, archeology, ancient scriptures and everything related to the past.
- Tendency towards hard work and achievement.
- They could get favors from people in high places.
- Strong ambition and yearning for power and status.
- They might have trouble with technology. Outages, errors, malfunctions, etc.
- A lot of times they either are not fond or proficient with technology.
- These natives are very fond of praise and flatter, which becomes a vulnerability, at times.
- Magha denotes ancestors, whenever you see it prominently, it is worth to research into the native’s ancestors.
- Family talents, proclivities or tastes are usually seen in these charts.
- A majestic, boastful and sometimes arrogant demeanor is seen in these natives.
- Their pompous and boastful way of speech is a very noticeable marker.
- Spiritually, these natives could deal with illusions, pseudo-spirituality or erroneous messages. Being misled or misleading others could come out of this.
- Dark magic or the use of religion for selfish means can happen here at times.
- Career wise:
- Rulers of any kind: kings, presidents, heads of corporations, politicians and those in power or high places.
- Anything dealing with the past: historians, researchers, genealogists, antiquarians, archeology, etc.
- Those that solve disputes: lawyers, judges, magistrates, etc.
- Actors, musicians and perfomers.
- People who keep records, document or archive matters.
- Building great structures or majestic things.
- Researching ancient scriptures or ancient literature.
- Anything dealing with black magic.
Magha’s many symbols relate it to the past, so anything related to the past or tradition is strengthened with this star. Delving into religion, study of ancient scriptures could be seen with this nakshatra The study of history, archaeology or any investigation into the past will similarly fall into the realm of Magha. These natives could have a love for history, antiquing or anything that brings a connection with the past into their lives.
Similarly, their own family history will play strongly in their lives. They might follow similar professions, or life paths, as their parents or grandparents. Alternatively, they could revive some old tradition in their family, for instance, a great grandfather who was a chef and the native becoming one as well.
When someone has Magha prominent in their chart, they will usually have a strong connection with their ancestors, or their family traditions. Even if that isn’t exactly clear to everyone, or something that they do consciously. In some level, there is always a connection happening.
The name itself shows affluence or power, so there is always an association with achievement in life. These natives are usually hard workers and people who strive a lot, they will usually get good opportunities and end up in high places in life. Affluence, achievement and recognition are usually indicated by this nakshatra.
As it deals strongly with the past, the future can bring trouble at times. Specially in regards to technology, I notice that this nakshatra is not very favorable. Complicated issues, outages and malfunctions usually happen when this star is transiting prominently. Similarly, natives with this star strongly in their horoscope can have longstanding issues with technology. They could be averse to it or they might not know how to use it properly. Usually, these natives will be very prone towards experiencing technical difficulties, Mercury retrograde is specially hard for these natives.
The respect for tradition present in Magha guarantees that they are not ones to rock the boat, usually behaving in accordance to all the required etiquette and pomp in formal circumstances. They will have a good sense respect for elders, superiors and hierarchies.
Magha deals a lot with the sense of self and individuality, so it deals a lot with identities. These natives will be very attached towards their identities. Such as race, class, lineage, religion and others. Magha has a strong yearning towards celebrating what he is, what parts form his personality and world.
On the negative side, a lot of the shadow issues here deal with excess. The connection with the past can make them stuck in life, or stuck in the past, as they refuse to move on or find new ways. A quest for status and achievement can become an obsession, and they might be conniving or even cruel towards reaching their goals. Their pompous stance can become arrogance, pride and self-righteous behavior.
They are very susceptible to flattery. On one hand, they might disconsider anyone that doesn’t meet their standards of pomp or praise. On the other hand, they will easily accept anyone who gives them adulation. Obviously, not everyone who speaks sweet is sincere and deserving of trust, but Magha might have a hard time understanding this. As long as they feel flattered, everything is fine, even if it isn’t.
→ Favorable activities with Magha: Pomp and circumstance, anything that requires flattery. Coronations, public performances, awards, parades and big events. Moving to a higher position or higher status. Anything dealing with the past or tradition. History, archeology, genealogy, research of ancient scriptures and cultures. Things related to our ancestors, remembrance and celebration of them. Settling disputes or arguments. Seeking favors for those in power or higher positions. Buying and upgrading furniture.
→ Unfavorable activities with Magha: Servile activities, anything that lowers your status or makes you feel small. Lending money. Planning for the future or thinking in the long term. Dealing with technology, technological processes. Very unfavorable for purchasing new electronics.
Predictively, Magha’s main meaning deals with tradition or connections with the past. A person with a strong Magha presence in their chart might follow the path of an older relative, or an ancestor. A 4th lord in Magha could show someone that lives in a historical or older home. The 10th lord here would show a career related to past studies, such as history or archeology. People wise, the person indicated by a planet in Magha could be related to tradition. For example, Sun and Moon showing father and mother, respectively.
Another meaning seen by planets in Magha deals with achievement and high status. For instance, the 11th lord here could show that your brother has a good standing in society. While the 7th lord would show the same about your partner.
Examples:
- Sir William James Herschel (Magha Moon at 8° Leo): British Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer, who used fingerprints for identification on contracts.
- Keeping records: That was the nature of his work, also he was a pioneer on using and documenting fingerprints for identification, noticing that they were unique and unchangeable through life. Moon sits in the 10th house of the chart.
- Tradition and status: He was knighted and styled 2nd Baronet, as his father was a knighted 1st Baronet.
- Observation: His father, John Herschel was a polymath active as a mathematician, astronomer, chemist and inventor; His grandfather was an astronomer and composer. His father invented the blueprint, and named seven moons of Saturn and four moons of Uranus. His grandfather discovered the planet Uranus.
- Again, we see tradition, with a family of inventors and pioneers.
- There is no accurate birth time for his father and grandfather, but his father’s Moon would approximately be in Magha as well.
- In the native’s chart, Moon sits in the 10th, but it rules the 9th house of father. So the father is related to tradition, as the father followed the same line of work as the grandfather of the native.
- Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (Moon at 3° Leo, Ascendant at 5° Leo): British composer and playwrighter noted for some of the greatest hit shows of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
- Status: again we have someone with a nobility title.
- Lineage and Tradition: His father was a composer and organist, he also served as director of the London College of Music; his mother was a violinist and pianist.
- Achievement: He is seen as the most successful musical composer of his generation, has been vastly commended and applauded for his work.
- Bringing back tradition: His musicals are credited with revitalizing British theatre in the late 20th century, a tradition that was waning at the time.
- L. Ron Hubbard (Moon at 8° Leo): American engineer and writer of science fiction who established the Church of Scientology in 1954.
- Achievement and Status: from meek beginnings, he reached great heights of status, being seen as a religious leader later in life. He gained fame and fortune.
- “Hubbard enjoyed being pampered and collected a cadre of youths around him. Dressing in simulated Navy attire, giving his organization a paramilitary structure, and being called Commodore, he was waited on night and day, insisting that temperature, humidity, and every other aspect of his comfort be taken care of. At this point he had the temperament of a spoiled child with eccentricities that equaled the reclusive Howard Hughes. He could erupt like a volcano spewing obscenities and insults if his shirts had not been rinsed correctly and smelled of soap.”
- themes of love for pomp and circumstance, need for praise and luxury.
See more Nakshatra posts here
