Nakshatras are the rough gem of Vedic Astrology, infinite potential is available in this area, although it remains somewhat unexplored. The Nakshatras are divisions of 13 degrees and 20 minutes, with 27 Nakshatras covering the entire zodiac from Aries to Pisces. The Moon moves that same amount in degrees daily, meaning that the Moon moves one Nakshatra everyday. Because of that, a common usage of Nakshatras is to assess the mood, trends and prosperous activities for a certain day. Some Nakshatras are better for travel, others for resting and healing, others for socializing, etc. The opposite is also true, some of these stars are unfavorable towards some of these matters.
Similarly to the daily shift, astrologers use the Moon’s Nakshatra to assess the general trends and proclivities of a native. This is one of the most common and classical usages of Nakshatras in astrology. Modern researchers expand this technique by reading other placements, such as the Ascendant’s Nakshatra, as well as the other planets in the chart. Vastly detailed chart readings can be obtained from such a technique.
Translating the name from Sanskrit, Nakshatra can be used as a synonym to star. Another translation is “that which never decays”, highlighting the idea that these are timeless influences. Lunar Mansions is another term used to refer to the Nakshatras, relating to their daily shift, as well as to mythology where these stars represent the 27 wives of the Moon god. Below we have a table with all the nakshatras listed:
| # | Nakshatra | Length | Lord | Deity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | Ashwini | 00°00′ Aries to 13°20′ Aries | Ketu | Ashwini Kumaras |
| 02. | Bharani | 13°20′ Aries to 26°40′ Aries | Venus | Yama |
| 03. | Krittika | 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus | Sun | Agni |
| 04. | Rohini | 10°00′ Taurus to 23°20′ Taurus | Moon | Brahma |
| 05. | Migrashira | 23°20′ Taurus to 06°40′ Gemini | Mars | Soma |
| 06. | Ardra | 06°40′ Gemini to 20°00′ Gemini | Rahu | Rudra |
| 07. | Punarvasu | 20°00 Gemini to 03°20′ Cancer | Jupiter | Aditi |
| 08. | Pushya | 03°20′ Cancer to 16°40′ Cancer | Saturn | Brihaspati |
| 09. | Ashlesha | 16°40′ Cancer to 30°00′ Cancer | Mercury | Nagas |
| 10. | Magha | 00°00′ Leo to 13°20′ Leo | Ketu | Pitris |
| 11. | Purva Phalguni | 13°20′ Leo to 26°40′ Leo | Venus | Bhaga |
| 12. | Uttara Phalguni | 26°40′ Leo to 10°00′ Virgo | Sun | Aryaman |
| 13. | Hasta | 10°00′ Virgo to 23°20′ Virgo | Moon | Savitar |
| 14. | Chitra | 23°20′ Virgo to 06°40′ Libra | Mars | Tvashtar |
| 15. | Swati | 06°40′ Libra to 20°00′ Libra | Rahu | Vayu |
| 16. | Vishakha | 20°00 Libra to 03°20′ Scorpio | Jupiter | Indra/Agni |
| 17. | Anuradha | 03°20′ Scorpio to 16°40′ Scorpio | Saturn | Mitra |
| 18. | Jyeshtha | 16°40′ Scorpio to 30°00′ Scorpio | Mercury | Indra |
| 19. | Mula | 00°00′ Sagittarius to 13°20′ Sagittarius | Ketu | Niritti |
| 20. | Purva Ashada | 13°20′ Sagittarius to 26°40′ Sagittarius | Venus | Apas |
| 21. | Uttara Ashada | 26°40′ Sagittarius to 10°00′ Capricorn | Sun | Vishwadevas |
| 22. | Shravana | 10°00′ Capricorn to 23°20′ Capricorn | Moon | Vishnu |
| 23. | Dhanishtha | 23°20′ Capricorn to 06°40′ Aquarius | Mars | Ashta Vasus |
| 24. | Shatabishak | 06°40′ Aquarius to 20°00′ Aquarius | Rahu | Varuna |
| 25. | Purva Bhadrapada | 20°00 Aquarius to 03°20′ Pisces | Jupiter | Aja Ekapada |
| 26. | Uttara Bhadrapada | 03°20′ Pisces to 16°40′ Pisces | Saturn | Ahir Budhanya |
| 27. | Revati | 16°40′ Pisces to 30°00′ Pisces | Mercury | Pushan |
| # | Nakshatra | Length | Lord | Deity |
There are many characteristics and interpretations towards the Nakshatras, in the table above we see two key points, their planetary ruler and their ruling deity. The planetary lord indicates the initial period for the Vimshottari Dasha system of prediction, which sets planetary periods for a native’s lifetime. But this ruler also gives us a hint towards the nature of certain stars. For instance, the Rahu stars like Ardra and Swati tend to show more rebellious or dissident natives, with a knack for the unusual or odd. Venus stars deal a lot with the senses and pleasures of life, with Bharani dealing with strong desires and impulses, Purva Phalguni dealing with marriage and pleasures and Purva Ashada relating a lot to healing, rejuvenation and connection with others.
The Deity is one of the main points, as the Nakshatras embody the nature of their associated deities. Most people, specially in the west, are not familiar with these Indian deities. But learning about them is of utter importance towards understanding this system. One can clearly notice the intense nature of Ardra, derived from Rudra, the roaring god of storms. Similarly, the friendly and enticing nature of Anuradha is a clear expression of Mitra, the god of friendship and agreements.
Besides that, each star has its own special symbolism, with one or multiple symbols representing important features of certain asterisms. Symbolism is the basis of occult language, although this point gets diluted with time, as the ready-made interpretations dominate and people forget where they came from. For Nakshatras, the symbols usually come from their deities, with the symbols usually representing what the Indian deities carry in their hands.
Krittika is a star ruled by Agni, the god of fire, and he carries a sword in his hand. Similarly, the symbol of Krittika is a razor or a sword, representing all kinds of discernment. With said star dealing a lot with criticism, analysis or work that requires one to filter out what is useful and what isn’t. Pushya is ruled by Brihaspati, a deity depicted holding a lotus flower, which is a symbolism for Pushya. This is a star with a very selfless nature, usually very caring towards the people around them, radiating beauty like a flower towards the people in his life.
Some stars have symbols which aren’t, necessarily, derived from their deities. Hasta nakshatra has a hand as its symbolism, that star deals with all kinds of skilled and artisanal labor, from sewing or molding clay to dentistry and surgery. Mula nakshatra has plant roots as its symbolism, representing a need and likeness towards going deep into everything in life. Those natives aren’t satisfied with the superficial, they must know the intricacies of things, they must understand the fundamental details of any problem or situation.
These three points represent some of the main factors towards understanding the meaning of Nakshatras. But there are other points, such as the Yoni or the spiritual animal, a system where the stars are classified as 14 different animals. That system is traditionally used for sexual compatibility and relationship matching, although the animal also becomes another symbolism for that star.
| Animal | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Horse | Ashwini | Shatabishak |
| Elephant | Bharani | Revati |
| Goat | Pushya | Krittika |
| Snake | Rohini | Migrashira |
| Dog | Mula | Ardra |
| Cat | Ashlesha | Punarvasu |
| Rat | Magha | Purva Phalguni |
| Cow | Uttara Phalguni | Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Buffalo | Swati | Hasta |
| Tiger | Vishaka | Chitra |
| Deer | Jyeshtha | Anuradha |
| Monkey | Purva Ashada | Shravana |
| Lion | Purva Bhadrapada | Dhanishtha |
| Mongoose | Uttara Ashada | – |
| Animal | Male | Female |
Overall, the Nakshatras are subtle and important influences in Astrology, denoting intricate patterns and behaviors in life.
The most important Nakshatra placements
- Moon
- Ascendant
- Ketu
As explained earlier, the most important Nakshatra to be studied is the one where the Moon is placed. The Moon shows your mind, the way you tend to think, so usually there is a strong identification with the energy of that Nakshatra. Similarly, the ascendant’s Nakshatra plays an important role in life, as we tend to live a path akin to the energies of that star.
Some level of identification will usually exist in regards to both of these placements. The meanings might intertwine at times, but usually the Moon will deal mostly with your inner world, while the ascendant deals with the tangible portions of life. For instance, a strong influence like Ardra will denote a turbulent and intense mind, even if the native’s life doesn’t seem to reflect that. Radical ideas, radical thoughts, strong emotions might exist behind a calm external demeanor. To the contrary, the Ardra ascendant would reflect tangible turbulences, either by complications in the life of the native or by his own tastes; he might be involved with radical sports, strange activities or other clearly wildcard life trends.
The final placement of importance, in my view, tends to be Ketu – the South Node of the Moon. This placement deals with reincarnation, specifically, our past life trends and proclivities. The Nakshatra occupied by Ketu will be a subtle, yet strong presence in a native’s life. The themes of that star might figure prominently in life, or the native might have strong affinity towards those matters. Either way, Ketu’s placement provides a strong glimpse into the past and the natives psyche, showing an important backdrop for the present.