In authentic Vedic Jyotish, the 360° ecliptic is partitioned into 27 sacred Nakshatras of 13°20′ each. Find your birth Moon Nakshatra, discover your specific Pada, and unlock deep soul blueprints.
A Nakshatra (lunar mansion) represents the precise stellar backdrop of the Moon at birth. Divided into 27 constellations spanning 13°20′ each, Nakshatras govern your instinctual mind, karmic patterns, and the starting period of your 120-year Vimshottari Dasha cycle. Each constellation is further subdivided into 4 Padas of 3°20′ corresponding to the D9 Navamsha chart.
Review the complete matrix of 27 Vedic constellations, ruling celestial bodies, deities, and primary attributes. Click any Nakshatra for a dedicated deep-dive guide.
| # | Nakshatra | Zodiac Span | Ruling Planet | Presiding Deity | Symbol | Guna | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ashwini | 0°00′ – 13°20′ Aries |  Ketu |
Ashwini Kumaras (Celestial Physicians) | Horse's Head | Rajasic | View → |
| #2 | Bharani | 13°20′ – 26°40′ Aries |  Venus |
Lord Yama (Dharmaraja, God of Justice and Transition) | Yoni (Vessel of Sacred Birth & Transformation) | Rajasic | View → |
| #3 | Krittika | 26°40′ Aries – 10°00′ Taurus |  Sun |
Agni (The Sacred Fire God) | Razor, Flame, or Cutting Knife | Rajasic | View → |
| #4 | Rohini | 10°00′ – 23°20′ Taurus |  Moon |
Brahma / Prajapati (The Creator of Cosmic Manifestation) | Ox Chariot, Banyan Tree, or Temple Car | Rajasic | View → |
| #5 | Mrigashira | 23°20′ Taurus – 6°40′ Gemini |  Mars |
Soma (Chandra, The Lord of Nectar & Divine Amrita) | Deer's Head or Antelope's Crown | Tamasic | View → |
| #6 | Ardra | 6°40′ – 20°00′ Gemini |  Rahu |
Rudra (The Storm God of Dissolution and Transformation) | Teardrop, Diamond, or Human Head | Tamasic | View → |
| #7 | Punarvasu | 20°00′ Gemini – 3°20′ Cancer |  Jupiter |
Aditi (The Primordial Mother Goddess of Infinity & Safety) | Bow and Quiver of Arrows | Sattvic | View → |
| #8 | Pushya | 3°20′ – 16°40′ Cancer |  Saturn |
Brihaspati (The High Priest and Preceptor of the Gods) | Cow's Udder, Lotus Blossom, or Sacred Circle | Sattvic | View → |
| #9 | Ashlesha | 16°40′ – 30°00′ Cancer |  Mercury |
The Nagas (Serpent Deities of Wisdom and Hidden Depths) | Coiled Serpent or Ring of Cobras | Sattvic | View → |
| #10 | Magha | 0°00′ – 13°20′ Leo | Ketu |
The Pitris (Honored Ancestral Fathers and Forebears) | Royal Throne Room or Palanquin | Tamasic | View → |
| #11 | Purva Phalguni | 13°20′ – 26°40′ Leo | Venus |
Bhaga (The Solar God of Marital Prosperity and Delight) | Front Legs of a Bed or Hammock | Rajasic | View → |
| #12 | Uttara Phalguni | 26°40′ Leo – 10°00′ Virgo | Sun |
Aryaman (The God of Friendship, Contracts, and Chivalry) | Back Legs of a Bed or Four Pillars of Home | Rajasic | View → |
| #13 | Hasta | 10°00′ – 23°20′ Virgo | Moon |
Savitar (The Solar God of Dawn, Awakening & Craftsmanship) | Open Hand Blessing or Clenched Fist of Mastery | Rajasic | View → |
| #14 | Chitra | 23°20′ Virgo – 6°40′ Libra | Mars |
Tvashtar / Vishwakarma (The Divine Celestial Architect) | Bright Faceted Jewel, Pearl, or Architect's Compass | Tamasic | View → |
| #15 | Swati | 6°40′ – 20°00′ Libra | Rahu |
Vayu (The God of Wind, Prana, and Breath) | Young Shoot Swaying in the Wind, Sword, or Coral Bead | Tamasic | View → |
| #16 | Vishakha | 20°00′ Libra – 3°20′ Scorpio | Jupiter |
Indra & Agni (The Dual Deities of Royal Power and Sacred Fire) | Triumphal Arch Decorated with Garlands or Potter's Wheel | Sattvic | View → |
| #17 | Anuradha | 3°20′ – 16°40′ Scorpio | Saturn |
Mitra (The Solar Deity of Universal Friendship, Love & Alliances) | Lotus Flower Blooming through Mud or Staff | Tamasic | View → |
| #18 | Jyeshtha | 16°40′ – 30°00′ Scorpio | Mercury |
Lord Indra (The Chief of the Gods, Monarch of the Heavens) | Circular Talisman, Royal Earring, or Protective Umbrella | Sattvic | View → |
| #19 | Mula | 0°00′ – 13°20′ Sagittarius | Ketu |
Nirriti (Goddess of Dissolution, Calamity, and Root Transformation) | Bundle of Roots Tied Together or Elephant Goad | Tamasic | View → |
| #20 | Purva Ashadha | 13°20′ – 26°40′ Sagittarius | Venus |
Apah (The Cosmic Water Goddesses of Purity and Renewal) | Winnowing Fan, Sieve, or Elephant Tusk | Rajasic | View → |
| #21 | Uttara Ashadha | 26°40′ Sagittarius – 10°00′ Capricorn | Sun |
The Vishvadevas (Ten Universal Cosmic Virtues & Principles) | Elephant Tusk or Small Wooden Cot | Sattvic | View → |
| #22 | Shravana | 10°00′ – 23°20′ Capricorn | Moon |
Lord Vishnu (The Preserver and Sustainer of Creation) | Three Footprints (Trivikrama) or Human Ear | Rajasic | View → |
| #23 | Dhanishta | 23°20′ Capricorn – 6°40′ Aquarius | Mars |
The Eight Vasus (Elemental Deities of Light, Earth & Abundance) | Musical Drum (Mridangam / Damaru) or Flute | Tamasic | View → |
| #24 | Shatabhisha | 6°40′ – 20°00′ Aquarius | Rahu |
Lord Varuna (The God of Cosmic Waters, Celestial Law & Medicine) | Empty Circle, 100 Physicians, or Starfield | Tamasic | View → |
| #25 | Purva Bhadrapada | 20°00′ Aquarius – 3°20′ Pisces | Jupiter |
Aja Ekapada (The One-Footed Fire Serpent / Lightning Deity) | Two Front Legs of Funeral Cot, Swords, or Two-Faced Man | Sattvic | View → |
| #26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | 3°20′ – 16°40′ Pisces | Saturn |
Ahirbudhnya (The Deep Sea Serpent of Subconscious Primal Depths) | Two Back Legs of Funeral Cot, Snake in Deep Water, or Twin Fish | Sattvic | View → |
| #27 | Revati | 16°40′ – 30°00′ Pisces | Mercury |
Pushan (The Solar Shepherd of Lost Souls and Safe Journeys) | Pair of Swimming Fish or Musical Drum | Sattvic | View → |
While Western astrology places central emphasis on the Sun's 30-degree seasonal sign, classical Vedic astrology considers the Moon's Nakshatra to be the primary locus of human consciousness. In Vedic philosophy, the Sun represents the soul's essence (Atman), but the Moon represents the living mind (Manas) — the lens of perception through which we experience emotions, memories, and instinctual desires.
Because the Moon traverses the entire zodiac in approximately 27.3 days, it spends roughly 24 hours in each Nakshatra. This lunar speed produces granular psychological distinctions that broad 30-degree Sun signs cannot capture. Two individuals born under the same sidereal sign may display radically divergent life paths if their Moons occupy different Nakshatras with contrasting deities and planetary rulers.
Each 13°20′ Nakshatra is divided into four equal quarters of 3°20′ known as Padas. With 27 Nakshatras multiplied by 4 Padas, the zodiac contains exactly 108 Padas — a sacred number in Vedic cosmology representing the 108 beads of the Japa Mala and the mathematical ratio between planetary distances.
Each Pada corresponds to a specific sign in the Navamsha (D9) chart, reflecting the soul's inner evolution, relational destiny, and spiritual orientation. Furthermore, each Pada is governed by one of the four cardinal aims of human existence (Purusharthas):
The most celebrated predictive mechanism in Jyotish is the 120-year Vimshottari Dasha system. The starting Mahadasha (major planetary cycle) of a person's life is determined exclusively by the ruling planet of their Janma Nakshatra. For example, if you are born with the Moon in Ashwini, your life begins under the Mahadasha of Ketu; if born under Rohini, you begin under the Moon's Mahadasha.
The exact degree of the Moon within the 13°20′ span calculates the proportional balance of the starting Dasha period, setting the astronomical clock that triggers life milestones, career breakthroughs, and spiritual awakenings.
Your Janma Nakshatra is the specific lunar constellation where the Moon was positioned at your time of birth. It establishes your primary psychological archetype, emotional temperament, and determines the planetary period cycle governing your life events.
Western astrology relies on 12 seasonal signs of 30° each oriented around the equinoxes. Vedic Nakshatras divide the fixed stellar sky into 27 lunar mansions of 13°20′ each, offering far greater specificity regarding psychological tendencies, karmic duties, and marital compatibility.
The 4 Padas subdivide each Nakshatra into 3°20′ segments that map directly into the Navamsha (D9) chart. They pinpoint subtle variations in character, career aptitude, and relational compatibility that distinguish people born under the same constellation.
The Moon remains in each Nakshatra for roughly 24 hours. Unless your birth took place within minutes of the Moon entering a new mansion, your Nakshatra can usually be determined even with an approximate birth time. However, an accurate time is necessary to pinpoint your exact Pada.
Deepen your celestial synthesis with companion calculators tuned to the same Lahiri astronomical coordinates.
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