Vedic Astrology

The 27 Nakshatras — Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology

The nakshatra system divides the zodiac into 27 equal segments of 13°20′ each, one for every day of the sidereal lunar month. Each nakshatra has its own ruling planet, deity, symbol, and psychological character — making them among the most precise and nuanced tools in Jyotish.

What Are Nakshatras?

The word nakshatra (Sanskrit: "that which does not decay") refers to the 27 lunar mansions — star clusters or asterisms through which the Moon passes during its monthly orbit of Earth. The sidereal month is approximately 27.3 days, so the Moon spends roughly one day in each nakshatra.

While the 12-sign zodiac provides broad categorical energy (Aries, Taurus, etc.), nakshatras add a finer layer of precision. Two people born in the same zodiac sign may be in very different nakshatras, giving them quite different temperaments, motivations, and life paths. The nakshatra of your Moon is especially important — it determines the starting point of your Vimshottari Dasha sequence, the planetary period system that is Jyotish's primary predictive tool.

Every planet in your chart occupies a nakshatra, which colours its expression. The Ascendant's nakshatra shapes your outer personality. The Sun's nakshatra influences your core identity and vitality. The Moon's nakshatra — called your Janma Nakshatra (birth nakshatra) — is often considered the most revealing of all.

The 28th nakshatra: Some texts include Abhijit (0°00′–6°40′ Capricorn) as a 28th nakshatra associated with Brahma. It is rarely used in standard Vimshottari Dasha calculations and is omitted from most modern Kundli software, including Astro Streams.

Structure of a Nakshatra

Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac and is divided into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′ each. The 108 padas (27 × 4) map neatly onto the 12 signs of the navamsa (D9) chart, making the pada a critical link between the birth chart and divisional charts.

Each nakshatra has a ruling planet (one of the nine Navagraha), which is why the Vimshottari Dasha sequence cycles through nine periods totalling 120 years — three nakshatras per planet × 27 nakshatras = 9 planets × their dasha years.

Nakshatras are also classified by quality (fixed, moveable, mixed, fierce, soft, sharp, dreadful) and gender, allowing traditional electional astrology (muhurtha) to choose auspicious moments for ceremonies, travel, surgery, and marriage.

The 27 Nakshatras

The table below lists all 27 nakshatras in order, with their sidereal position, ruling planet (Graha), presiding deity, symbol, and core theme.

# Nakshatra Span (Sidereal) Ruling Planet Deity Symbol Core Theme
1AshwiniAries 0°–13°20′KetuAshwini KumarasHorse's headSwift initiation, healing, new beginnings
2BharaniAries 13°20′–26°40′VenusYamaYoni (womb)Bearing burdens, restraint, transformation of karma
3KrittikaAries 26°40′–Taurus 10°SunAgni (fire)Flame / razorCutting away impurities, sharp discernment, purification
4RohiniTaurus 10°–23°20′MoonBrahmaChariot / ox cartFertility, sensuality, abundance, creative beauty
5MrigashiraTaurus 23°20′–Gemini 6°40′MarsSoma (Moon god)Deer's headQuesting, sensitivity, gentle curiosity, seeking
6ArdraGemini 6°40′–20°RahuRudraTeardrop / diamondStormy transformation, destruction for renewal
7PunarvasuGemini 20°–Cancer 3°20′JupiterAditiQuiver of arrows / houseReturn, renewal, flexibility, goodness restored
8PushyaCancer 3°20′–16°40′SaturnBrihaspatiFlower / circle / cow's udderNourishment, prosperity, spiritual devotion
9AshleshaCancer 16°40′–30°MercuryNagas (serpent deities)Coiled serpentClinging nature, sharp wit, kundalini energy
10MaghaLeo 0°–13°20′KetuPitris (ancestors)Royal throne / palanquinRoyal power, ancestral honour, pride, authority
11Purva PhalguniLeo 13°20′–26°40′VenusBhagaHammock / fig treeRest, creativity, pleasure, romance, procreation
12Uttara PhalguniLeo 26°40′–Virgo 10°SunAryamanFour legs of a bedContracts, partnership, beneficence, stability
13HastaVirgo 10°–23°20′MoonSavitar (sun god)Open handSkill, dexterity, healing through hands, craft
14ChitraVirgo 23°20′–Libra 6°40′MarsVishwakarmaBright jewel / pearlArtistry, beauty, architectural brilliance
15SwatiLibra 6°40′–20°RahuVayu (wind god)Young plant shoot / swordIndependence, flexibility, movement with the wind
16VishakhaLibra 20°–Scorpio 3°20′JupiterIndra-AgniTriumphal arch / potter's wheelGoal-driven ambition, achievement through effort
17AnuradhaScorpio 3°20′–16°40′SaturnMitra (friendship)Lotus flower / staffDevotion, friendship, organisational ability
18JyeshthaScorpio 16°40′–30°MercuryIndraCircular talisman / earringSeniority, protection, leadership, eldest-born energy
19MulaSagittarius 0°–13°20′KetuNirriti (goddess of dissolution)Bundle of roots / lion's tailGetting to the root, dissolution, investigative depth
20Purva AshadhaSagittarius 13°20′–26°40′VenusApas (water deities)Fan / winnowing basketPurification, invincibility, early victory, declaration
21Uttara AshadhaSagittarius 26°40′–Capricorn 10°SunVishvadevas (universal gods)Elephant's tusk / plank bedFinal victory, unchallenged leadership, righteousness
22ShravanaCapricorn 10°–23°20′MoonVishnuEar / three footprintsListening, learning, connecting knowledge
23DhanishthaCapricorn 23°20′–Aquarius 6°40′MarsAshtavasus (8 elemental gods)Drum / fluteAbundance, musical talent, wealth through action
24ShatabhishaAquarius 6°40′–20°RahuVaruna (cosmic order)Empty circle / 1,000 starsHealing, secrets, reclusive nature, the veiled truth
25Purva BhadrapadaAquarius 20°–Pisces 3°20′JupiterAja Ekapada (one-footed goat)Funeral bed / swordPassionate intensity, two-sided nature, spiritual fire
26Uttara BhadrapadaPisces 3°20′–16°40′SaturnAhir Budhyana (serpent of the deep)Twins / back legs of funeral bedWisdom, depth, kundalini mastery, contemplation
27RevatiPisces 16°40′–30°MercuryPushan (nourisher of the world)Fish / drum / pair of fishSafe travel, nourishment, completion, final journey

Nakshatra Ruling Planets and Dasha Years

Each of the nine planets rules three nakshatras each. The number of years assigned to a planet's Mahadasha is directly proportional to how many nakshatras it rules — and reflects the relative "weight" of each planet's karmic influence:

Moon (Chandra)
10 years
Rohini, Hasta, Shravana
Mercury (Budha)
17 years
Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati
Venus (Shukra)
20 years
Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha
Sun (Surya)
6 years
Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha
Mars (Mangal)
7 years
Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha
Jupiter (Guru)
16 years
Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada
Saturn (Shani)
19 years
Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada
Rahu (North Node)
18 years
Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha
Ketu (South Node)
7 years
Ashwini, Magha, Mula

How Your Nakshatra Is Calculated

Given a planet's sidereal longitude (0°–360°), its nakshatra is determined by a simple division: the zodiac is divided into 27 equal sections of 13°20′ each. The nakshatra index is floor(longitude ÷ 13.333°). So a Moon at 47° sidereal longitude falls in nakshatra floor(47 ÷ 13.333) = floor(3.52) = 3, which is Rohini (0-indexed from Ashwini).

Your Moon's nakshatra and its exact degree within that nakshatra determine how far into the ruling planet's Mahadasha you were at birth. The remaining years of that first Mahadasha, plus the full subsequent sequence, constitute your Vimshottari Dasha timeline. Learn more about Dashas →