Nakshatras in Vedic Astrology

The nakshatras are the 27 lunar mansions — the oldest layer of Indian astrology, older even than the zodiac signs. Each nakshatra spans exactly 13°20' of the zodiac, so the 27 of them divide the full circle that the Moon travels in about a month. They run from Ashwini to Revati.

The nakshatra the Moon occupies at your birth is your Janma Nakshatra (birth star) — one of the most personal points in the whole chart. It shapes your instincts and temperament, sets your Vimshottari dasha sequence, and is used for naming, matchmaking (through the ashtakoot gunas) and muhurat. Each nakshatra has a ruling planet, a deity, a symbol and a gana (temperament).

The 27 Nakshatras at a glance

Nakshatra, pada and dasha

Every nakshatra is divided into four padas (quarters of 3°20' each), and each pada maps to a navamsa sign — this is how a single nakshatra refines into finer shades of personality. The nakshatra's ruling planet also begins your Vimshottari dasha, the planetary timeline that unfolds your life's events, so your birth star literally sets the clock of your destiny.

Gana, yoni and matchmaking

Nakshatras carry a gana (Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa temperament), a yoni (animal symbol), a nadi (Ayurvedic constitution) and a gender. These attributes drive Ashtakoot Guna Milan — the 36-point compatibility used in marriage matching. Open any nakshatra below to see all of its attributes.

Nakshatras and signs

The 27 nakshatras overlay the 12 signs — some sit wholly inside one sign, others straddle two. Reading your Moon's sign together with its nakshatra gives a far more precise picture than the sign alone. Generate your free birth chart to find your Janma Nakshatra and pada.