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Nakshatra guide

Nakshatra — the 27 lunar mansions and what your birth star says about you

Your nakshatra is the star the Moon was passing through when you were born. In Vedic astrology it is one of the most personal details in the chart — it shapes your temperament, decides which dasha you are born into, and is used in matching and naming.

What a nakshatra is

The zodiac's 360 degrees are divided into 27 equal parts of 13°20′ each. Each part is a nakshatra, and each nakshatra is split into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. The Moon moves through roughly one nakshatra a day, so your birth star is a much finer detail than your rashi.

The 27 nakshatras and their rulers

Every nakshatra is ruled by one of the nine grahas, in a repeating order of Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury.

  • Ketu: Ashwini, Magha, Mula
  • Venus: Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha
  • Sun: Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha
  • Moon: Rohini, Hasta, Shravana
  • Mars: Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishta
  • Rahu: Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha
  • Jupiter: Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada
  • Saturn: Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada
  • Mercury: Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati

Why your nakshatra matters

Vimshottari dasha starts from the ruler of your birth nakshatra — someone born in Rohini begins life in Moon dasha, someone born in Mula in Ketu dasha. How far the Moon had travelled through that nakshatra decides how many years of the first dasha remain, which sets the timing of every period after it.

The nakshatra also colours the Moon's nature: the same Moon sign reads differently in each of its nakshatras. It is used in kundli matching (Nadi, Yoni and Gana koots all come from it) and in choosing the first syllable of a name.

Find your own

Because the Moon changes nakshatra about once a day, your exact birth time matters. Make your Kundli free and your nakshatra, pada and starting dasha appear with it — then ask what they mean for you, in any language.

Common questions

How do I find my nakshatra?

Your nakshatra is the one the Moon was in at your birth. It needs your date, time and place of birth. Enter them here and your nakshatra and pada are calculated free with your Kundli.

What is a nakshatra pada?

Each nakshatra is divided into four quarters of 3°20′ called padas. The pada links the nakshatra to a navamsa sign and gives the traditional starting syllable for a name.

Which nakshatra is the best?

No nakshatra is simply good or bad. Each has strengths and blind spots, and the result depends on the Moon's strength, its sign and the rest of the chart.

Can I know my nakshatra without birth time?

Often yes, if the Moon stayed in one nakshatra all day. If it changed nakshatra that day, two are possible and your birth time decides which.

Your chart is free. Your first question is free.

Enter your name, date, exact time and place of birth. Your kundli is generated in seconds and you can ask your first question in any language — Hindi, Hinglish, Tamil, Bengali or English.

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