What is a nakshatra in Vedic astrology?
Explainer · reviewed August 2026
A nakshatra is one of 27 equal lunar mansions spanning 13° 20′ (800 arcminutes) of the sidereal zodiac. Each nakshatra is subdivided into four quarters called padas (3° 20′ each), totaling 108 padas across the 360° zodiac circle.
How nakshatras work in a Vedic chart
While the 12 rashis are 30° divisions of the solar year, the 27 nakshatras reflect the Moon's daily movement against the fixed stars (~27.3 days sidereal orbit).
The nakshatra occupied by the Moon at birth (Janma Nakshatra) determines your starting planetary period (mahadasha) in the 120-year Vimshottari cycle and governs traditional naming syllables and compatibility kootas.
The structure of padas and navamsa
Each 13° 20′ nakshatra divides into four 3° 20′ padas. Exactly 9 padas fit inside each 30° rashi (108 padas overall across the zodiac).
Each pada maps directly to a specific sign in the Navamsa (D9) harmonic chart, connecting the lunar mansions directly to divisional analysis.
The 27 Nakshatras and Their Vimshottari Lords
| # | Nakshatra | Span in Zodiac | Dasha Lord | Span in Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashvini | 0° 00′ – 13° 20′ | Ketu (7 yrs) | Mesha 0°00′ – 13°20′ |
| 2 | Bharani | 13° 20′ – 26° 40′ | Shukra (20 yrs) | Mesha 13°20′ – 26°40′ |
| 3 | Krittika | 26° 40′ – 40° 00′ | Surya (6 yrs) | Mesha 26°40′ – Vrishabha 10°00′ |
| 4 | Rohini | 40° 00′ – 53° 20′ | Chandra (10 yrs) | Vrishabha 10°00′ – 23°20′ |
| 5 | Mrigashirsha | 53° 20′ – 66° 40′ | Mangal (7 yrs) | Vrishabha 23°20′ – Mithuna 6°40′ |
| 6 | Ardra | 66° 40′ – 80° 00′ | Rahu (18 yrs) | Mithuna 6°40′ – 20°00′ |
| 7 | Punarvasu | 80° 00′ – 93° 20′ | Guru (16 yrs) | Mithuna 20°00′ – Karka 3°20′ |
| 8 | Pushya | 93° 20′ – 106° 40′ | Shani (19 yrs) | Karka 3°20′ – 16°40′ |
| 9 | Ashlesha | 106° 40′ – 120° 00′ | Budha (17 yrs) | Karka 16°40′ – 30°00′ |
| 10 | Magha | 120° 00′ – 133° 20′ | Ketu (7 yrs) | Simha 0°00′ – 13°20′ |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni | 133° 20′ – 146° 40′ | Shukra (20 yrs) | Simha 13°20′ – 26°40′ |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni | 146° 40′ – 160° 00′ | Surya (6 yrs) | Simha 26°40′ – Kanya 10°00′ |
| 13 | Hasta | 160° 00′ – 173° 20′ | Chandra (10 yrs) | Kanya 10°00′ – 23°20′ |
| 14 | Chitra | 173° 20′ – 186° 40′ | Mangal (7 yrs) | Kanya 23°20′ – Tula 6°40′ |
| 15 | Swati | 186° 40′ – 200° 00′ | Rahu (18 yrs) | Tula 6°40′ – 20°00′ |
| 16 | Vishakha | 200° 00′ – 213° 20′ | Guru (16 yrs) | Tula 20°00′ – Vrishchika 3°20′ |
| 17 | Anuradha | 213° 20′ – 226° 40′ | Shani (19 yrs) | Vrishchika 3°20′ – 16°40′ |
| 18 | Jyeshtha | 226° 40′ – 240° 00′ | Budha (17 yrs) | Vrishchika 16°40′ – 30°00′ |
| 19 | Mula | 240° 00′ – 253° 20′ | Ketu (7 yrs) | Dhanu 0°00′ – 13°20′ |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha | 253° 20′ – 266° 40′ | Shukra (20 yrs) | Dhanu 13°20′ – 26°40′ |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha | 266° 40′ – 280° 00′ | Surya (6 yrs) | Dhanu 26°40′ – Makara 10°00′ |
| 22 | Shravana | 280° 00′ – 293° 20′ | Chandra (10 yrs) | Makara 10°00′ – 23°20′ |
| 23 | Dhanishtha | 293° 20′ – 306° 40′ | Mangal (7 yrs) | Makara 23°20′ – Kumbha 6°40′ |
| 24 | Shatabhisha | 306° 40′ – 320° 00′ | Rahu (18 yrs) | Kumbha 6°40′ – 20°00′ |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada | 320° 00′ – 333° 20′ | Guru (16 yrs) | Kumbha 20°00′ – Meena 3°20′ |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | 333° 20′ – 346° 40′ | Shani (19 yrs) | Meena 3°20′ – 16°40′ |
| 27 | Revati | 346° 40′ – 360° 00′ | Budha (17 yrs) | Meena 16°40′ – 30°00′ |
27 nakshatras × 4 padas = 108 padas · Vimshottari dasha lords
See your birth nakshatra and pada in ePandit
ePandit checks these rules against your own birth chart, and shows which are sourced to a classical text and which are our engine's.
Nakshatras
- Ashwini Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Ashwini is the first of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Mesha. Its lord is Ketu and its deities are the Ashvini Kumaras; tradition links it with fresh starts, quickness and a readiness to help.
- Bharani Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Bharani is the second of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Mesha. Its lord is Venus and its deity is Dharmaraja (Yama); tradition links it with carrying responsibility, deep feeling and creativity.
- Krittika Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Krittika is the third of the 27 nakshatras; its first pada is in Mesha and the other three in Vrishabha. Its lord is the Sun and its deity is Agni; tradition links it with clarity, purity and courage.
- Rohini Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Rohini is the fourth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Vrishabha. Its lord is the Moon and its deity is Brahma (Prajapati); tradition links it with growth, beauty, steadiness and creation.
- Mrigashira Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Mrigashira is the fifth of the 27 nakshatras; its first two padas are in Vrishabha and the last two in Mithuna. Its lord is Mars and its deity is the Moon (Soma); tradition links it with searching, curiosity and a gentle mind.
- Ardra Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Ardra is the sixth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Mithuna. Its lord is Rahu and its deity is Rudra; tradition links it with deep thinking, questioning and the freshness that follows change.
- Punarvasu Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Punarvasu is the seventh of the 27 nakshatras; its first three padas are in Mithuna and the fourth in Karka. Its lord is Jupiter and its deity is Aditi; tradition links it with returning light, hope and home.
- Pushya Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Pushya is the eighth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Karka. Its lord is Saturn and its deity is Brihaspati; tradition links it with nourishment, care, discipline and devotion.
- Ashlesha Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Ashlesha is the ninth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Karka. Its lord is Mercury and its deities are the Serpents (Nagas); tradition links it with deep understanding, insight and holding on closely.
- Magha Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Magha is the tenth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Simha. Its lord is Ketu and its deities are the Pitris (ancestors); tradition links it with family, respect for one's roots and dignity.
- Purva Phalguni Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Purva Phalguni is the eleventh of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Simha. Its lord is Venus and its deity is Bhaga; tradition links it with joy, company, the arts and rest.
- Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Uttara Phalguni is the twelfth of the 27 nakshatras; its first pada is in Simha and the other three in Kanya. Its lord is the Sun and its deity is Aryaman; tradition links it with trust, friendship and keeping one's word.
- Hasta Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Hasta is the thirteenth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Kanya. Its lord is the Moon and its deity is the Sun (Savitar); tradition links it with skilled hands, resourcefulness and helping others.
- Chitra Nakshatra: lord, deity, nature and name syllables Chitra is the fourteenth of the 27 nakshatras; its first two padas are in Kanya and the other two in Tula. Its lord is Mars and its deity is Tvashtar (Vishvakarma); tradition links it with making, a sense of beauty and polish.
- Swati Nakshatra: deity, temperament and name syllables Swati is the fifteenth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Tula. Its lord is Rahu and its deity is Vayu; tradition links it with flexibility, freedom and openness.
- Vishakha Nakshatra: deity, temperament and name syllables Vishakha is the sixteenth of the 27 nakshatras and spans Tula and Vrishchika. Its lord is Jupiter and its deities are Indra and Agni; tradition links it with persistence, drive and an eye on the goal.
- Anuradha Nakshatra: deity, temperament and name syllables Anuradha is the seventeenth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Vrishchika. Its lord is Saturn and its deity is Mitra; tradition links it with friendship, cooperation and loyalty.
- Jyeshtha Nakshatra: deity, temperament and name syllables Jyeshtha is the eighteenth of the 27 nakshatras and lies wholly in Vrishchika. Its lord is Mercury and its deity is Indra; tradition links it with responsibility and care for one's own, and calm notes on gandmool follow.
- Mula Nakshatra: the nakshatra of roots Mula is the first nakshatra of Dhanu (Sagittarius), ruled by Ketu, with Nirriti as its deity. Tradition links it with going to the root of things and with letting the old go so something new can begin.
- Purva Ashadha Nakshatra: the nakshatra of unbeaten spirit Purva Ashadha is the second nakshatra of Dhanu (Sagittarius), ruled by Venus, with Apah, the waters, as its deity. Tradition links it with enthusiasm, confidence and a refreshing, water-like nature.
- Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra: the nakshatra of steady commitment Uttara Ashadha runs from the end of Dhanu into Makara, ruled by the Sun, with the Vishvedevas as its deity. Tradition links it with patience, integrity and success that lasts.
- Shravana Nakshatra: the nakshatra of listening and learning Shravana lies in Makara (Capricorn), ruled by the Moon, with Vishnu as its deity. Tradition links it with careful listening, learning and passing knowledge on.
- Shatabhisha Nakshatra: the nakshatra of solitude and search Shatabhisha lies in Kumbha (Aquarius), ruled by Rahu, with Varuna as its deity. Tradition links it with independent thinking, research, solitude and the search for truth.
- Purva Bhadrapada Nakshatra: the nakshatra of ideals and dedication Purva Bhadrapada runs from Kumbha into Meena, ruled by Jupiter, with Aja Ekapada as its deity. Tradition links it with ideals, deep dedication and inner change.
- Uttara Bhadrapada Nakshatra: the nakshatra of depth and patience Uttara Bhadrapada lies in Meena (Pisces), ruled by Saturn, with Ahirbudhnya as its deity. Tradition links it with quiet depth, patience, restraint and compassion.
- Revati Nakshatra: the nakshatra of nourishment and safe journeys Revati is the last of the 27 nakshatras, ruled by Mercury, with Pushan as its deity. Tradition links it with gentleness, nourishment, guiding others and the graceful close of a cycle.
- Dhanishtha Nakshatra: the nakshatra of rhythm and plenty Dhanishtha runs from the end of Makara into Kumbha, ruled by Mars, with the eight Vasus as its deity. Tradition links it with rhythm, energy, teamwork and abundance.
Common questions
How is my Janma Nakshatra calculated?
Your Janma Nakshatra is determined by the exact sidereal longitude of the Moon at the moment of your birth. Swiss Ephemeris calculates the Moon's position and identifies which of the 27 spans of 13° 20′ it occupied.
What is the role of a nakshatra pada?
Each nakshatra divides into four equal padas of 3° 20′. The pada refines chart analysis, determines the syllable for traditional naming, and establishes the Moon's sign in the Navamsa (D9) chart.