Nakshatra (Devanagari: नक्षत्र nákṣatra) is the term for lunar mansion in Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to the most prominent asterisms in the respective sectors.
The starting point for the nakshatras is the point on the ecliptic directly opposite to the star Spica called Chitrā in Sanskrit (other slightly different definitions exist). It is called Meshādi or the "start of Aries". The ecliptic is divided into each of the nakshatras eastwards starting from this point. The number of nakshatras reflects the number of days in a sidereal month (modern value: 27.32 days), that the width of a nakshatra is traversed by the moon in about one day. Each nakshatra is further subdivided into quarters (or padas) These play a role in popular Hindu astrology, where each pada is associated with a syllable, conventionally chosen as the first syllable of the given name of a child born when the moon was in the corresponding pada.
The nakshatras of traditional Hindu astronomy are based on a list of 28 asterisms found in the Atharvaveda (AVŚ 19.7) and also in the Shatapatha Brahmana. The first astronomical text that lists them is the Vedanga Jyotisha.
In classical Hindu mythology (Mahabharata, Harivamsa), the creation of the nakshatras is attributed to Daksha. They are personified as daughters of the deity and as mythological wives of Chandra, the moon god, or alternatively the daughters of Kashyapa, the brother of Daksha.[1]
Each of the nakshatras is governed as 'lord' by one of the nine graha in the following sequence: Ketu (South Lunar Node), Shukra (Venus), Ravi or Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Rahu (North Lunar Node), Guru or Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shani (Saturn) and Budha (Mercury). This cycle repeats itself three times to cover all 27 nakshatras. The lord of each nakshatra determines the planetary period known as the dasha, which is considered of major importance in forecasting the life path of the individual in Hindu astrology.
In Vedic Sanskrit, the term nákṣatra may refer to any heavenly body, or to "the stars" collectively. The classical sense of "lunar mansion" is first found in the Atharvaveda, and becomes the primary meaning of the term in Classical Sanskrit.
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In the Atharvaveda (Shaunakiya recension, hymn 19.7) a list of 28 stars or asterisms is given, many of them corresponding to the later nakshatras:
(1) Kṛttikā (the Pleiads), (2) Rohinī, (3) Mrigashīrsha, (4) Ārdrā, (5) Punarvasu, (6) Sūnritā, (7) Pushya, (8) Bhanu (the Sun), (9) Asleshā, (10) Maghā, (11) Svāti (Arcturus), (12) Chitrā (Spica), (13) Phalgunis, (14) Hasta, (15) Rādhas, (16) Vishākhā, (17) Anurādhā, (18) Jyeshthā, (19) Mūla, (20) Ashādhas, (21) Abhijit, (22) Sravana, (23) Sravishthās, (24) Satabhishak, (25) Proshtha-padas, (26) Revati, (27) Asvayujas, (28) Bharani. [2]
The classical list of 27 nakshatras is first found in the Vedanga Jyotisha, a text dated to the final centuries BCE..
In Hindu astrology, there are various systems of enumerating 27 or 28 nakshatras.[3] The following list of nakshatras gives the corresponding regions of sky, following Basham.[4]
| No. | Name | Associated stars | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashvini "wife of the Ashvins" |
β and γ Arietis |
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| 2; 7 | Bharani "the bearer" |
35, 39, and 41 Arietis |
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| 3 | Krittika an old name of the Pleiades; personified as the nurses of Kārttikeya, a son of Shiva. |
Pleiades | ||
| 4; 9 | Rohini "the red one", a name of Aldebaran. Also known as brāhmī |
Aldebaran |
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| 5; 3 | Mrigashīrsha "the deer's head". Also known as āgrahāyaṇī |
λ, φ Orionis | ||
| 6; 4 | Ardra "the moist one" |
Betelgeuse |
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| 7; 5 | Punarvasu (dual) "the two restorers of goods", also known as yamakau "the two chariots" |
Castor and Pollux |
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| 8; 6 | Pushya "the nourisher", also known as sidhya or tiṣya |
γ, δ and θ Cancri | ||
| 9; 7 | Āshleshā "the embrace" |
δ, ε, η, ρ, and σ Hydrae |
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| 10; 15 | Maghā "the bountiful" |
Regulus |
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| 11 | Pūrva Phalgunī "first reddish one" |
δ and θ Leonis |
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| 12 | Uttara Phalgunī "second reddish one" |
Denebola |
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| 13 | Hasta "the hand" |
α, β, γ, δ and ε Corvi | ||
| 14 | Chitra "the bright one", a name of Spica |
Spica |
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| 15 | Svāti name of Arcturus (of unknown derivation) |
Arcturus |
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| 16; 14 | Viśākhā "forked, having branches"; also known as rādhā "the gift" |
α, β, γ and ι Librae | ||
| 17 | Anuradha "following rādhā" |
β, δ and π Scorpionis |
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| 18; 16 | Jyeshtha "the eldest, most excellent" |
α, σ, and τ Scorpionis |
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| 19; 17 | Mula "the root" |
ε, ζ, η, θ, ι, κ, λ, μ and ν Scorpionis |
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| 20; 18 | Purva Ashadha "first of the aṣāḍhā", aṣāḍhā "the invincible one" being the name of a constellation |
δ and ε Sagittarii |
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| 21 | Uttara Ashadha "second of the aṣāḍhā" |
ζ and σ Sagittarii |
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| 22; 20 | Abhijit "victorious"[5] |
α, ε and ζ Lyrae - Vega | Lord: Brahma | |
| 23; 20 | Shravana |
α, β and γ Aquilae |
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| 24; 21; 23 | Shravishthā "most famous", also Dhanishta "swiftest" |
α to δ Delphini |
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| 25; 22 | Shatabhishaj "requiring a hundred physicians" |
γ Aquarii |
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| 26; 3 | Purva Bhadrapada "the first of the blessed feet" |
α and β Pegasi |
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| 27; 4 | Uttara Bhādrapadā "the second of the blessed feet" |
γ Pegasi and α Andromedae |
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| 28; 5 | Revati "prosperous" |
ζ Piscium |
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The 27 Nakshatras cover 13°20’ of the ecliptic each. Each Nakshatra is also divided into quarters or padas of 3°20’, and the below table lists the appropriate starting sound to name the child. The 27 nakshatras, each with 4 padas, give 108, which is the number of beads in a japa mala, indicating all the elements (ansh) of Vishnu:
| # | Name | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aśvini (अश्विनि)) | चु Chu | चे Che | चो Cho | ला La |
| 2 | Bharaṇī (भरणी) | ली Li | लू Lu | ले Le | पो Lo |
| 3 | Kṛttikā (कृत्तिका) | अ A | ई I | उ U | ए E |
| 4 | Rohini(रोहिणी) | ओ O | वा Va/Ba | वी Vi/Bi | वु Vu/Bu |
| 5 | Mṛgaśīrsha (म्रृगशीर्षा) | वे Ve/Be | वो Vo/Bo | का Ka | की Ke |
| 6 | Ārdrā (आर्द्रा) | कु Ku | घ Gha | ङ Ng/Na | छ Chha |
| 7 | Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु) | के Ke | को Ko | हा Ha | ही Hi |
| 8 | Puṣya (पुष्य) | हु Hu | हे He | हो Ho | ड Da |
| 9 | Āshleṣā (आश्लेषा) | डी Di | डू Du | डे De | डो Do |
| 10 | Maghā (मघा) | मा Ma | मी Mi | मू Mu | मे Me |
| 11 | Pūrva or Pūrva Phalgunī (पूर्व फाल्गुनी) | नो Mo | टा Ta | टी Ti | टू Tu |
| 12 | Uttara or Uttara Phalgunī (उत्तर फाल्गुनी) | टे Te | टो To | पा Pa | पी Pi |
| 13 | Hasta (हस्त) | पू Pu | ष Sha | ण Na | ठ Tha |
| 14 | Citrā (चित्रा) | पे Pe | पो Po | रा Ra | री Ri |
| 15 | Svātī (स्वाति) | रू Ru | रे Re | रो Ro | ता Ta |
| 16 | Viśākhā (विशाखा) | ती Ti | तू Tu | ते Te | तो To |
| 17 | Anurādhā (अनुराधा) | ना Na | नी Ni | नू Nu | ने Ne |
| 18 | Jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठा) | नो No | या Ya | यी Yi | यू Yu |
| 19 | Mūla (मूल) | ये Ye | यो Yo | भा Bha | भी Bhi |
| 20 | Pūrva Ashādhā (पूर्वाषाढ़ा) | भू Bhu | धा Dha | फा Bha/Pha | ढा Dha |
| 21 | Uttara Aṣāḍhā (उत्तराषाढ़ा) | भे Bhe | भो Bho | जा Ja | जी Ji |
| 22 | Śrāvaṇa (श्रावण) | खी Ju/Khi | खू Je/Khu | खे Jo/Khe | खो Gha/Kho |
| 23 | Śrāviṣṭha (श्रविष्ठा) or Dhaniṣṭha | गा Ga | गी Gi | गु Gu | गे Ge |
| 24 | Śatabhiṣā (शतभिषा)or Śatataraka | गो Go | सा Sa | सी Si | सू Su |
| 25 | Pūrva Bhādrapadā (पूर्वभाद्रपदा) | से Se | सो So | दा Da | दी Di |
| 26 | Uttara Bhādrapadā (उत्तरभाद्रपदा) | दू Du | थ Tha | झ Jha | ञ Da/Tra |
| 27 | Revatī (nakṣatra) (रेवती) | दे De | दो Do | च Cha | ची Chi |
Hindu astrologers (see Jyotisha) teach that when a child is born, they should be given an auspicious first name which will correspond to the child's Nakshatra. The technique for deducing the name is to see which nakshatra the moon is in at the moment of birth; this gives four possible sounds. A refinement is to pick one sound out of that four that relates to the Pada or division of the Nakshatra. Each Nakshatra has four Padas and four sounds and each Pada is of equal width. The Moon remains in each Nakshatra for approximately one day.
A further refinement or opportunity is to instead use the Nakshatra that the ascendent resides in at birth. The same broad choice of sounds and Padas apply, but now the sounds change roughly every 15 minutes. The ascendent passes through all 27 Nakshatras every 24 hours, being in each one for 53 and a third minutes of time, and is in a Pada for 13 and a third minutes of time. By using the ascendent's nakshatra, instead of the moon's nakshatra leads more to comfort of the Self, rather than comfort of the mother. This second approach is only really applicable if intuitively the moon approach does not feel right.
Constellations are grouped on the basis of their nature, type of their face, degree of their beneficence, their quarters in different signs, with reference to the constellation occupied by the Sun, with reference to the birth constellation (Janma Nakshatra), their caste, etc. The current constellation occupied by the Moon, and its nature forms the fundamental of Vedic system of electional astrology (Muhurta). Some of the activities and works which are associated with the Nakshatras are given below based on their fundamental nature:
Rohini, Uttara Bhādrapadā, Uttra Phalguni, and Uttara Ashada
Fixed and permanent nature, house, village, temple, entering in new hose-city-temple, religious works, rites for getting peace, propitiation of portents, Vinayaka Shanti, coronation, sowing of seeds, planting of small garden, starting of vocal music, friendship, sexual works, making & wearing of ornaments & clothes may be auspiciously begun / effectively performed. Works allocated to delicate & friendly (Mridu) asterisms may also be performed.
Punarvasu, Swaati, Sharavana, Shatabhishā & Shravishthā
Related to motion & movement, riding on a vehicle or elephant, opening of shop, walking first time, walking in garden, sex, making jewellery, learning of a trait. Things performed in Small (Laghu) constellation are also effectively performed in the Movable constellations.
Magha, Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Shadha, & Purva Bhadra.
Ambush, burning, poisoning (self & others), making & using weapons especially related to fire, cheating / deception / wickedness / craftiness, cutting & destroying, controlling of animals, beating & punishing of enemy. Works allocated to Sharp / Horrible (Darun) asterisms are also successfully done in these asterisms.
Vishakha & Krittika.
Fire works, burning of sacred fire (Agnihotra), using poison, fearsome works, arresting, adulteration (mixing), donation of ox to get one’s desires fulfilled (Vrashotsarga). Works prescribed under cruel (Ugra, Karur) constellations may also be performed. As per N.S. works of Sweet / delicate & friendly (Mridu & Maitri) constellations can also be included.
Hasta, Abhijit, Pushya, and Ashvini.
Selling, medical knowledge, using & handling of medicines, literature-music-art, the 64 Kala Shilpa (various arts, sculpture etc.) jewellery making & wearing, sexual intercourse. And the works prescribed for Movable (Char) constellations. Though Abhijit is included in Small group of asterisms, but is rarely referred in the Muhurt prescriptions.
Mrigashīrsha, Chitra, Anuradha and Revati.
Starting & learning singing of songs, clothes & jewellery making & wearing, Manglik works, matter related to friends, female company, enjoyments, sexual passions.
Jyeshta, Ardra, Ashlesha, and Mula
Charm or spell causing disease or death, hypnotism, sorcery; ghost, ambush, horror, murder, capture, matters related to secrecy, backbiting, starting of quarrel, separation, matters related to friendship & breaking thereof, training & tying of animals, pleasure works, playing games, getting made & wearing of new dress & ornaments, starting & learning singing of songs, entering into village / city, peaceful & developmental works.