Find Your Nakshatra — The 27 Lunar Mansions
A Nakshatra is a 13°20' segment of the zodiac through which the Moon travels in roughly one day. The 27 Nakshatras are the soul of Vedic astrology — they reveal personality, compatibility, career direction, and the most auspicious moments to begin any new venture.
What Is a Nakshatra?
The Sanskrit word "Nakshatra" means "that which never decays." Each lunar mansion has a ruling deity, ruling planet (Nakshatra Lord), gana (divine, human, or demonic temperament), yoni (animal symbol), and four padas (quarters) of 3°20' each. Your birth Nakshatra — the one in which the Moon was placed at your birth — is called Janma Nakshatra and forms the basis of your name, marriage matching, and many lifelong rituals.
The 27 Nakshatras
| # | Nakshatra | Deity | Lord | Gana | Yoni |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwini | Ashwini Kumaras | Ketu | Deva | Horse |
| 2 | Bharani | Yama | Venus | Manushya | Elephant |
| 3 | Krittika | Agni | Sun | Rakshasa | Sheep |
| 4 | Rohini | Brahma | Moon | Manushya | Serpent |
| 5 | Mrigashira | Soma | Mars | Deva | Serpent |
| 6 | Ardra | Rudra | Rahu | Manushya | Dog |
| 7 | Punarvasu | Aditi | Jupiter | Deva | Cat |
| 8 | Pushya | Brihaspati | Saturn | Deva | Sheep |
| 9 | Ashlesha | Nagas | Mercury | Rakshasa | Cat |
| 10 | Magha | Pitrs | Ketu | Rakshasa | Rat |
| 11 | Purva Phalguni | Bhaga | Venus | Manushya | Rat |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguni | Aryaman | Sun | Manushya | Cow |
| 13 | Hasta | Savitar | Moon | Deva | Buffalo |
| 14 | Chitra | Tvashtar | Mars | Rakshasa | Tiger |
| 15 | Swati | Vayu | Rahu | Deva | Buffalo |
| 16 | Vishakha | Indra-Agni | Jupiter | Rakshasa | Tiger |
| 17 | Anuradha | Mitra | Saturn | Deva | Deer |
| 18 | Jyeshtha | Indra | Mercury | Rakshasa | Deer |
| 19 | Mula | Nirriti | Ketu | Rakshasa | Dog |
| 20 | Purva Ashadha | Apas | Venus | Manushya | Monkey |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadha | Vishvedevas | Sun | Manushya | Mongoose |
| 22 | Shravana | Vishnu | Moon | Deva | Monkey |
| 23 | Dhanishta | Vasus | Mars | Rakshasa | Lion |
| 24 | Shatabhisha | Varuna | Rahu | Rakshasa | Horse |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapada | Aja Ekapada | Jupiter | Manushya | Lion |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapada | Ahir Budhnya | Saturn | Manushya | Cow |
| 27 | Revati | Pushan | Mercury | Deva | Elephant |
How to Find Your Birth Nakshatra
To discover your Janma Nakshatra you need three details: date of birth, exact time of birth, and place of birth. Using these, an astrologer (or our online finder) calculates the longitude of the Moon at your birth and identifies which 13°20' slice of the zodiac it occupied. The Nakshatra is then divided into four padas to refine the result and to determine your name's first syllable.
Importance in Marriage Matching and Muhurtam
Nakshatra is the cornerstone of Ashtakoota Guna Milan — the 36-point compatibility test used in Hindu marriage matching. Out of the 36 gunas, 18+ are considered acceptable. The Nakshatra also determines Nadi dosha, Bhakoot, Gana matching, and Yoni compatibility. For muhurtam selection (auspicious time for any event), Nakshatras are classified as Mridu (gentle), Tikshna (sharp), Dhruva (fixed) and so on, each suited to different activities like marriage, travel, study, or surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can my Nakshatra change?
A: No. Janma Nakshatra is fixed at birth for life.
Q: Why is Abhijit not in the list of 27?
A: Abhijit is a 28th intercalary Nakshatra used only for muhurtam, not for daily reckoning.
Q: What is Pada?
A: Each Nakshatra has 4 padas (3°20' each), used for naming and Navamsa chart.
Q: Does Nakshatra affect career?
A: Yes — its ruling planet and deity strongly influence professional inclinations.