---
title: "The 27 Nakshatras of Vedic Astrology"
url: "https://abhisheksoni.in/learn/nakshatra"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-10-27"
description: "The 27 nakshatras of Vedic astrology, Ashwini to Revati: each one's lord, deity, symbol, gana, yoni and nadi, and the rashi and ninth-part sign of its four padas."
---

# The 27 nakshatras of Vedic astrology

Vedic astrology divides the zodiac into 27 nakshatras of 13°20' each, from Ashwini at 0° to Revati, which ends at 360°. Each page gives the nakshatra's lord, deity, symbol, gana, yoni and nadi, and the rashi and navamsa of each of its four padas of 3°20'.

## What is a nakshatra?

A nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions: equal slices of the zodiac of 13 degrees 20 minutes each. The Moon goes round the sky in about 27.3 days, so it spends roughly a day in each one. The system is older in Indian astronomy than the twelve signs, and each nakshatra is named after a star or star group near it: Krittika is the Pleiades, Rohini is Aldebaran, Chitra is Spica. It is the finer of the two divisions of the zodiac, and much of Vedic timing rests on it.

## What is my birth nakshatra?

Your janma nakshatra is the nakshatra the Moon was in at the moment you were born. Because the Moon changes nakshatra about once a day, a birth date alone is often not enough, and the birth time decides it. The birth nakshatra gives the first syllable of a traditional name, it is the basis of kundli matching (the 36 points of Guna Milan come almost entirely from the two nakshatras), and it fixes where the sequence of dasha periods begins.

## What are padas, and how do nakshatras fit into the rashis?

Each nakshatra is divided into four padas, quarters of 3 degrees 20 minutes, so the 27 nakshatras make 108 padas, nine to every rashi. Since a rashi holds two and a quarter nakshatras, some nakshatras sit wholly inside one sign and others straddle two: Krittika begins in Mesha and ends in Vrishabha. Each nakshatra page gives the rashi of every pada. The pada also gives the syllable a traditional name starts with.

## Which planet rules each nakshatra?

The nine grahas rule the nakshatras in a fixed cycle of nine, starting with Ketu at Ashwini, so each graha rules three nakshatras spaced evenly round the zodiac. The lord of your birth nakshatra is the graha whose dasha you were born into, and the table gives the length of each one's period.

| Lord | Nakshatras | Dasha |
|---|---|---|
| [Ketu](/learn/graha/ketu) | Ashwini, Magha, Mula | 7 years |
| [Shukra](/learn/graha/shukra) | Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha | 20 years |
| [Surya](/learn/graha/surya) | Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashadha | 6 years |
| [Chandra](/learn/graha/chandra) | Rohini, Hasta, Shravana | 10 years |
| [Mangala](/learn/graha/mangala) | Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishta | 7 years |
| [Rahu](/learn/graha/rahu) | Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha | 18 years |
| [Guru](/learn/graha/guru) | Punarvasu, Vishakha, Purva Bhadrapada | 16 years |
| [Shani](/learn/graha/shani) | Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada | 19 years |
| [Budha](/learn/graha/budha) | Ashlesha, Jyeshtha, Revati | 17 years |

## Is my nakshatra good or bad?

Tradition gives each nakshatra a deity, a symbol and a temperament (its gana: deva, manushya or rakshasa), and those descriptions are worth reading. They describe a texture, not a fate. Six nakshatras at the joins of water and fire signs (Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Mula and Revati) are called gandamool and carry traditional cautions at birth, and those cautions are narrower than they are usually made out to be. One factor in a chart decides nothing on its own. If you have been told a child's nakshatra is dangerous, have the chart computed properly, with the birth time, before believing it.

- [Ashwini](/learn/nakshatra/ashwini): Ashwini · अश्विनी · Ashwini spans 0°00'-13°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Ketu, presided by Ashwini Kumaras. Symbol: Horse's head.
- [Bharani](/learn/nakshatra/bharani): Bharani · भरणी · Bharani spans 13°20'-26°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shukra, presided by Yama. Symbol: Yoni / womb. Gana manushya, yoni elephant, nadi pitta.
- [Krittika](/learn/nakshatra/krittika): Krittika · कृत्तिका · Krittika spans 26°40'-40°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Surya, presided by Agni. Symbol: Razor / flame. Gana rakshasa, yoni sheep, nadi kapha.
- [Rohini](/learn/nakshatra/rohini): Rohini · रोहिणी · Rohini spans 40°00'-53°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Chandra, presided by Brahma / Prajapati. Symbol: Cart / chariot.
- [Mrigashira](/learn/nakshatra/mrigashira): Mrigashira · मृगशिरा · Mrigashira spans 53°20'-66°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Mangala, presided by Soma. Symbol: Deer's head. Gana deva, yoni serpent, nadi pitta.
- [Ardra](/learn/nakshatra/ardra): Ardra · आर्द्रा · Ardra spans 66°40'-80°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Rahu, presided by Rudra. Symbol: Teardrop / diamond. Gana manushya, yoni dog, nadi vata.
- [Punarvasu](/learn/nakshatra/punarvasu): Punarvasu · पुनर्वसु · Punarvasu spans 80°00'-93°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Guru, presided by Aditi. Symbol: Quiver of arrows. Gana deva, yoni cat, nadi vata.
- [Pushya](/learn/nakshatra/pushya): Pushya · पुष्य · Pushya spans 93°20'-106°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shani, presided by Brihaspati. Symbol: Cow's udder / lotus.
- [Ashlesha](/learn/nakshatra/ashlesha): Ashlesha · आश्लेषा · Ashlesha spans 106°40'-120°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Budha, presided by Nagas. Symbol: Coiled serpent.
- [Magha](/learn/nakshatra/magha): Magha · मघा · Magha spans 120°00'-133°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Ketu, presided by Pitris. Symbol: Royal throne. Gana rakshasa, yoni rat, nadi kapha.
- [Purva Phalguni](/learn/nakshatra/purva-phalguni): Purva Phalguni · पूर्व फाल्गुनी · Purva Phalguni spans 133°20'-146°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shukra, presided by Bhaga. Symbol: Front legs of a bed.
- [Uttara Phalguni](/learn/nakshatra/uttara-phalguni): Uttara Phalguni · उत्तर फाल्गुनी · Uttara Phalguni spans 146°40'-160°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Surya, presided by Aryaman. Symbol: Back legs of a bed.
- [Hasta](/learn/nakshatra/hasta): Hasta · हस्त · Hasta spans 160°00'-173°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Chandra, presided by Savitr. Symbol: Open palm. Gana deva, yoni buffalo, nadi vata.
- [Chitra](/learn/nakshatra/chitra): Chitra · चित्रा · Chitra spans 173°20'-186°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Mangala, presided by Tvashtar / Vishvakarma. Symbol: Bright jewel / pearl.
- [Swati](/learn/nakshatra/swati): Swati · स्वाति · Swati spans 186°40'-200°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Rahu, presided by Vayu. Symbol: Young shoot in wind / coral.
- [Vishakha](/learn/nakshatra/vishakha): Vishakha · विशाखा · Vishakha spans 200°00'-213°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Guru, presided by Indra-Agni. Symbol: Triumphal archway.
- [Anuradha](/learn/nakshatra/anuradha): Anuradha · अनुराधा · Anuradha spans 213°20'-226°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shani, presided by Mitra. Symbol: Lotus / staff. Gana deva, yoni deer, nadi pitta.
- [Jyeshtha](/learn/nakshatra/jyeshtha): Jyeshtha · ज्येष्ठा · Jyeshtha spans 226°40'-240°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Budha, presided by Indra. Symbol: Circular amulet / earring.
- [Mula](/learn/nakshatra/mula): Mula · मूल · Mula spans 240°00'-253°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Ketu, presided by Nirriti. Symbol: Bunch of tied roots.
- [Purva Ashadha](/learn/nakshatra/purva-ashadha): Purva Ashadha · पूर्वाषाढ़ा · Purva Ashadha spans 253°20'-266°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shukra, presided by Apas. Symbol: Winnowing basket / fan.
- [Uttara Ashadha](/learn/nakshatra/uttara-ashadha): Uttara Ashadha · उत्तराषाढ़ा · Uttara Ashadha spans 266°40'-280°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Surya, presided by Vishvadevas. Symbol: Elephant tusk.
- [Shravana](/learn/nakshatra/shravana): Shravana · श्रवण · Shravana spans 280°00'-293°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Chandra, presided by Vishnu. Symbol: Ear / three footprints.
- [Dhanishta](/learn/nakshatra/dhanishta): Dhanishta · धनिष्ठा · Dhanishta spans 293°20'-306°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Mangala, presided by Vasus. Symbol: Drum / flute.
- [Shatabhisha](/learn/nakshatra/shatabhisha): Shatabhisha · शतभिषा · Shatabhisha spans 306°40'-320°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Rahu, presided by Varuna. Symbol: Empty circle / 100 stars.
- [Purva Bhadrapada](/learn/nakshatra/purva-bhadrapada): Purva Bhadrapada · पूर्व भाद्रपद · Purva Bhadrapada spans 320°00'-333°20' of the zodiac, ruled by Guru, presided by Aja Ekapada. Symbol: Sword / front of funeral cot.
- [Uttara Bhadrapada](/learn/nakshatra/uttara-bhadrapada): Uttara Bhadrapada · उत्तर भाद्रपद · Uttara Bhadrapada spans 333°20'-346°40' of the zodiac, ruled by Shani, presided by Ahir Budhnya. Symbol: Back of funeral cot / twins.
- [Revati](/learn/nakshatra/revati): Revati · रेवती · Revati spans 346°40'-360°00' of the zodiac, ruled by Budha, presided by Pushan. Symbol: Fish / drum. Gana deva, yoni elephant, nadi kapha.