Nakshatra

Nachatra - Nagchedra - Gyukar (Tibetan)

Moon station, Lunar domain, constellation, asterism

Each of the 27 Nakshatra is divided into four padaa = 4 quarters. 27*4 = 108 Nakshatra

Books about Nakshatra smaller Table of Nakshatra Locations larger Table of Nakshetra Attributes including Tibetan Names The Four Nakshatra Margas Gana of Nakshatra Ayurvedic Nadis of the Nakshatra How na-kshetras are calculated Ancient Lunar Jyotisha Coordinating the two historic systems Ordering and Numbering the Nakshatra Nakshetra Names in Mayalam, Sanskritam, and Tamil A psychic view of nakshatra meanings: Soul Recognition in Relationship: Nakshatra of the Navamsha lagna Nakshatra values in Jyotisha prediction the Moon's nakshatra Nakshatra reasoning for Muhurta Surya in 27 Nakshatra Chandra in 27 Nakshatra Mangala in 27 Nakshatra Budha in 27 Nakshatra Vrihaspati in 27 Nakshatra Shukra in 27 Nakshatra Shani in 27 Nakshatra Rahu in 27 Nakshatra Ketu in 27 Nakshatra

Recommended English texts:

1. Valerie Roebuck's classic The Circle of Stars is the clearest, most historically and linguistically advanced introduction of Jyotisha available in English. Roebuck holds a Cambridge Ph.D. in the cultural history of India. IMO, Roebuck's explanation of the Vedic nakshatra tradition is the best in print.

2. The Nakshatra by Dennis Harness is a brief introductory overview for beginners. May prove useful for those seeking to apply Nakshatra profiles to modern psychological counseling. Not a scholarly text, but a nice easy introduction for the true-beginner student of Jyotisha.

3. P. 168-253 of Bepin Behari's Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology contains a theosophical interpretation of Nakshatra symbolism. Philosophically inclined Jyotishi may find this depth of interpretation more beneficial for widening their esoteric awareness of the 'nakshatranath'.

How na-kshetras are figured:

• Earth's Moon orbits around Earth every (approx) 27 days + 7.75 hours

• zodiac (circle of animals) has 360 degrees

• divide 360 into 27 slices

• each slice = 13 degrees 20 seconds of arc

• Each Nakshatra contains a major star or star-cluster

• the leftover 7.75 hours in a sidereal lunar transit is sometimes accommodated in a mini-slice "intercalary" nakshatra - the "28th nakshatra" - called Abhijitya.

Das Goravani says:

• "There are 27 main Nakshatra encircling the entire zodiac

• The Moon travels through roughly one nakshatra per day

• The Nakshatra are said to be the wives of the Moon.

• Each has a ruler planet, a ruler demigod or a specific nature, and various predictions associated with it.

• The Nakshatra are extremely important in all aspects of vedic astrology. "

What is a Na-kshetra? "Na" = Moon; "Kshetra" = Domain [field/shelter] Na-kshetra = "fields of the Moon"

Lemma = "nakSatra" from ~~ Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionary a star or any heavenly body ; also applied to the sun ; n. sg. sometimes collectively `" the stars " an asterism or constellation through which the moon passes , a lunar mansion 27 , later 28 , viz: Sravishtha or Dhanishtha Sata-bhishaj Purva-bhadrapada Uttara-bhadrapada Revati Asvini Bharani Krittika Rohini or Brahmi Mriga-siras or Agrahayani Ardra Punarvasu or Yamakau Pushya or Sidhya Aslesha Magha Purva-phalguni Uttara-phalguni Hasta Citra Svati Visakha or Radha Anuradha Jyeshtha Mula Purva-shadha Uttara-shadha Abhijit Sravana Revati , Uttara-phalguni , Uttara-bhadrapada and Uttarashadha are called {dhruvANi}, fixed in the Vedas the Nakshatra are considered as abodes of the gods or of pious persons after death; later as wives of the moon and daughters of Daksha according to Jainas the sun , moon , Grahas , Nakshatra and Taras form the Jyotishkas) a pearl starry , sidereal astronomer , astrologer a month computed by the moon's passage through the 27 mansions , or of 30 days of 60 Ghatis each

A psychic view of nakshatra meanings:

• Lunar-based astrology "reads" the person primarily from the astral body, which is a sensual-perceptive-intuitive level of personal reality.

• The Nakshatra reveal an ancient psycho-emotional profile used by each graha (but particularly Chandra). This profile or filter is stored in the subconscious memory banks of the astral body.

• It takes a bit of "questioning the dominant paradigm" but even those of us raised in the "leading" ego-mental culture of the super-mentalized dwapara yuga can use nakshatra categories to interpret the nativity!

Nakshetra placement of Chandra reveals qualities of one's deep emotional character.

• This deep emotional character very much influences the repeating life patterns of the native's instinctive choices in relationships and social environment. The repeating patterns are often instinctive and reactive; the native insists on a fixed emotional response pattern that is characteristic of the traits of the nakshatra, particularly the nakshatra's planetary lord.

• From the reincarnational viewpoint, these patterns are the result of unresolved emotional experiences in past lives. There is often a trauma-pattern embedded in the Moon's nakshatra. The trauma pattern reveals ways in which the native has learned to get one's emotional needs met while protecting [Chandra] against further hurt.

• The nakshatra of Chandra intuitively guides the native to behaviors & environments which best support their emotional needs. Success or failure of this self-nourishing and self-protecting strategy depends on the condition of the nakshatra lord within the radix nativity.

Nakshetra of the navamsha Chandra shows the soul's emotional needs.

Although this level of need is generally only satisfied in partnership (human or divine), the pattern which is seeking validation is indeed a spiritual dimension of one's own self of which one is not fully conscious.

• In a successful relationship, the partner should be able to see and validate the nakshatra qualities of the native's navamsha.

• One attracts a partner (or ishtadevata) for the purpose of seeing this aspect of the emotional memory-bank reflected in the partner's behavior that is really a response to one's own projections.

• Complicated? No, not too much. It's just important to understand that anything going on in the navamsha is a projection of dormant traits from one's own personality which one is trying to recognize and accept.

• This is emotional material coming up from deep-freeze storage in the ancient subconscious. It's hard to see without a partner who acts like a blank projection screen, showing the past-life movie (again and again and again...)

See the individual descriptions of Chandra in the 27 Nakshatra for details of Chandra in each of the navamsha lagnas.

Traits in evidence via nakshatra of the radix lagna and nakshatra of Chandra lagna:

The 27 Nakshatra are divided into 9 sets of 3:

1. The 3 Ketu-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra-Ashwini, Chandra-Magha, Chandra-Mula

• Nakshetras ruled by Ketu tend to exhibit eccentricity or detached emotional response to their environment "not of this world": Asvini, Magha, Mula

• One born in a Chandra-nakshatra rules by Ketu remembers past-life disorientation to material life and disassociation or forced disconnection from the supporting environment. A tight bond was severed, and the native was set adrift.

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by apathetic Ketu: Prince Charles, Jackie Kennedy Onassis,

2. The 3 Shukra -ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra in Bharani ; Chandra in Purvaphalguni ; Chandra in Purvaashadha

• As a general rule, nakshetra of sensual Shukra tend to attract material wealth: Bharani, Purvaphalguni, Purvashadha.

• if Shukra is strong in the nativity (   miserliness Shukra-money Bharani

• luscious red fruits, lips of the body: Purvaphalguni

• One born in a Chandra-nakshetra ruled by Shukra  remembers past-life pleasures of wealth-accumulation and agreeable alliances, and the emotional expectations promote continuation of a stable, acquisitive lifestyle with partners who value material wealth and sensual pleasures. If Shukra is well-disposed in the radix, these natives are committed partners who enjoy making agreements and storing values. The native's emotional strategies favor pleasuring and material reward.

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by pleasure-broker Shukra:

3. The 3 Surya-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra-Krittika, Chandra-Uttaraphalguni, Chandra-Uttarashadha

• Nakshetra of royal Surya tend to attract high entitlements: Krittika, Uttaraphalguni, Uttarashadha.

• One born in a Chandra-nakshetra rules by Surya () remembers past-life kingship, and one enters the current life with the emotional expectation of celebrity attention, honor and privilege, and perhaps even absolute power. The native interprets success as evidence of one's natural intelligence. Failure is merely the misapprehension of others. One will not tolerate contradiction or questioning of magisterial motive or intent. Whether full entitlement is reached and one receives the admiration expected is determined by the characteristics of Surya in the radix. The native's emotional strategies favor self-assertion and claims of moral superiority.

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by brilliant Ravi: Brad Pitt, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton

4. The 3 Chandra-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra in Rohini ; Chandra in Hasta ; Chandra in Shravana

• Nakshetras of empathetic Chandra tend to feel extremely sensitive to the feelings and opinions of others - Rohini, Hasta, Shravana .

• Sympathy for parents and caretakers.

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by placid Chandra: Queen Victoria I

5. The 3 Mangala-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra in Mrigashirsha ; Chandra in Chitra ; Chandra in Dhanishtha

• Nakshetra of vital, energetic Mangala tend toward brisk & constant movement Mrigashira, Chitra, Dhanishtha. Sympathy for soldiers, explorers, and conquerors.

• Gainful through combat, competition, and war.

• rhythmic gait, dancer, Kuja-movement Dhanishtha

• quick-bolting and instinctive, Kuja Mrigashira

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by hunter Mangala: G.W. Bush-43, G.H.W. Bush-41

6. The 3 Rahu-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra-Arudha, Chandra-Swati, Chandra-Shatataraka

• Nakshetra of adventurous Rahu tend toward wild desire and a need for spatial freedom: Arudra, Swati, Shatataraka

• limp or hip-swing, Rahu-Swati

• violence, wildness Rahu-Ardra (primal feelings like fear or trust).

• One born in a Chandra-nakshetra ruled by Rahu will remember unfulfilled or incomplete past-life desire.

  Emotionally one has a need for physical as as well as psychic space; the tactile interaction is sporadic within a polarity of attraction and repulsion. Sexual expression is animal-like.

  Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by wild, instinctive Rahu:

7. The 3 Brihaspati-ruled Nakshatra

• Chandra in Punarvasu  ; Chandra in Vishakha ; Chandra in Purvabhadrapada

• Nakshetra of the teacher Guru tend to promote growing and understanding: Punarvasu, Vishakhya, Purvabhadrapada.

• tendency to suddenly gain or lose body weight, Guru-expansion Vishakha

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by pedantic Guru

8. The 3 Shani-ruled Nakshatra = "safe-keeping"

• Chandra-Pushya, Chandra-Anuradha, Chandra-Uttarabhadrapada

• Nakshetra of lawful Shani tends toward emotional expression that is highly regulated and self-defensive. Chronic worrying, and urge to defend one's position. The Shani-ruled nakshatra are scientifically objective and goal-oriented in their psycho-emotional relationships.

• Sympathy for the common man.

• Building of protective fortresses

• Intuitive gifts: Chandra in a nakshatra of Shani may possess heightened intuitive awareness of repeating patterns in the physical and psychological environment.

  • Pattern-recognition skills help virtually every type of learning task.

  • Chandra in a nakshatra of Shani sharpens and strengthens the native's intuitive detection of networked relationships between people, between things, and between ideas.

  • Particularly gifted with intuition regarding the structure of economies (financial, political, biological, historical, ethical, aesthetic, social, cultural, linguistic, et cetera ad infinitum).

• Nakshetra ruled by task-master Shani [Pushya, Anuradha, Uttarabhadrapada] are workers who are crafty and shrewd in the use of material resources. One may be a worker at a very high level of social leadership, yet one's emotional response promotes the dignity of service to humanity and is explicitly the opposite of the personal, regal entitlement of Surya.

• karmic obligation to build alliances for social stability = Shani in Anuradha

•   One born in a Chandra-nakshetra rules by Shani [] remembers past-life duties and the constrictions of slavery, forced labor, or exploitation. In memory of scarce resources and the daily need of daunting hard work, one takes a conservative and safety-promoting approach toward emotional interaction with others. Character of Shani in the radix will determine overall success of these strategies within the the core emotional relationships of the current lifetime. The native's emotional strategies favor resistance and self-defense.

• Examples of Chandra-Uttarabhadrapada = safe-keeper Shani: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs

9. The 3 Budha-ruled Nakshatra

Chandra has no planetary enemies. However, the relationship between Chandra and Budha represents the inherent difficulties between Chandra the Parent and Budha the Adolescent. Budha is overly confident on inadequate foundations, for which He is censured by Chandra. As a typical teenager, Budha disregards Chandra almost entirely - going about His merry way, on a path to failure due to excess mentalization, but determined nonetheless.

The native born in a Budha-ruled nakshatra will tend toward adolescent styles of overconfidence based on one's presumed knowledge or natural superiority or "chosen-ness".

• Nakshetras ruled by talkative Budha tend to be entwining (twinned): Ashlesha, Jyestha, Revati

• Ashlesha = sneaking, stealing, manipulation

• Jyestha = misinformation, lying

• Revati = misleading, misrepresentation, fraud

• Examples of Moon's nakshatra ruled by twinning Budha: Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie

Swamsha: The soul's portion

Nakshatra of the navamsha lagna shows the core profile of "swamsha", the soul's portion.

• For insight into the nakshatra-level of spiritual validation usually sought in partnership, as described by the navamsha, see Soul Recognition in Relationships .

Ancient Lunar Jyotisha

Ancient Indian Jyotisha was a divinatory system which searched for omens in the sky. The naked eye can observe numerous constellations in the night sky, and the regular placement of these was noted early on.

• The Moon's nighttime travels against the backdrop of sparkling bright constellations provided an excellent way to mark time and -- very importantly -- to generate ritual calendars for the priests.

• As recorded in the Vedas, each of the constellations is ruled by a deity, and has certain divinatory meanings. Stars were consulted for auspicious timing of events such as sacrifices and wars, but no "personal" astrology of the birth chart yet existed.

Later, during the era of strong Greek influence in northern India, the 12-sign astrological zodiac was introduced into Indian thought. (Thus the surprising amount of Greek vocabulary in Sanskrit Jyotisha texts after 300 BCE.) Greek astrology focused on "jataka" or natal-chart astrology of the person's birth.

Modern Solar Astrology

• Ego-positivistic experience (awareness at the level of five senses and social positioning) is best read through the solar houses. Most modern people live their lives rather narrowly constrained by the ego-positivistic paradigm.

• Therefore most modern people really want to know only about material developments such as wealth, social power/career, physical health & sex, children, and food.

The rare individual who is interested in anything outside this narrow realm may be rewarded by a study of the Nakshatra.

Nakshatra: Solar vs. Lunar astrology

Jyotisha tradition contains both the ancient, "aryan" lunar astrology (from the Rik Veda primarily) as well as a historically later stratum of solar astrology (the 12 houses).

The solar tradition seems to have emerged in the literary world of Jyotisha around the time of Alexander It's hard to say the source of the solar tradition, but it's definitely a later accrual in the Vedic literature. (see Valerie Roebuck The Circle of Stars for a readable literary history of Jyotisha).

• 'Na' = 'moon'; 'kshetra' = 'field' or 'shelter'.

• 'Na-kshatra' = 'domain of the Moon'.

In practice, the solar component of historic Jyotisha (the 12 solar signs & houses) is easier for the modern mind to to manipulate, due to its fairly rational structure.

The lunar component - 27 Nakshatra and their Vaidik deity rulerships - is much less rational, and much more complex & subtle.

Understanding and making predictions with nakshatra astrology requires an intuitive knowledge of deity personalities and acceptance of their background role in shaping human affairs.

Ordering and Numbering the Nakshatra

There are several different traditional enumerations of the nakshatra order. I use the conventional ordering at the top of this page.

For comparison, here is ordering from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionary.

1. Sravishtha or Dhanishtha

2. Sata-bhishaj

3. Purva-bhadrapada

4. Uttara-bhadrapada

5. Revati

6. Asvini

7. Bharani

8. Krittika

9. Rohini or Brahmi

10. Mriga-siras or Agrahayani

11. Ardra

12. Punarvasu or Yamakau

13. Pushya or Sidhya

14. Aslesha

15. Magha

16. Purva-phalguni

17. Uttara-phalguni

18. Hasta

19. Citra

20. Svati

21. Visakha or Radha

22. Anuradha

23. Jyeshtha

24. Mula

25. Purva-shadha

26. Uttara-shadha

27. Abhijit

28. Sravana

Nakshetra Names in Malayalam, Sanskritam, and Tamil

Coordinating the two historic systems:

The 360-degree "Circle of Stars" which surrounds our Earth, was rationalized into twenty-seven regular sections of 13 degrees 20 seconds each.

• The twelve Greek "solar" sign system was already set to begin at zero degrees of Aries, which was the point of the Sun at spring equinox. The ring of Nakshatra was then formalized to "start" at Ashvini, at zero degrees of Aries. Thus was Jyotisha as we currently practice it, conceived.

• The two systems interwove for many centuries. Finally, Varahamihira "the sun-priest" (550 CE) developed a great synthesis of both traditions, articulated in his many works of great genius. Varahamihira's synthesis forms the foundation of Jyotisha as we have it today.

(See historical details in Valerie Roebuck, The Circle of Stars, p. 8)

12 Rashi

The astrological convention of dividing the sky into 12 "rashi" signs (Aries to Pisces) is culturally familiar to most Westerners.

• Dividing the chart into 27 "nakshatra" or "lunar constellation" slices give more fine-tuning. Nakshatra are created by dividing the earth's visible sky into 27 pie slices. (In far north Indian areas influenced by Persian culture, sometimes 28 Nakshatra are used.)

• However the majority of Jyotishi uses 27 slices because 27*4 is one of those geometrical relations that produces 108 - a sacred cosmological number which is fundamentally important in Vedic thought.

If the chart is first divided into 12 slices, the major significations of each planet by sign, house, and aspect will be clear.

27 Nakshatra

The next step is to re-analyze the chart by applying 27 divisions of 13 degrees 20 seconds each. After evaluating the influence of nakshatra lords of each of the planets (Moon, Rahu/Ketu, and lagna are most affected), there will be a much finer understanding of the psycho-emotional subtleties within. Also the interpreter will gain the ability to predict the effects of each planetary period with more detail.

• In classical Jyotisha thought, each of the 27 Nakshatra is a unique residence, which has unique characteristics. The Moon passes through approximately one nakshatra per day.

• So, the nakshatra through which the Moon was passing at the time of your birth - called your Janma Nakshatra - has a big effect on your psycho-emotional mentality. The nakshatra which was rising on the eastern horizon ("lagna nakshatra") is very influential too.

• Nakshatra are described as "wives of the Moon", as in a harem. (Chandra, like all graha, is considered masculine or "yang" character because it has creative power.)

Wives, or consorts, may be authentic spousal realities for deities in the spirit world. For humans in the earth world, "wives" are metaphorical mirrored attributes, or distinctive types of perceptive power "radar", that are present in the total portfolio of the Moon.

Nakshatra values in Jyotisha prediction

Judgments from Chandra lagna are essentially readings of the astral level of personality. What is often called the "astral plane" in English refers to the subtle but tightly structured psycho-emotional particulate patterns which are embedded in the multiple-body entity of a human being, and which determine the human emotional response to life.

• Although Chandra's rashi, bhava, incoming drishti, yuti graha etc. are all essential considerations in predicting events based on Chandra's rulerships in the solar divisions, the Jyotishi who wishes to know the native's psycho-emotional motivations must contemplate the Moon's nakshatra.

• Both janma-lagna and Chandra-lagna Nakshatra should be considered when evaluating the native's psychic filters.

• The filters are constructed from accumulated past life emotional memories

Nakshatra attributes define a rather fixed array of programmatic, typically reactive, responses to life's experiences.

This subtle orientation is so ancient, intuitive, reactive, and subconsciously embedded that the native oneself may not be aware the of the way in which one selects and screens one's own psychic experiences. However whether the native is aware of their subtle identity or not, the Chandra & janma Nakshatra sets active limits on core identity and serves to structure the personality in ways that ultimately direct all the major choices in the incarnation.

Interpreting the nakshatra influence of Vaidik deities in modern life

In this materialistic age. it is more typical for the native to simply "feel" a general guidance and sense of direction in a non-specific and typically unconscious way, rather than to be in direct communication with the disembodied spiritual personalities that are actively collaborating to shape one's life path through the nakshatra delineations.

• Due to materialistic modern belief systems, most people cannot independently detect the presence of their own psycho-emotional bodies.

• Much less can the average contemporary human detect the reach-out-and-touch proximity of those deities large and small with whom the human in unconsciously interacting every day of their life.

• Unfortunately if one is not aware of the activities of guiding spirits one cannot undertake collaborative program changes. Therefore nakshatra delineations will indicate a level of fixed "destiny" limitation for most people.

It is of course possible to be much more aware and articulate of nakshatra effects which are powerfully energized by these 27 deities and multiple sub-deities. Once the awareness is in place one can negotiate the limitations with the supervising deities, and Nakshatra no longer define the limits of psycho-emotional movement.

Practice considerations

As the Jyotisha tradition has been received in this early part of Dwapara Yuga, an individual's nakshatra-based "psycho-emotional specialization" is essentially delineated according to the portfolios of the various deities and divisions of labor in Vaidik culture.

• It is not easy to translate this ancient set of cultural categories into modern lingo.

• Unless the native is particularly reflective or has been raised in a culture that specifically recognizes the traditional nakshatra boundaries, the native may note nothing more specific in their psychic life-response pattern than a sense of defined being-ness in an ocean of responses to life.

• Nevertheless, the Jyotishi knows through study that every native has a strong tendency to interpret one's experience through the filter of the nakshatra.

• Because nakshatra influences are so fine and subtle, their power to control the subconscious motivation will interpenetrate all solar actions and ultimately determine what a native can or cannot accomplish in the outside world.

Spiritual vs. Psychological

Due to the constraints of modern belief systems, the Jyotishi will often resort to a psychological rather than spiritual explanation of nakshatra influences.

• Those capable of holding a spiritual viewpoint will notice that the Nakshatra are territories of particularly deities, who control their turf rather vigorously. The deities are highly organized and productive. Their purpose is to advance human civilization and typically this occurs at a fast clip.

• It is not necessary to accept the limitations of Vaidik literary culture when striving to understand and communicate with the nakshatra deities. One may establish a natural & intuitive relationship with the governing deities without being constrained to the Vaidik (or "hindu-ized") view. Rather, one can discover the deities' attributes quite independently, through reflective and self-referential meditation. They may look and act quite differently through different cultural frames of reference.

• At the higher levels of consciousness, the practicing Jyotishi will recognize a need to be aware of and willing to participate with their plans for any given individual, some of which can be read through a close knowledge of Chandra and janma nakshatra.

• It can be a major positive contribution to an individual's welfare to show them the nakshatra path and their place upon it, and to help guide their communication with the primary deities who regulate that portion of the path. This can be a huge step up in spiritual consciousness for the person who is ready.

It is always beneficial to have a devotional relationship to the spiritual lords of the Moon's nakshatra, and a small altar for this purpose should ideally be maintained.

Nakshatra Psychological interpretation

In general practice, few clients actually are ready for the direct spiritual approach. More clients are ready for the psychological approach e.g. the language of behaviors, motivations, trauma response, etc. Psychological interpretation is overall more acceptable to most natives than direct psychic communication with spirits.

• It is true that the psychological approach is incomplete and not entirely accurate. Human lunar programming is profound.

• Yet in practice it will be more pragmatically helpful for most natives to understand their Moon's nakshatra and janma nakshatra in psychological terms and not confuse people with tales of lunar civilizations and so forth.

Being psychological then:

The nakshatra defines a small set of core motivations, repeating behaviors, tastes, abilities, and expectations which are simply carry-forwards from past life identities. Functionally, Soma's nakshatra creates a psycho-emotional filter which defines a limited range of self-concept and pre-determines certain tastes, motives, and abilities.

For example, the native with Chandra in Ashvini nakshatra will have a past-life history of intense communication with quadrupeds particularly horses, and a knowledge of physical medicine for people & animals.

The native's medical & sports orientation is based on many lifetimes of continued development of this particular span of knowledge & experience.

Highly self-aware natives may notice that, due to the ever-present guiding influence of the Ashwini Kumaras (a pair of active adolescent fix-it boy twin deities) in their lives, the native is always missing one's twin (whether one has a real twin in this life or not) and that they love & crave the taste of honey.

Nakshatra reasoning for Muhurta

For muhurta - astrological divinations that inform practical decision making - the current nakshatra of Chandra and lagna are critically important to gauge the predominant world and local patterns operating on the individual at any given moment of time.

Each of the 27 lunar mansions is independently ruled by a particular planet and deity, whose personality controls the goings-on in his house. As each planet passes through that lord's domain, the planet must temporarily respond to the domestic customs of that nakshatra.

Chandra is an impressionable graha, emotional and sympathetic in nature. Therefore Chandra's travel through each nakshatra sets the quality and tone for that day. Stronger effect will be felt by those with natally strong Chandra positions, but everyone benefits from being aware of Chandra's daily nakshatra.

Here are some examples of practical decision-making and attitude-setting based on awareness of nakshatra influence:

• When Chandra passes through the dangerous nakshatra of Ashlesha, ruled by graha Budha and deity of Sarpas the Snake God, matters signified by the Moon such as emotional well-being and bodily survival through the link with the mother/nurturer are constrained by complex mental arguments or philosophical sophistry, intentional misrepresentation (lying), and various forms of trickery.

  Chandra has always hated his illegitimate son Mercury, so when Chandra passes through Budha's nakshatra watch out for sorcery, charlatanism, and dirty tricks. Ruling deity Sarpas is associated with the dangerous actions of a snake: hypnotizing, paralyzing, and eventually poisoning or choking the victim.

  Ashlesha is therefore a bad place for the Moon to be, and not a good time for many things except disciplined spiritual practices which raise Kundalini energy, or intensive sexual exploration within the trusting and monogamous bounds of formal marriage. Otherwise, stay home, chant protective mantra, and read holy books!

• Shani and Guru are large grahas which travel slowly and remain in a single nakshatra for a long time. By far the most noticeable effects of any planetary transit will occur when the bhukti of that planet is in effect.

Therefore Shani's behavior in the mansion of His nakshatra lord is less generally important in "newspaper" muhurta and but very definitely important for the client undergoing a Shani bhukti (any mahadasha).

If Shani is bhukti-pat and he is also gochara in Ashlesha, one will be advised to take special precautions during the one day of each month when Chandra also occupies Ashlesha (for reasons described above).

However Shani and Budha do not suffer the extremely adversarial relationship of Chandra & Budha, so the auspice for Shani's journey through Ashlesha on the other 27+ days is generally OK.

Ruling deity Sarpas is devious and potentially deadly, but Shani is by nature conservative and cautious, slow moving and a survivor. The native should be realistic about the dark side of human nature without becoming paranoid. Wisely conserve resources and act cautiously, without succumbing to the coiling, agitated subconscious fears of death and destruction - which is exactly what Sarpas wants.

Remaining alert to strange behaviors in those around him will prevent any untoward consequences. Unless Shani is yuti Chandra in the radix, even on those 1-per-month days of Chandra gochara Ashlesha, there is no threat of overwhelming terror. Simply remain conservative, cautious, and alert.

• A positive signification occurs Surya passes through the nakshatra of Anu-radha, ruled by graha Shani and deity of Mitra, matters signified by the Sun such as kingship, making broad social policy, receiving state honors etc., are constrained by protocol, public respectability, need to assume a form which is understood by even the lowest people (Shani).

Surya and Shani are planetary enemies. Ruling deity Mitra, being an aspect of Surya and the very exemplar of compassionate friendliness, is warm and welcoming, appreciative and affectionate in his own house. This is a good time therefore for a person with a strong natal Ravi to accept public honors, attend diplomatic functions, other courtly sorts of behavior, provided they wear the appropriate costume and fully respect the customs of the people.

In India, people sometimes do really neurotic divinations to find the precisely right moment to execute a performative statement - e.g., to name a baby or to speak marriage vows -- based on the Moon's nakshatra location.

Although it would be nice to have this level of certainty about coordinating flawlessly with Divine purpose, IMO pure intention of heart is much more influential in guaranteeing a good outcome.

In the west, I find the biggest value of knowing the Moon and lagna nakshatra is to understand the esoteric significance of the moment of one's birth.

However awareness of the transits of the bhukti-pat and the Moon is always good consciousness. Obviously different ayanamshas will produce different transit tables, so the vexed matter of the ayanamsha must be addressed before predictions can have value.

Separate from muhurta inquiries, nakshatra lords impact all vargas during their time-lordship periods

• E.g., for rising nakshatra = Mrigashira, ruled by Mangala: Mars gets extra psychic-body power in your chart, similar to the lagnesha's power to structure the physical body. Natal position of Mars is significant for estimation of emotional vitality, subtle appearance of the aura, ayurvedic constitution with a view toward "moods", etc.

  Mars periods therefore have psycho-emotionally enlivening and energizing qualities which wake up the active psychic identity that occupies the interstitial spaces in the physical body. This body emanates through the physical body which is associated with the lagna/lagnesha.

• For janma nakshatra = Uttara-Phalguni, ruled by Surya: Sun periods stimulate your psycho-emotional sensitivities, increasing intuitive leadership powers. Natal position of Ravi contributes to overall attunement with life, compassion and acceptance, joie de vivre, etc.

• Chanting the planetary mantra of the lord of the janma nakshatra is always beneficial for self-knowledge, even if that lord owns malefic houses. The mantra of the lord of the janma nakshatra supports well-being and "return to self".

Q:

Dear Barbara, Namaste!

Many thanks for the vast and wonderful selection that you have made available. It is indeed a treat for beginners and advanced users alike.

I came across a few reference like 'Navamsha Moon in Ashlesha' or 'Navamsha moon in X nakshatra' and could not comprehend what it means. Aren't navamsha divisions limited upto rashi? We are not familiar to this concept.

For example, My Rashi Lagna is Taurus and Navamsha Lagna is Gemini. Moon occupies Ashlesha Pada 3 and falls in Aquarius in Navamsha chart.

There isn't really a further division possible, is it? I asked some fellow students of astrology who had the same question. Could you please help.

Warm Regards ... Mumbai

A: Namaste,

There should be no problem to comprehend that the navamsha Moon will occupy a nakshatra. The navamsha chart, similar to any varga chart, is a circle of 360 degrees. According to the ancient lunar astrology of na-kshetra, the 360 degrees of the zo-diac can be divided into 27 sub-sections measuring 13 degrees 20 seconds each.

Each 13:20 section is further conventionally divided into four quarters (padaa). Naturally, each point on the circle of 360 degrees of the navamsha will fall into one of the 27 nakshatra padaa. Therefore the Moon in navamsha will occupy a particular nakshatra padaa. The position of Shukra in dashamsha will also occupy some nakshatra padaa. The position of Rahu in Trimshamsha will also occupy some nakshatra pada. Every Shastiamsha corresponds to some nakshatra padaa.

This match between the solar varga system of 12 bhava and the lunar nakshatra system of 27 field of Chandra should be quite straightforward.

It may be true that before the computer age, most Jyotishi did not wish to take the time to establish the degree of navamsha graha out to two decimal places. Perhaps that is why some do not identify the nakshatra of graha in the varga charts. But with modern computer software, the calculation of a varga position extended to two decimal places is indeed effortless.

Wishing you best success in your Jyotisha studies,

Sincerely, Barbara Pijan Lama, Jyotisha www.barbarapijan.com

file update: 04-Jul-2010

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