Vedic astrology reference
The 27 nakshatras
Nakshatras are the 27 lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. Each covers 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac and is divided into four padas of 3°20′. The table gives each nakshatra's presiding deity, ruling planet (the lord used in the Vimshottari dasha system), its span across the rashis, and the syllable traditionally linked with each pada for choosing a baby's name.
Nakshatra table
Syllables are shown where Drik Panchang and DekhoPanchang agree; Devanagari is as printed by Drik Panchang. Where the sources disagree, the cell reads "varies" and the variants are listed below the table. The same Latin spelling can stand for different Devanagari letters (for example टा and ता are both written "Ta"), so check the Devanagari.
| # | Nakshatra | Deity | Ruling planet | Span (sidereal) | Rashi | Pada 1 | Pada 2 | Pada 3 | Pada 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashwiniअश्विनी | The Ashwini Kumaras (divine twin physicians) | Ketu | 0°00′ Mesha to 13°20′ Mesha | Mesha | Chuचु | Cheचे | Choचो | Laला |
| 2 | Bharaniभरणी | Yama | Venus | 13°20′ Mesha to 26°40′ Mesha | Mesha | Liली | Luलू | Leले | Loलो |
| 3 | Krittikaकृत्तिका | Agni | Sun | 26°40′ Mesha to 10°00′ Vrishabha | Mesha (pada 1), Vrishabha (padas 2–4) | Aअ | Iई | Uउ | Eए |
| 4 | Rohiniरोहिणी | Brahma (Prajapati) | Moon | 10°00′ Vrishabha to 23°20′ Vrishabha | Vrishabha | Oओ | Vaवा | Viवी | Vuवु |
| 5 | Mrigashiraमृगशिरा | Soma | Mars | 23°20′ Vrishabha to 6°40′ Mithuna | Vrishabha (padas 1–2), Mithuna (padas 3–4) | Veवे | Voवो | Kaका | Kiकी |
| 6 | Ardraआर्द्रा | Rudra | Rahu | 6°40′ Mithuna to 20°00′ Mithuna | Mithuna | Kuकु | Ghaघ | Ngaङ | varies* |
| 7 | Punarvasuपुनर्वसु | Aditi | Jupiter | 20°00′ Mithuna to 3°20′ Karka | Mithuna (padas 1–3), Karka (pada 4) | Keके | Koको | Haहा | Hiही |
| 8 | Pushyaपुष्य | Brihaspati | Saturn | 3°20′ Karka to 16°40′ Karka | Karka | Huहु | Heहे | Hoहो | Daडा |
| 9 | Ashleshaआश्लेषा | The Sarpas (Nagas, serpent deities) | Mercury | 16°40′ Karka to 30°00′ Karka | Karka | Diडी | Duडू | Deडे | Doडो |
| 10 | Maghaमघा | The Pitris (ancestors) | Ketu | 0°00′ Simha to 13°20′ Simha | Simha | Maमा | Miमी | Muमू | Meमे |
| 11 | Purva Phalguniपूर्वाफाल्गुनी | Bhaga | Venus | 13°20′ Simha to 26°40′ Simha | Simha | Moमो | Taटा | Tiटी | Tuटू |
| 12 | Uttara Phalguniउत्तराफाल्गुनी | Aryaman | Sun | 26°40′ Simha to 10°00′ Kanya | Simha (pada 1), Kanya (padas 2–4) | Teटे | Toटो | Paपा | Piपी |
| 13 | Hastaहस्त | Savitar (Surya) | Moon | 10°00′ Kanya to 23°20′ Kanya | Kanya | Puपू | Shaष | Naण | Thaठ |
| 14 | Chitraचित्रा | Tvashtar (Vishvakarma) | Mars | 23°20′ Kanya to 6°40′ Tula | Kanya (padas 1–2), Tula (padas 3–4) | Peपे | Poपो | Raरा | Riरी |
| 15 | Swatiस्वाती | Vayu | Rahu | 6°40′ Tula to 20°00′ Tula | Tula | Ruरू | Reरे | Roरो | Taता |
| 16 | Vishakhaविशाखा | Indra and Agni | Jupiter | 20°00′ Tula to 3°20′ Vrishchika | Tula (padas 1–3), Vrishchika (pada 4) | Tiती | Tuतू | Teते | Toतो |
| 17 | Anuradhaअनुराधा | Mitra | Saturn | 3°20′ Vrishchika to 16°40′ Vrishchika | Vrishchika | Naना | Niनी | Nuनू | Neने |
| 18 | Jyeshthaज्येष्ठा | Indra | Mercury | 16°40′ Vrishchika to 30°00′ Vrishchika | Vrishchika | Noनो | Yaया | Yiयी | Yuयू |
| 19 | Mulaमूल | Nirriti | Ketu | 0°00′ Dhanu to 13°20′ Dhanu | Dhanu | Yeये | Yoयो | Bhaभा | Bhiभी |
| 20 | Purva Ashadhaपूर्वाषाढा | Apah (the waters) | Venus | 13°20′ Dhanu to 26°40′ Dhanu | Dhanu | Bhuभू | Dhaधा | Phaफा | Dhaढ |
| 21 | Uttara Ashadhaउत्तराषाढा | The Vishvedevas (universal gods) | Sun | 26°40′ Dhanu to 10°00′ Makara | Dhanu (pada 1), Makara (padas 2–4) | Bheभे | Bhoभो | Jaजा | Jiजी |
| 22 | Shravanaश्रवण | Vishnu | Moon | 10°00′ Makara to 23°20′ Makara | Makara | varies* | varies* | varies* | varies* |
| 23 | Dhanishthaधनिष्ठा | The Vasus | Mars | 23°20′ Makara to 6°40′ Kumbha | Makara (padas 1–2), Kumbha (padas 3–4) | Gaगा | Giगी | Guगु | Geगे |
| 24 | Shatabhishaशतभिषा | Varuna | Rahu | 6°40′ Kumbha to 20°00′ Kumbha | Kumbha | Goगो | Saसा | Siसी | Suसू |
| 25 | Purva Bhadrapadaपूर्वभाद्रपदा | Aja Ekapada | Jupiter | 20°00′ Kumbha to 3°20′ Meena | Kumbha (padas 1–3), Meena (pada 4) | Seसे | Soसो | Daदा | Diदी |
| 26 | Uttara Bhadrapadaउत्तरभाद्रपदा | Ahir Budhnya | Saturn | 3°20′ Meena to 16°40′ Meena | Meena | Duदू | Thaथ | Jhaझ | varies* |
| 27 | Revatiरेवती | Pushan | Mercury | 16°40′ Meena to 30°00′ Meena | Meena | Deदे | Doदो | Chaच | Chiची |
* Where sources disagree
- Ardra. Pada 4: Drik Panchang and Himalayan Academy give Chha (छ); DekhoPanchang gives Na.
- Shravana. All four padas: Drik Panchang gives Khi, Khu, Khe, Kho (खी, खू, खे, खो); DekhoPanchang and Himalayan Academy give Ju, Je, Jo, Gha.
- Uttara Bhadrapada. Pada 4: Drik Panchang gives ञ (written "Yna"); DekhoPanchang gives "Jna"; Himalayan Academy gives Da (द).
- Himalayan Academy's table also differs from the two main sources on several other syllables, for example Vo for Rohini pada 4 and Ke for Mrigashira pada 4. Regional and family traditions vary.
- Older texts interchange the deities of Purva and Uttara Phalguni; the table follows Drik Panchang (Bhaga and Aryaman).
How the syllables are used for names
In the traditional naming ceremony (namakarana), many Hindu families choose a name that starts with the syllable for the pada of the baby's birth nakshatra, usually the nakshatra the Moon occupied at birth. For example, a baby born with the Moon in the first pada of Ashwini would traditionally be given a name beginning with "Chu".
This is a custom, not a rule everyone follows. Some families use the syllable for a private or ceremonial name only, some consult a family priest, some use a different regional list, and many do not follow the practice at all. Finding the birth nakshatra and pada needs the exact time and place of birth; the Moon moves through one nakshatra in about a day and one pada in about six hours.
Each rashi holds exactly nine padas. See the 12 rashis for the signs, and guna milan for how nakshatras are used in traditional matching.
Frequently asked questions
How many nakshatras are there?
Most Vedic astrology today uses 27 nakshatras, each spanning 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac. Some older texts list a 28th, Abhijit, within Makara (Capricorn); it is usually left out of the 27-nakshatra system used for naming and matching.
What is a nakshatra pada?
Each nakshatra is divided into four equal quarters called padas, each 3°20′ wide. Twenty-seven nakshatras times four padas gives 108 padas, and each rashi holds exactly nine of them.
How are nakshatra syllables used for baby names?
In the traditional naming ceremony (namakarana), many families choose a name that begins with the syllable linked to the pada of the baby's birth nakshatra, usually the Moon's nakshatra at birth. Practice varies by region and family, and many families do not follow the rule at all.
Why do syllable lists differ between sources?
Regional traditions, transliteration and older texts differ. This page prints a syllable only where Drik Panchang and DekhoPanchang agree, marks the cells where they disagree as "varies", and names the variants each source gives.
How do I find my birth nakshatra?
It is calculated from the Moon's sidereal position at your exact time and place of birth; the Moon moves through one nakshatra in about a day. Use a trusted panchang or an established calculation provider. AstroConnect's own calculation tools are not available yet.
Sources
Checked on 31 October 2026. Spans are computed from the standard 13°20′ division and match the ranges given on Drik Panchang's nakshatra pages.