The Nakshatras — the 27 mansions

☾The lunar zodiacVedic

Western astrology splits the sky into twelve signs. Vedic astrology lays a second, finer grid on top: 27 nakshatras, or lunar mansions — one for each night, roughly, that the Moon takes to circle the zodiac. Where a sign is a broad 30° mood, a nakshatra is a 13°20′ close-up, each with its own symbol, deity, and temperament.

Why the Moon

The nakshatras are the Moon’s territory. The Sun crosses one sign a month; the Moon races the whole wheel in about 27 days, resting a night in each mansion. Vedic astrology reads the Moon as the seat of mind and instinct — so the mansion it held at your birth, your janma nakshatra, speaks to how you feel your way through the world, beneath the broader stroke of your Moon sign.

Each has a ruler

Every nakshatra is ruled by one of nine planets, in a fixed, repeating sequence — Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury — cycled three times across all 27. That ruler is the seed of your dasha: the mansion your Moon sat in at birth decides which planet’s era you were born into.

Reading the grid

Each mansion carries its ruling planet (its dasha lord), a presiding deity, a symbol, and a gana — its temperament: Deva (gentle, giving), Manushya (worldly, balanced), or Rakshasa (fierce, forceful). Slice the 27 by dasha lord or temperament with the filters below.

Dasha lord

Temperament

27 mansions across the wheel, from 0° sidereal Aries

01AshwiniDeva
Ruler
Ketu · dasha lord
Symbol
Horse's head
Deity
the Ashwini Kumaras
Ruled by the twin horse-headed physicians of the gods, this is the mansion of the fresh start and the quick cure. Its people move first and fast — pioneering, restless, eager to heal and to begin, sometimes before they've paused to think.
02BharaniManushya
Ruler
Venus · dasha lord
Symbol
The yoni
Deity
Yama, lord of death and dharma
Presided over by Yama, who governs the passage in and out of life, Bharani is the mansion of creation, gestation, and the discipline of bearing a thing to term. It carries great creative and sexual force held under restraint — the will to endure the labour that new life demands.
03KrittikaRakshasa
Ruler
Sun · dasha lord
Symbol
Blade / flame
Deity
Agni, god of fire
The fire god Agni gives this mansion its cutting, purifying heat. Krittika burns away what is false and impure — sharp, critical, ambitious, and protective, with a flame that both nourishes and destroys.
04RohiniManushya
Ruler
Moon · dasha lord
Symbol
Ox-cart
Deity
Brahma (Prajapati), the creator
The Moon's favourite mansion, ruled by the creator Brahma — the seat of fertility, beauty, and growing things. Rohini is sensual and magnetic, drawn to comfort and abundance, with a gift for making the world bloom and a shadow of possessiveness over what it grows.
05MrigashiraDeva
Ruler
Mars · dasha lord
Symbol
Deer's head
Deity
Soma, the moon god
Named for the deer's head, this is the mansion of the eternal searcher, presided over by gentle Soma. Its people are curious and restless seekers — forever tracking the next scent of something better, sensitive and quick, never quite settled.
06ArdraManushya
Ruler
Rahu · dasha lord
Symbol
Teardrop
Deity
Rudra, the storm god
The storm god Rudra rules this mansion of the teardrop — the cleansing tears and the thunder that clears the air. Ardra brings upheaval that breaks things open, a sharp and probing mind, and renewal that only arrives after the destruction.
07PunarvasuDeva
Ruler
Jupiter · dasha lord
Symbol
Quiver of arrows
Deity
Aditi, mother of the gods
Its name means "return of the light," and its deity Aditi is boundless, nurturing space itself. Punarvasu is the mansion of renewal and second chances — resilient, generous, at home wherever it lands, always able to begin again after loss.
08PushyaDeva
Ruler
Saturn · dasha lord
Symbol
Cow's udder / lotus
Deity
Brihaspati, guru of the gods
Considered the most auspicious mansion of all, ruled by Brihaspati, the teacher of the gods. Pushya nourishes and protects — steady, devoted, caring, and spiritually inclined, the mansion of the one who feeds and shelters others.
09AshleshaRakshasa
Ruler
Mercury · dasha lord
Symbol
Coiled serpent
Deity
the Nagas, serpent deities
The coiled serpent's mansion, presided over by the Nagas — the seat of hypnotic, penetrating power. Ashlesha is insightful and magnetic, able to entwine and influence, gifted with deep perception and a capacity for cunning it must learn to steward.
10MaghaRakshasa
Ruler
Ketu · dasha lord
Symbol
Royal throne
Deity
the Pitris, the ancestors
The royal throne, watched over by the Pitris — the departed ancestors. Magha's people carry the weight and pride of lineage; they honour tradition, seek recognition and legacy, and feel the pull of those who came before.
11Purva PhalguniManushya
Ruler
Venus · dasha lord
Symbol
Front legs of a bed
Deity
Bhaga, god of delight and fortune
The front legs of the bed, ruled by Bhaga, giver of pleasure and good fortune. This is the mansion of rest, romance, and creative enjoyment — warm, playful, generous, made for love and the sweetness of leisure earned.
12Uttara PhalguniManushya
Ruler
Sun · dasha lord
Symbol
Back legs of a bed
Deity
Aryaman, god of patronage and friendship
The bed's back legs, and the mansion of Aryaman, patron of contracts, kindness, and loyal bonds. Where its sister mansion is pleasure, this one is the steadiness after — generous friendship, reliable partnership, and service freely given.
13HastaDeva
Ruler
Moon · dasha lord
Symbol
Open hand
Deity
Savitar, the solar inspirer
The open hand, blessed by Savitar, the creative aspect of the Sun. Hasta is the mansion of skill and dexterity — clever, resourceful, and deft, able to grasp what it wants and shape reality with its hands and wit.
14ChitraRakshasa
Ruler
Mars · dasha lord
Symbol
Bright jewel
Deity
Vishvakarma, the celestial architect
The shining jewel, presided over by Vishvakarma, the architect of the gods. Chitra is brilliance made visible — artistic, charismatic, drawn to beauty and design, with a gift for building dazzling things and a taste for being seen.
15SwatiDeva
Ruler
Rahu · dasha lord
Symbol
Young shoot in wind
Deity
Vayu, the wind god
A young shoot bending in the wind, ruled by Vayu, who moves where he pleases. Swati is the mansion of independence and self-reliance — flexible, freedom-loving, scattered and adaptable, unwilling to be tied down.
16VishakhaRakshasa
Ruler
Jupiter · dasha lord
Symbol
Triumphal arch
Deity
Indra and Agni
The triumphal archway, powered by the paired force of Indra and Agni. Vishakha is single-minded ambition — goal-focused, determined, willing to bide its time and then make the final, decisive push toward what it has fixed its eyes on.
17AnuradhaDeva
Ruler
Saturn · dasha lord
Symbol
Lotus / staff
Deity
Mitra, god of friendship
The lotus, watched over by Mitra, the divine friend and keeper of alliances. Anuradha succeeds through devotion and cooperation — loyal, balanced, able to gather people around a shared cause and thrive far from home.
18JyeshthaRakshasa
Ruler
Mercury · dasha lord
Symbol
Earring / umbrella
Deity
Indra, king of the gods
The elder's mansion, presided over by Indra, chief of the gods. Jyeshtha carries seniority and hard-won authority — protective, courageous under threat, capable and proud, bearing the burden of being the one in charge.
19MulaRakshasa
Ruler
Ketu · dasha lord
Symbol
Tied roots
Deity
Nirriti, goddess of dissolution
A bundle of tied roots, ruled by Nirriti, goddess of destruction and dissolution. Mula digs to the root of things, tearing away the surface to reach the truth — an investigator's mansion of radical endings that clear the ground for what is real.
20Purva AshadhaManushya
Ruler
Venus · dasha lord
Symbol
Elephant tusk / fan
Deity
the Apas, goddesses of the waters
The "early victory," presided over by the water goddesses Apas. Purva Ashadha is invincible conviction — persuasive, proud, and unshakeable in belief, carried forward by a purifying force that refuses to be defeated.
21Uttara AshadhaManushya
Ruler
Sun · dasha lord
Symbol
Elephant tusk / planks
Deity
the Vishvadevas, the universal gods
The "later victory," blessed by the ten Vishvadevas, the universal gods. This is the mansion of lasting, righteous success — patient, principled, and enduring, winning slowly through integrity rather than force.
22ShravanaDeva
Ruler
Moon · dasha lord
Symbol
Three footprints / ear
Deity
Vishnu, the preserver
The listening ear, presided over by Vishnu, who preserves the world. Shravana is the mansion of learning by hearing — attentive, wise, connective, gathering knowledge and weaving people together through what it takes in.
23DhanishtaRakshasa
Ruler
Mars · dasha lord
Symbol
Drum
Deity
the eight Vasus, gods of abundance
The drum, sounded by the eight Vasus, gods of elemental wealth. Dhanishta moves to rhythm and prosperity — musical, energetic, generous, drawn toward fame and abundance and the beat that gathers a crowd.
24ShatabhishaRakshasa
Ruler
Rahu · dasha lord
Symbol
Empty circle
Deity
Varuna, god of cosmic waters
The "hundred healers," an empty circle veiled by Varuna, keeper of the cosmic waters and cosmic law. Shatabhisha is the mansion of healing and hidden things — solitary, mystical, secretive, drawn to the mysteries behind the veil.
25Purva BhadrapadaManushya
Ruler
Jupiter · dasha lord
Symbol
Front of a funeral cot
Deity
Aja Ekapada, the one-footed goat
The front of the funeral cot, presided over by Aja Ekapada, a fierce, fiery form of the divine. Purva Bhadrapada burns with idealism and intensity — passionate, unconventional, two-sided, transformed by the fire of its own conviction.
26Uttara BhadrapadaManushya
Ruler
Saturn · dasha lord
Symbol
Back of a funeral cot
Deity
Ahir Budhnya, serpent of the deep
The back of the cot, watched over by Ahir Budhnya, the serpent coiled in the depths. Where its sister mansion blazes, this one runs still and deep — wise, patient, restrained, holding great power calmly beneath a quiet surface.
27RevatiDeva
Ruler
Mercury · dasha lord
Symbol
Fish / drum
Deity
Pushan, the nourisher and guide
The final mansion — the fish, guided by Pushan, protector of travellers and shepherd of souls on their way. Revati is nourishing and gentle, giving safe passage and completion, the tender guardian at the last gate before the wheel begins again.

The signs tell you the season. The nakshatras tell you the night — and hand you the clock that measures the rest of your life.

Your Moon’s nakshatra sets which planet governs your first chapter. That’s the dasha system.The Dasha System