Vedic Astrology Glossary
Lunar Mansion
A nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions that divide the zodiac into equal 13°20′ segments. The moon's placement in a nakshatra at birth reveals personality nuances, emotional rhythms, and karmic themes that the broader rashi (zodiac sign) cannot capture.
Where the 12 rashis give broad personality strokes, the 27 nakshatras paint the details. Each nakshatra has a ruling planet (called the nakshatra lord), a presiding deity, an animal symbol, a gender, a gana (temperament), and a specific set of qualities that color its expression.
The nakshatra of your natal moon (janma nakshatra) is perhaps the single most personal point in your chart. It governs your emotional instincts, subconscious patterns, and the starting dasha planet in Vimshottari — meaning it directly determines which planetary period you are born into.
The lagna nakshatra (nakshatra of your rising sign's degrees) and the sun's nakshatra add further layers. Compatibility in Vedic astrology heavily weights nakshatra compatibility (kuta matching) over sign compatibility.
The 27 nakshatras are: Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashira, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Dhanishtha, Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati.
Your birth nakshatra (janma nakshatra) is the nakshatra the moon occupied at the moment of your birth. It requires knowing your birth date, time, and location to calculate accurately.
Vedic compatibility (kundali matching) uses a 36-point system called ashta kuta, which compares nakshatra placements of both partners across eight dimensions including temperament, instinct, and emotional compatibility.
A rashi is one of 12 zodiac signs spanning 30° each. A nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions spanning 13°20′ each. Multiple nakshatras overlap within a single rashi, giving more granular personality information.
Nakshatra Finder
