Nakshatra Finder

Long before the twelve zodiac signs became popular in India, Vedic seers divided the Moon's path into 27 lunar mansions called nakshatras. Each spans 13°20' of the sidereal zodiac — roughly the distance the Moon travels in one day. Your janma nakshatra, or birth star, is the nakshatra the Moon occupied when you were born, and in Jyotish it is often considered as important as the Sun or Moon sign.

Every nakshatra has a ruling planet, a presiding deity and a symbol. Ashwini, ruled by Ketu and presided over by the twin healers, is symbolised by a horse's head and is associated with speed and new beginnings. Rohini, ruled by the Moon with Prajapati as deity, is linked with growth, beauty and creativity. These images are not decoration: traditional interpretations draw directly on the stories of the deities.

Each nakshatra is divided into four padas (quarters) of 3°20'. The pada links the nakshatra to a Navamsa sign and is used to choose the first syllable of a baby's name during the Namkaran ceremony. Many Indian families in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia still use this method alongside choosing a name that works well in English.

The nakshatra also sets the starting point of the Vimshottari dasha, and it is used in Ashtakoot marriage matching through Tara, Yoni, Gana and Nadi. So when a pandit asks 'what is your nakshatra?' the answer unlocks a lot of the chart.

This tool reports your Moon nakshatra and pada, the ruling planet, deity, symbol, gana (Deva, Manushya or Rakshasa), yoni animal and nadi. It also lists the nakshatras of your Lagna and all nine grahas, because each planet's nakshatra lord adds a layer of meaning to its results.

Use the descriptions as prompts for reflection. If you are curious about remedies, traditional practice suggests honouring the presiding deity of your nakshatra, especially on the day the Moon returns to it each month.