Nakshatra: The 27 Lunar Mansions and Why They Matter

Most people think of their zodiac sign (Rashi) as the whole story, but in Vedic astrology the Moon's exact position matters just as much - and that's measured in Nakshatras, not signs. A Nakshatra isn't a single star. The Moon's path around the sky is divided into 27 equal segments of 13°20' each, and every segment is named after the star pattern that sits within it - from Ashwini at the very start to Revati at the end. Each Nakshatra is further split into 4 padas (quarters) of 3°20', which is why two people born under the same Nakshatra can still feel quite different depending on which pada they fall in. All 27, in order: 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, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati. Some consider Abhijit the 28th Nakshatra. Astrologers hold that it spans the last 15 ghatis of Uttara Ashadha and the first 4 ghatis of Shravana - 19 ghatis in all - and that Abhijit is auspicious for every undertaking. So the next time someone asks "what's your sign?", know that in the Vedic system, the more precise answer is your Nakshatra - the slice of sky the Moon was passing through the moment you were born.