The 27 Nakshatras
The 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions) divide the sky into 13°20′ slices — finer than the rashis. The nakshatra in which the Moon sits at birth becomes the Janma Nakshatra, which also fixes the starting lord of your Vimshottari Dasha.
Each nakshatra has 4 padas (3°20′ each). The nakshatra's lord determines the Vimshottari order at birth.
| # | Nakshatra | Lord | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | अश्विनी / Ashwini | Ketu | swift, healing, fresh starts |
| 2 | भरणी / Bharani | Venus | transformation, intensity, creative power |
| 3 | कृत्तिका / Krittika | Sun | sharpness, leadership, cutting through illusion |
| 4 | रोहिणी / Rohini | Moon | beauty, fertility, sensual abundance |
| 5 | मृगशिरा / Mrigashira | Mars | searching, curiosity, gentle pursuit |
| 6 | आर्द्रा / Ardra | Rahu | storms and renewal — strong emotions, breakthroughs |
| 7 | पुनर्वसु / Punarvasu | Jupiter | return to home, wholesome generosity |
| 8 | पुष्य / Pushya | Saturn | nourishment, care, the most auspicious nakshatra |
| 9 | आश्लेषा / Ashlesha | Mercury | depth, mystery, serpentine wisdom |
| 10 | मघा / Magha | Ketu | ancestral pride, royal legacy |
| 11 | पूर्व फाल्गुनी / Purva Phalguni | Venus | joy, romance, creative play |
| 12 | उत्तर फाल्गुनी / Uttara Phalguni | Sun | kindness, partnership, organized service |
| 13 | हस्त / Hasta | Moon | skill of the hands, craft, cleverness |
| 14 | चित्रा / Chitra | Mars | design, glamour, brilliant artistry |
| 15 | स्वाती / Swati | Rahu | independence, balance, learning to bend without breaking |
| 16 | विशाखा / Vishakha | Jupiter | focused goals, two-pointed determination |
| 17 | अनुराधा / Anuradha | Saturn | loyal friendship, devotion, success through community |
| 18 | ज्येष्ठा / Jyeshtha | Mercury | elder authority, courage in adversity |
| 19 | मूल / Mula | Ketu | deep roots, getting to the bottom of things |
| 20 | पूर्वाषाढा / Purva Ashadha | Venus | invincibility, pride in conviction |
| 21 | उत्तराषाढा / Uttara Ashadha | Sun | lasting victory, righteous achievement |
| 22 | श्रवण / Shravana | Moon | deep listening, learning, connection across distances |
| 23 | धनिष्ठा / Dhanishtha | Mars | rhythm, music, prosperity through skill |
| 24 | शतभिषा / Shatabhisha | Rahu | healing, mystery, the lone researcher |
| 25 | पूर्व भाद्रपद / Purva Bhadrapada | Jupiter | intensity, transformation through fire |
| 26 | उत्तर भाद्रपद / Uttara Bhadrapada | Saturn | wisdom of the depths, calm under pressure |
| 27 | रेवती / Revati | Mercury | completion, gentle protection, safe journeys |
Vimshottari order
The 9 nakshatra lords cycle in this order:
Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars → Rahu → Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury
Ashwini = Ketu, Bharani = Venus, Krittika = Sun, ... this 9-graha sequence repeats three times across the 27 nakshatras (27 / 9 = 3 cycles).