The 27 Nakshatras: Complete List and Their Meanings

If you have ever read a Nepali Panchang or had your birth chart made, you have met the word nakshatra. It is the star, or lunar mansion, the Moon was sitting in at a given moment. In Vedic astrology, the nakshatra often says more about temperament and timing than the zodiac sign alone.

There are 27 nakshatras, each spanning a slice of the sky, and each ruled by a planet. Your birth nakshatra shapes the first letter of your traditional name and helps decide auspicious dates for weddings, travel, and ceremonies. This guide lists all 27 with their ruling planets and a one-line trait, then explains the padas and how the system is used.

What Is a Nakshatra?

A nakshatra is one of 27 equal divisions of the Moon's monthly path around the zodiac. Each spans 13 degrees 20 minutes of the 360-degree circle, so the Moon crosses roughly one nakshatra per day. The nakshatra the Moon occupies at birth is called your janma nakshatra, or birth star.

The word comes from Sanskrit, often read as "that which does not decay," pointing to the fixed stars. While the 12 rashi (zodiac signs) divide the sky into 30-degree blocks, the 27 nakshatras give a finer grid. Each nakshatra carries a ruling planet, a presiding deity, a symbol, and a set of personality themes. If you are new to the daily almanac, our guide on how to read today's Panchang shows where the nakshatra appears among the five limbs.

What Are the 27 Nakshatras and Their Ruling Planets?

The 27 nakshatras run in a fixed order, beginning at Ashwini (start of Aries) and ending at Revati (end of Pisces). The ruling planets repeat in a nine-planet cycle, Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, three times over. The table below lists each one with its lord and a one-line trait.

The traits above are broad themes, not fixed verdicts. A full reading weighs the nakshatra alongside the rashi and the planetary positions. To see how these stars connect to the sign-based system, compare them with the 12 rashi and their traits.

What Are the 4 Padas of a Nakshatra?

Each nakshatra is split into four equal quarters called padas, each spanning 3 degrees 20 minutes. Four padas times 27 nakshatras gives 108 padas, the same sacred count as a mala's beads. The pada pins down the Moon's position more precisely and links each quarter to a navamsa sign.

Why padas matter

The pada refines the birth star into a finer category. Two people born under the same nakshatra on the same day can fall in different padas, giving them different naming syllables and slightly different temperaments. Astrologers use the pada to assign the traditional first syllable of a child's name and to fine-tune compatibility readings.

Padas and the 108 link

Because 27 nakshatras each hold 4 padas, the circle contains 108 quarters in total. This is one reason 108 recurs across Hindu and Buddhist practice, in mala beads, in chants, and in temple counts. Each pada also corresponds to one of the 12 navamsa signs, which is how a single chart layers nakshatra detail onto the zodiac.

How Are Nakshatras Used in Naming and Muhurta?

Nakshatras drive two everyday decisions in Nepali life: choosing a name and choosing an auspicious time. At birth, the janma nakshatra and its pada give a recommended starting syllable for the child's formal name. For events, the day's nakshatra helps decide whether the timing is favourable, the heart of muhurta selection.

Naming by nakshatra

Traditionally, the pada of the birth nakshatra maps to a specific Sanskrit syllable, and the child's formal name is meant to begin with it. For example, the four padas of Ashwini map to the syllables Chu, Che, Cho, and La. Families often keep this rashi naam for religious rituals even when the everyday name differs.

Nakshatras in muhurta and Panchang

In muhurta, each nakshatra has a temperament, fixed, sharp, swift, gentle, and so on, that suits certain activities. Pushya is prized for almost any beginning, while some stars are avoided for travel or weddings. The day's nakshatra is one of the five limbs of the almanac, alongside tithi, yoga, and karana; see our breakdown of Panchang's tithi, nakshatra, yoga, and karana. The same star also feeds the daily forecast you read in your daily Rashifal. You can track today's nakshatra and pada in the Panchang on the Nepali Calendar home page.

Explore more on Nepali Calendar (Katigate)

• Today's Panchang

• Daily Rashifal

• Auspicious Saait & muhurat dates

Frequently Asked Questions

How many nakshatras are there, 27 or 28?

The standard system used in Nepali and Indian Panchang has 27 nakshatras, each spanning 13 degrees 20 minutes. An older tradition adds a 28th, Abhijit, between Uttara Ashadha and Shravana, but most modern almanacs and birth charts work with the 27-nakshatra scheme for calculation and naming.

How do I find my birth nakshatra?

Your birth nakshatra is the one the Moon occupied at your exact time and place of birth. You cannot guess it from your sun sign. It needs an accurate birth time and a Panchang or astrology calculation. A Nepali Calendar (Katigate) app or a kundali (birth chart) will report your janma nakshatra and its pada.

Which nakshatra is considered the most auspicious?

Pushya, ruled by Saturn, is widely regarded as the most auspicious nakshatra for starting new ventures, shopping, and most ceremonies. Many traditions caution that Pushya is avoided specifically for weddings. Auspiciousness always depends on the full muhurta, the nakshatra plus tithi, yoga, day, and chart.

Does my nakshatra decide my name?

Traditionally yes, the pada of your birth nakshatra maps to a Sanskrit syllable that your formal name should begin with. Many families keep this rashi naam for rituals while using a different everyday name. The system is a guideline rooted in custom, not a strict legal rule, so practice varies by family and region.