Vedic
Astrology
Nakshatras and their significations
1. Ashwini
(0*Aries - 13*20 Aries)
Meaning: "owning horses"
Symbol: the horse's head
Shakti: the power to reach things quickly
Basis above: creatures to be healed
Basis below: healing therapies
Desire: the ability to hear well and not be deaf
Deity: The Ashwini Kumaras, twins with the heads of horses
3. Krittika
(26*40 Aries - 10* Taurus)
Meaning: "the cutters"
Symbol: a razor or sharp cutting blade
Shakti: the power to burn or purify
Basis above: heat
Basis below: light
Desire: to be the eater of food for the gods
Deity: Agni, the god of fire
5. Mrigashira
(23*20 Taurus - 6*40 Gemini)
Meaning: "the deer's head" "to hunt" "a well-trodden path" or "to ask"
Symbol: the head of a deer
Shakti: the power to give fulfillment
Basis above: to extend
Basis below: to weave or produce clothing
Desire: to gain lordship over plants
Deity: Soma (Chandra the Moon)
7. Purnarvasu
(20* Gemini - 3*20 Cancer)
Meaning: "good again" "prosperous again" or "light again"
Symbol: a quiver of arrows
Shakti: the power of wealth or substance
Basis above: air or wind
Basis below: moisture or rain
Desire: to produce herbs and trees
Deity: Aditi (primordial vastness) the mother of all the gods
9. Ashlesha
(16*40 Cancer - 30* Cancer)
Meaning: "the clinging" "the embracing" or "the entwiner"
Symbol: a coiled snake
Shakti: the power to poison
Basis above: the approach of the serpent
Basis below: agitation or trembling
Desire: to overcome enemies
Deity: The Nagas (the deified serpents)
11. Purva Phalguni
(13*20 Leo - 26*40 Leo)
Meaning: "the former red one"
Symbol: a hammock or a bed
Shakti: the power of procreation
Basis above: the female sexual partner
Basis below: the male sexual partner
Desire: to have the best share amongst the gods
Deity: Bhaga "the inherited share," god of wealth
13. Hasta
(10* Virgo - 23*20 Virgo)
Meaning: "the hand"
Symbol: a hand or fist
Shakti: the power to gain what we are seeking and place it in our hand
Basis above: seeking to gain
Basis below: obtaining one's desire
Desire: to have the gods place their faith in me
Deity: Savitar (also called Surya, the Sun)
15. Swati
(6*40 Libra - 20* Libra)
Meaning: "the independent one"
Symbol: a young sprout or shoot swaing in the wind
Shakti: the power to scatter like the wind
Basis above: movement in different directions
Basis below: changing form
Desire: to have the freedom to move as I wish in all the worlds
Deity: Vayu (deified wind)
17. Anuradha
(3*20 Scorpio - 16*40 Scorpio)
Meaning: "additional Radha"
Symbol: a gateway covered with leaves, a lotus, a staff
Shakti: the power of worship
Basis above: to ascend
Basis below: to descend
Desire: to be regarded as a friend in all the worlds
Deity: Mitra, rules bond of friendship
19. Moola
(0* Sagittarius - 13*20 Sagittarius)
Meaning: "the root"
Symbol: tied up roots
Shakti: the power to destroy or damage
Basis above: to break
Basis below: to crush
Desire: to find the root of all progeny
Deity: Nirriti (misery)
21. Uttara Ashadha
(26*40 Sagittarius - 10* Capricorn)
Meaning: "the latter undefeated" or "later victory"
Symbol: the tusk of an elephant
Shakti: the power to give an unstoppable victory
Basis above: the strength to win
Basis below: the goal that can be won
Desire: to gain victory that can never be lost
Deity: The Ten Visvadevas
2. Bharani
(13*20 Aries - 26*40 Aries)
Meaning: "she who bears"
Symbol: the vulva
Shakti: the power to carry things away
Basis above: to remove the life from the body
Basis below: to carry the soul to the world of the ancestors
Desire: to be the lord of the ancestors
Deity: Yama (the binder), the god of death and the king of justice
4. Rohini
(10* Taurus - 23*20 Taurus)
Meaning: "the growing" or "the red"
Symbol: an ox cart
Shakti: the power of growth
Basis above: the plants
Basis below: the waters
Desire: to attract a lover and unite with her/him
Deity: Brahma, the Creator
6. Aardra
(6*40 Gemini - 20* Gemini)
Meaning: "the moist one"
Symbol: a teardrop
Shakti: the power of effort
Basis above: to hunt or search
Basis below: to reach the goal
Desire: to gain lordship over the animals
Deity: Rudra, the lord of tears
8. Pushya
(3*20 Cancer - 16*40 Cancer)
Meaning: "nourishing" also "flower"
Symbol: a cow's udder
Shakti: the power to create spiritual energy
Basis above: sacrificial worship
Basis below: the worshipper
Desire: to possess the splendor of spiritual knowledge
Deity: Brihaspati (the Great Master), the teacher of gods who rules over mental energy
10. Magha
(0* Leo - 13*20 Leo)
Meaning: "the great one"
Symbol: a throne room
Shakti: the power to leave the body
Basis above: mourning
Basis below: leaving the body
Desire: to flourish in the world of the ancestors
Deity: The Pitris (the deified ancestors), Yama is their ruler
12. Uttara Phalguni
(26*40 Leo - 10* Virgo)
Meaning: "the latter red one"
Symbol: a cot or a bed
Shakti: the power of wealth and accumulation through partnerships or marriage
Basis above: wealth obtained from one's family
Basis below: wealth obtained from the partner or the partner's family
Desire: to become lord of the animals
Deity: Aryaman (chivalry), one of the Adityas
14. Chitra
(23*20 Virgo - 6*40 Libra)
Meaning: "the bright" "the multicolored" or " a work of art"
Symbol: a shining jewel
Shakti: the power to accumulate good karma or merit
Basis above: law
Basis below: truth
Desire: to have wonderful children
Deity: Tvashtar, the shaper, the celestial craftsman (later called Vishvakarma, the celestial architect)
16. Vishakha
(20* Libra - 3*20 Scorpio)
Meaning: "the forked one" or Radha "the delightful one"
Symbol: a gateway covered with leaves
Shakti: the power to achieve many goals in life
Basis above: to cultivate
Basis below: reaping the harvest
Desire: to gain the greatest splendor among the gods
Deity: Indragni - Indra the king of gods, and Agni the fire god
18. Jyeshtha
(16*40 Scorpio - 30* Scorpio)
Meaning: "the eldest"
Symbol: a circular talisman, also an earring
Shakti: the power to rise, overcome, conquer
Basis above: to attack
Basis below: to defend
Desire: to gain supremacy among the gods
Deity: Indra, the king of gods, ruler of the heavens
20. Purva Ashadha
(13*20 Sagittarius - 26*40 Sagittarius)
Meaning: "the former undefeated" also "early victory"
Symbol: a winnowing basket
Shakti: the power to invigorate or energize
Basis above: strength
Basis below: connection
Desire: to gain the sea upon wishing for it
Deity: Apas (deified water)
22. Shravana
(10* Capricorn - 23*20 Capricorn)
Meaning: "the ear"
Symbol: three footprints
Shakti: the power to connect
Basis above: seeking
Basis below: paths
Desire: to hear people say good things about me
Deity: Vishnu (the pervader)
23. Dhanishtha
(23*20 Capricorn - 6*40 Aquarius)
Meaning: "the wealthiest"
Symbol: a musical drum
Shakti: the power to give wealth and fame
Basis above: birth
Basis below: prosperity
Desire: to revolve around the summit of the gods
Deity: The eight Vasus. Vasu can mean "the good" or "the wealthy"
25. Purva Bhadrapada
(20* Aquarius - 3*20 Pisces)
Meaning: "the front lucky feet (of a funeral bed)"
Symbol: the front end of a funeral bed
Shakti: the power of spiritual fire, which elevates consciousness
Basis above: that which is good for people
Basis below: that which is good for the gods
Desire: to gain radiance and the splendor of spiritual knowledge
Deity: Aja Ekapada "the one-footed goat" or "the unborn one"
24. Shatabhisha
(6*40 Aquarius - 20* Aquarius)
Meaning: "possessing (or requiring) 100 physicians"
Symbol: an empty circle
Shakti: the power of healing
Basis above: all-pervasiveness
Basis below: support for everything
Desire: to be firm and not unsteady
Deity: Varuna "the coverer" or "the binder"
26. Uttara Bhadrapada
(3*20 Pisces - 16*40 Pisces)
Meaning: "the back lucky feet (of a funeral bed)"
Symbol: the back end of a funeral bed
Shakti: the power to bring rain
Basis above: the raining of clouds
Basis below: the growth of plants
Desire: to find a foundation
Deity: Ahirbudhnya (the serpent of the deep), connected with fertility of the earth and sky
27. Revati
(16*40 Pisces - 30* Pisces)
Meaning: "wealthy"
Symbol: a drum
Shakti: the power of nourishment
Basis above: cows
Basis below: calves
Desire: to become lord of animals
Deity: Pushan, the Nurturer or Nourisher
***This information and symbology was derived with permission from the book by James Kelleher titled: "Path of Light Volume I"
You can visit his website here.***