Nakshatras and their Nature
The 360 degrees of the Zodiac is divided into 27 parts called Nakshatras .(Constellation of stars). Each extends to 13 degrees and 20 minutes of arc.Nakshatras are also ruled by planets. Rahu and Ketu are also alloted the ownership.
Names of the Nakshatras (Stars), their appearance, nature and Lords are given in the table below.
| Star | Appearance | Nature | Ruler | |
| 1 | Aswini | 3 stars resembling a horse’s face | Auspicious | Ketu |
| 2 | Bharani | 3 stars resembling a female sexual organ. | Inauspicious | Venus |
| 3 | Krittika | Constellation of 6 stars | Inauspicious | Sun |
| 4 | Rohini | 5 stars resembling an ear. | Auspicious | Moon |
| 5 | Mrigasira | 3 stars like a head. | Auspicious | Mars |
| 6 | Ardra | Star like a coral head. | Auspicious | Rahu |
| 7 | Punarvasu | 5 stars like a potter’s wheel. | Semi auspicious | Jupiter |
| 8 | Pushya | 3 stars resembling a blood sucker. | Auspicious | Saturn |
| 9 | Ashlesha | 6 stars like a serpent. | Inauspicious | Mercury |
| 10 | Makha | 5 stars like a palanquin. | Destructive | Ketu |
| 11 | Purvaphalguni | 2 stars resembling human eyes. | Fatal | Venus |
| 12 | Uttaraphalguni | 2 stars like eyes. | Intelligent | Sun |
| 13 | Hasta | 5 stars like human fingers. | Fortunate | Moon |
| 14 | Chitra | 1 star like a pearl. | Auspicious | Mars |
| 15 | Swati | 1 star like a sapphire. | Auspicious | Rahu |
| 16 | Vishakha | 5 stars like a potter’s wheel. | Inauspicious | Jupiter |
| 17 | Anuradha | 3 stars resembling an umbrella. | Success giving | Saturn |
| 18 | Jyeshta | 5 stars like a crouching lion. | Destructive | Mercury |
| 19 | Moola | 5 stars like a crouching lion. | Destructive | Ketu |
| 20 | Poorvashada | 2 stars each forming a square. | Destructive | Venus |
| 21 | Uttarashada | 2 stars each forming a square. | Intelligent | Sun |
| 22 | Shravana | 3 stars like an arrow. | Happy | Moon |
| 23 | Dhanishta | 3 stars like an Sun’s head. | Auspicious | Mars |
| 24 | Satabhisha | 100 stars resembling a flower. | Happy | Rahu |
| 25 | Poorvabhadra | 2 stars each forming the legs of a cot. | Fatal | Jupiter |
| 26 | Uttarabhadra | 2 stars each forming the legs of a cot. | Fortunate | Saturn |
| 27 | Revati | 3 stars like a fish. | Happy | Mercury |
Each of these constellations is further divided into four quarters of padas and we have 27*4=108 padas comprising the whole of the zodiac. Each pada gets 3 degrees 20′(Three degree and twenty minutes).
Different names of 9 planets
| Planet | Different Names |
| Sun | Ravi, Surya, Aditya, Arka and Bhanu |
| Moon | Chandra, Soma and Sitamsu |
| Mars | Kuja, Angaraka and Bhoma or Bhumija |
| Mercury | Budha, Soumya, Gna, Somaja |
| Jupiter | Guru, Jiva, Brihaspathi, Suri |
| Venus | Shukra, Sita, Bhrigu and Kavya |
| Saturn | Sani, Ravija, Asita and Manda |
| Rahu | Dragons’ Head,Thama and Sarpa |
| Ketu | Dragon’s Tail, Sikhi |
Planetary Directions
| Direction | Planet |
| East | Sun |
| West | Saturn |
| North | Mercury |
| South | Mars |
| North-East | Jupiter |
| South-East | Venus |
| North-West | Moon |
| South-West | Rahu |
Planetary States
Planets are said to have certain states called ‘avastas’. Avastas or planetary states are grouped into several heads. The ten states, describing the physical-mental conditions of the planets are:
1. Deepta or exaltation – gives long life, successful work, good family, promising children, wealth, fame, respect and conveyances.
2. Swastha or residence in their own house – permanence, happiness, sound education, good position.
3. Muditha or residence in friendly sign– good dress, fine taste, sweet scents, flowers, women, position and happiness.
4. Santha or planets in auspicious sub-divisions– timely strength and courage, helping relations, comfortable life, health and happiness.
5. Saktha or retrograde motion– courage, prosperity, successful position, reputation, wealth, good relations. In retrograde motion, good planets produce happiness and bad planets give evil effects and misery.
6. Peedya or planets in the last quarter or Navamsa of the sign – hatred, quarrelsome relations, family dissension, criminal prosecutions, pilfering habits, expulsion from country.
7. Deena or planets in unfriendly houses – sickness, meanness, mental worry, derangement in brain, social degradation or excommunication, bigoted persecutions.
8. Vikala or planets in combustion – mental disorder, orphanage, many face expulsion from country, public disgrace of children, wife and friends.
9. Khala or planets in debilitation – constant losses, vulgar birth, troubles from unexpected sources, quarrels with parents, imprisonment, disease, misery and utter disregard for that which is noble and sacred.
10. Bheetha or acceleration – loss due to fire, foes, kings and thieves. Persecution, tortures, disgraceful life, vulgar habits, danger in foreign countries. In predicting the results, it is to be noted that the evil conjuctions and aspects add to the misery and good conjuctions and aspects are beneficial.
