Nakshatras in Jyotish I

The nakshatras or asterisms are apparently the fixed bodies in the Zodiac, where the planetary system moves with them placed in the background. Among the Rasi (zodiac signs) and the nakshatras (asterisms), the former is overlorded by the Sun, whereas the latter is overlorded by Moon. This implies that the Rasi shows the environment we would be placed with at different times in our life and what we get out of it, on the other hand, the nakshatras govern the different state of mind we shall be having at various times. Even the actual events are important in our l ife, taking a person-centric view point, our reactions to them also matter equally. Hence the study of the nakshatras are well warranted.

There are two nakshatra schemes, one of which uses 27 Nakshatras and the other uses 28 nakshatras, which include the Abhijit Nakshatra, an intercalary nakshatra. Both the schemes are useful in their own right. While 27 nakshatra scheme is used for all day to analysis, such as analysis of birth chart, analysis of dasas, using navatara chakra etc; the 28 nakshatra scheme is used for analysis of few chakras such as sarvatobhadra chakra, the sannadi chakra etc. The Nakshatras are reckoned from beginning with Aries which coincides with the beginning of Aswini.

 

There are four padas (quarters) of each nakshatra, each measuring 3d 20m making the total duration of the nakstra to be 13d 20m. Thus there are 108 padas accross the zodiac and each maps to 1 Navamsa. However, since the duration of 1 sign is 30 degrees, the nakshatra cannot be mapped excatly on the rasis. However, it is interesting to see that 9 nakshatras can be mapped to 4 rasis. From this we can derive the basis of dividing the zodiac of 12 rasis and 27 nakshatras into 3 parts each measuring 120 degrees. This is the basis for the Navatara Chakra, where the naksharas are divided into three groups of 9 each, starting either from the Janma or Lagna Nakshatra.

 

While we see the mapping of the 9 Nakshatras on 4 rasis, we see that there are few nakshatras which would fall accross two rasis such as Krittika, which falls in Aries and Taurus; Mrgashiras, which falls across Taurus and Gemini and so on. There are others which would fall in 1 rasi such as Aswini, Bharani, Rohini etc. Even though this looks haphazard and erratic, there is a hidden meaning behind it. To understand the meaning, we need to know the tattvas (primordial elements) ruling the Rasis and the Nakshatra padas. Beginning from Aries, the rasis are ruled by Fire, Earth, Air and Water in a cyclical manner. Thus Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are the Fiery signs; Taurus, Virgo & Capricorn are the earthy signs and so on. This is the same pattern which repeats for the nakshatra padas, which means that the first pada is governed by fire element, 2nd by earth, 3rd by air and the 4th by water. This cycle repeats accross the nakshatras.

 

The beauty of the mapping of the Nakshatra with the rasi is that, among the 9 nakshatra padas which fall in a rasi, the tattva of the first and the last pada belongs to the tattva of the sign. So the first and last pada of Aries would be Fiery, the first and last pada of Taurus would be Earthy and so on. Seeing this from another perspective, the while seen among the three groups of 4 signs (starting from Aries, leo and Sagittarius), the 1st sign starts from 1st pada of a nakshatra and ends with the 1st pada of a nakshatra (for example, Aries starts with 1st pada of Aswini and ends with the 1st pada of Krittika). Similarly, the 2nd sign (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) start with 2nd pada of a nakshatra and end with the 2nd pada of another nakshtra (for example, Taurus starts with 2nd pada of Krittika and ends with 2nd pada of Mrigashiras); 3rd sign Gemini starts with 3rd pada of Mrgashiras and ends with 3rd pada of Punarvasu and the 4th sign Cancer start with 4th pada of Punarvasu and end with 4th pada of Ashlesha.

 

The lordship of each cycle of 9 nakshatras, as per vimshottari dasa scheme, starting from Aswini is Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury. It is worthy to note that the 3 of the 9 nakshatras, which fall in the junction of signs (rasi sandhi) are ruled by Sun, Mars and Jupiter, the three best friends on the Deva's side! The other Nakshatras which fall inside the signs are ruled by Ketu, Venus, Moon, Rahu, Saturn & Mercury. What can be made out of these two categories of the planets?

 

Now one would be curious on how the nakshatras are used in horoscope analysis. To know this wait for the subsequent article on the topic.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...