Nakshatraनक्षत्र
Nakshatra is one of 27 lunar mansions — a roughly 13°20' slice of the zodiac that the Moon occupies. Each Nakshatra has its own ruling deity, ruling planet, and personality, much like a more finely-grained version of a Moon sign.
Nakshatras are used constantly across this app: they determine your birth star (used in Kundli matching, baby naming, and personal Muhurat timing), they carry their own auspicious/inauspicious associations for specific activities (e.g. certain Nakshatras are traditionally favored for travel, business, or worship — see the Weekly Summary feature), and each one has its own toxic "Visha Ghati" sub-window (see Nakshatra Visha Ghati below).
Like Tithi, a Nakshatra doesn't last a fixed duration — it depends on the Moon's actual speed that day. The Panchang shows exactly when the current Nakshatra ends and which one follows (the "Nakshatra Transition" row).
The zodiac is divided into 27 Nakshatras of 13°20' each. While a Rashi (zodiac sign) spans 30°, a Nakshatra spans only 13°20' — making it a finer-grained lens than the Moon sign. Each Nakshatra has its own ruling deity, ruling planet (Nakshatra lord), symbol, and set of qualities. The Moon moves through all 27 Nakshatras in roughly 27.3 days, spending about one day in each. Your birth Nakshatra is whichever one the Moon occupied at the moment you were born.
The 27 Nakshatras in order are: Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashira, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Dhanishtha, Shatabhisha, Purva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revati. Each is further divided into 4 Padas (quarters) of 3°20' each, giving 108 Padas total — the basis for baby naming syllables.
Each Nakshatra carries its own energy quality for the day. Some are considered favorable for travel (Hasta, Ashwini, Pushya), others for business (Rohini, Uttara Phalguni), others for worship (Pushya, Shravana). The Weekly Summary feature in this app scores each day of the week partly based on which Nakshatra the Moon occupies. Your birth Nakshatra also determines your starting Mahadasha in Vimshottari Dasha, your Tara Bala compatibility with any given day, and the syllable your name should begin with.
Your birth Nakshatra (Janma Nakshatra) is the single most important Nakshatra in your chart. It determines: (1) your starting Mahadasha in Vimshottari Dasha, (2) your Tara Bala score for any given day (how favorable that day's Moon Nakshatra is relative to yours), (3) the syllable your name should ideally begin with per the Muhurta Chintamani naming table, and (4) your Gana (Deva/Manushya/Rakshasa) used in Kundli matching. It is also the reference point for Ghatak Chakra obstacle-day checking.