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Nakshatras, the lunar zodiac of Vedic Astrology

The Nakshatras in Chart analysis, Vedic Astrology and Jyotish


THE NAKSHATRAS IN VEDIC ASTROLOGICAL CHART INTERPRETATION

The 27 signs of the Vedic Lunar Zodiac are probably the oldest astrological system of mankind.

This system is so rich in mythology and meaning that we can say that it provides a system of interpretation of its own. There is no reason why it should be subordinate to the system of the 12 "Sun signs".

This article contains of two parts.

In the first part I will look at some characteristics of the Nakshatra system. This will be particularly interesting for the more advanced student.

In the second part, I will give some examples of how to interpret charts based on the Nakshatras. I believe that part can also be digested by students who are beginners.If you like you can click here and go straightaway to this more easy to understand part.

A. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEDIC ASTROLOGICAL NAKSHATRA SYSTEM

In this part I will look at the Nakshatras from the point of view of:

  1. The relationship to the navamsa, which is the chart of the soul
  2. The gunas, which represents qualities of energy.
  3. The four purposes of life.
  4. Some other characteristics of the Nakshatras

1. THE SIGNS OF THE PADAS AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO THE NAVAMSA

There are 27 Nakshatras. Every Nakshatra measures 13.20' (13 degrees and 20 minutes).

Each Nakshatra is divided into 4 parts of 3.20’ (3 degrees and 20 minutes). These parts are called padas.

Each pada has the characteristics of a sign of the zodiac, starting with Aries.

Therefore, the pada system can be seen as a system which integrates the Nakshatras with the commonly used zodiac.

In each Nakshatra there are 4 padas. Therefore, in 3 Nakshatras we have 12 padas. Because each pada represents a sign of the zodiac in a group of 3 Nakshatras we find the entire zodiac in the form of padasigns.

Now each sign of the zodiac covers 2 � Nakshatras. That is 4 + 4 + 1 = 9 padas.

The navamsa is the 1/9 division of the zodiac. Therefore, there is connection between the padas and the navamsa. The connection is simple. If a planet is in the pada of Aries then it is in the navamsa in Aries. If it is in the pada of Taurus it is in the navamsa in Taurus and so on.

Therefore, the navamsasigns and the signs of the padas are the same.

The navamsa is the chart of the soul. It gives information about the state of the soul and thus of the inner life of the person.

Therefore, it can be said that the signs of the padas give information about the soul of a person.

If the rashi contains information about in which padas planets are located, there is no need for a separate printout of the navamsa. Navamsasigns and padasigns are the same.

You will find an overview of this system in the next table:

TABLE: PADAS OF THE FIRST NAKSHATRAS

1. Ashwini 0-13.20 Aries padalord
0-3.20 Aries pada of Aries Mars
3.20-6.40 Aries pada of Taurus Venus
6.40-10 Aries pada of Gemini Mercury
10-13.20 Aries pada of Cancer Moon
2. Bharani 13.20-26.40 Aries  
13.20-16.40 Aries pada of Leo Sun
16.40-20.00 Aries pada of Virgo Mercury
20.00-23.20 Aries pada of Libra Venus
23.20-26.40 Aries pada of Scorpio Mars
3. Krittika 26.40-10 Taurus  
26.40 Aries-0 Taurus pada of Sagittarius Jupiter
0-3.20 Taurus pada of Capricorn Saturn
3.20 -6.40 Taurus pada of Aquarius Saturn
6.40-10 Taurus pada of Pisces Jupiter
4. Rohini 10-23.20 Taurus  
10-13.20 Taurus pada of Aries Mars
13.20-16.40 Taurus pada of Taurus Venus
16.40-20 Taurus pada of Gemini Mercury
20-23.20 Taurus pada of Cancer Moon
5. Mrigashirsha 23.20 Taurus -6.40 Gemini  
23.20-26.40 Taurus pada of Leo Sun
26.40 Taurus- 0 Gemini pada of Virgo Mercury
0-3.20 Gemini pada of Libra Venus
3.20-6.40 Gemini pada of Scorpio Mars

2. THE THREE GUNAS

There are three gunas or types of energy.

  1. First, there is Rajas. Rajas is the energyspark of the soul which is incarnating in the world. Rajas gives activity.
  2. Then there is Tamas. The soul, which comes into this world, immerses itself into materiality. Tamas is about materiality and the material world.
  3. After the soul has encountered materiality, it is time for the soul to liberate itself. The energy of liberation is called Sattva. Sattva is about going beyond the material world. It is about the soul wanting to return to its heavenly home.

Each Nakshatra represents certain gunas. And it does so not only on one level, but on three levels.

FIRST LEVEL

  1. First, we have a group of 9 Nakshatras that represent Rajas energy on a primary level. These Nakshatras coincidence with the signs Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. Aries is the first firesign, Taurus the first earthsign, Gemini the first airsign and Cancer the first watersign.
  2. Then there comes a groups of 9 Nakshatras which represent Tamas on a primary level. These Nakshatras coincidence with the signs Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio. Leo is the second firesign, Virgo the second earthsign, Libra the second airsign and Scorpio the second watersign.
  3. Finally, we have a group of 9 Nakshatras which represent Sattva on a primary level. These Nakshatras coincidence with the signs Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Sagittarius is the third firesign, Capricorn the third earthsign, Aquarius the third airsign and Pisces the third watersign. .

SECOND LEVEL

Now each group of 9 Nakshatras can be divided into 3 groups of 3 Nakshatras. This represents the gunas on a secondary level.

In each groups of 9 Nakshatras the first three Nakshatras represent Rajas on a secondary level, the second three Nakshatras represent Tamas on a secondary level and the third three  Nakshatras represent Sattva on a secondary level. We see that the order of Rajas, Tamas and Sattva, which we saw at the primary level, repeats itself on this level.

THIRD LEVEL

There are 3 groups of 9 Nakshatras. Because each group of 9 Nakshatras has been split into 3 groups of 3 Nakshatras we have a total of 9 groups which consist of 3 Nakshatras.

These groups of 3 Nakshatras represent the tertiary level. The first Nakshatra of such a group represents Rajas, the second Nakshatra Tamas and the third Sattva.

THE GUNAS AT THREE LEVELS

What we have here is a rather complicated system in which each Nakshatra represents certain gunas on different levels.

Let us look at the first Nakshatra of Ashwini. On a primary level Ashwini represents Rajas,because the Nakshatra of Ashwini is in the range of the signs Aries to Cancer.

On a secondary level, Ashwini represents again Rajas, because it is part of the first group of 3 Nakshatras within the range of Aries to Cancer.

And also, on a tertiary level Ashwini represents Rajas, because it is the first Nakshatra of the first group of 3 Nakshatras.

Therefore we say that Ashwini is Rajas – Rajas – Rajas.

The next Nakshatra Bharani is Rajas – Rajas – Tamas

Only the tertiary level has changed.

Next comes Krittika which is Rajas – Rajas – Sattva.

Again only a change at the tertiary level.

Then we come to a new group of three Nakshatras, which causes for a change at the secondary level. This group does not have Rajas at the secondary level but Tamas.

Of course at the tertiary level, we start again with Rajas.

So Rohini is Rajas – Tamas – Rajas

And Mrigashirsha is Rajas – Tamas – Tamas

And Ardra is Rajas – Tamas – Sattva.

Now we come to the third group of Rajas Nakshatras at the primary level. These have Sattva on the secondary level:

Punarvasu is Rajas – Sattva – Rajas

Pushya is Rajas – Sattva – Tamas

and Ashlesha is Rajas – Sattva – Sattva.

Ashlesha, which is located at the end of the sign Cancer, is the last of the Rajas Nakshatras at the primary level.

The next Nakshatra has Tamas at the primary level. It is the Nakshatra of Magha which is placed at the beginning of Leo.

Magha is Tamas –Rajas –Rajas

Purva Phalguni, which is next, is Tamas –Rajas –Tamas

Hopefully, the reader now has a certain feeling for the system and can easily finish this on his own. A list of all the Nakshatras follows in the table below. The gunas are mentioned in this scheme. The primary guna is mentioned first, then the secondary and then the tertiary. R is Rajas, T is Tamas and S is Sattva

If you would like to know which gunas are emphasised in a chart you could look in which Nakshatras the ascendant and the planets are located, look at the gunas of these Nakshatras and give one point for each time you see a certain guna mentioned.

For example, the first example chart in the section about interpretation is the chart of Bill Clinton He has his ascendant in Hasta, which is Tamas-Tamas-Rajas. This gives 2 points for Tamas and 1 point for Rajas. If we add to this the gunas of the planets we get the following score:
Rajas 10 points, Tamas 15 points and Sattva 5 points.  Therefore Tamas is the most important guna in the character of Mr. Clinton, then comes Rajas and last comes Sattva.

We can compare this to the chart of Al Gore (not printed here, but birth data are March 31, 1948, 12.53, Time Zone 5 West, 38.54 North, 77.02 West). We get Rajas 13 points, Tamas 3 points and Sattva 14 points. Therefore, Al Gore has a Sattva/Rajas character with almost no Tamas.

Of course, this system is helpful, but to really evaluate a chart we should always look at the chart as a whole and not just at the gunas the planets and the ascendant are in.

DIAGRAM: AN OUTLINE OF THE 27 MOON CONSTELLATIONS USED IN VEDIC ASTROLOGY/JYOTISH
(NAKSHATRAS)

constellation size ruler gunas Purpose
1. Ashwini 0.13.20 Aries Ketu RRR D
2. Bharani 13.20-26.40 Aries Venus RRT A
3. Krittika 26.40 Aries-10 Taurus Sun RRS K
4. Rohini 10-23.20 Taurus Moon RTR M
5. Mrigashirsha 23.20 Taurus-6.40 Gemini Mars RTT M
6. Ardra 6.40-20 Gemini Rahu RTS K
7. Punarvasu 20 Gemini-3.20 Cancer Jupiter RSR A
8. Pushya 3.20-16.40 Cancer Saturn RST D
9. Ashlesha 16.40-30 Cancer Mercury RSS D
10. Magha 0-13.20 Leo Ketu TRR A
11. Purva Phalguni 13.20 Leo-26.40 Leo Venus TRT K
12. Uttara Phalguni 26.40 Leo-10 Virgo Sun TRS M
13. Hasta 10 Virgo-23.20 Virgo Moon TTR M
14. Chitra 23.20 Virgo-6.40 Libra Mars TTT K
15. Swati 6.40-20 Libra Rahu TTS A
16. Vishakha 20 Libra-3.20 Scorpio Jupiter TSR D
17. Anuradha 3.20 -16.40 Scorpio Saturn TST D
18. Jyeshta 16.40-30 Scorpio Mercury TSS A
19. Mula 0-13.20 Sagittarius Ketu SRR K
20. Purvashadha 13.20- 26.40 Sagittarius Venus SRT M
21. Uttarashadha 26.40 Sag.-10 Capricorn Sun SRS M
22. Shravana 10-23.20 Capricorn Moon STR A
23. Dhanistha 23.20 Cap.-6.40 Aquarius Mars STT D
24. Shatabhishak 6.40-20 Aquarius Rahu STS D
25. Purva Bhadrapada 20 Aquarius-3.20 Pisces  Jupiter SSR A
26. Uttara Bhadrapada 3.20-16.40 Pisces  Saturn SST K
27. Ravati 16.40-30 Pisces Mercury SSS M

Each Nakshatra has a certain planet as its lord. Indeed, it is the lord of the Nakshatra in which the Moon at birth is placed which decides which is the first dasa of the life of the person. Therefore, these Nakshatralords are important.

It is interesting to see if we can find some connection between the lordships and the gunas.

And indeed the connection is there. It turns out that Ketu, the Moon and Jupiter are the lords of Nakshatras, which have Rajas
at a tertiairy level.Venus, Mars and Saturn are the lords of the Nakshatras, which have Tamas at a tertiary level. Finally, the Sun, Rahu and Mercury are the lords of the Nakshatras, which have Sattva at a tertiary level.

Before we draw conclusions from this let us look at the secondary level.

Ketu, Venus and the Sun are the lords of Nakshatras which have Rajas at the secondary level (this is the first group of nine Nakshatras).

The Moon, Mars and Rahu are the lords of Nakshatras which have Tamas at the secondary level (this is the second group of nine Nakshatras).

Finally, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury are the lords of Nakshatras, which have Sattva at the secondary level (the third group of nine Nakshatras) .

This is interesting because it gives us information about the gunas of the planets. If we mention the secondary level first and the tertiary level, second we can make the following summary.

Ketu is Rajas- Rajas

Venus is Rajas-Tamas

Sun is Rajas-Sattva

Moon is Tamas-Rajas

Mars is Tamas-Tamas

Rahu is Tamas-Sattva

Jupiter is Sattva-Rajas

Saturn is Sattva-Tamas

Mercury is Sattva-Sattva

Now we can draw some interesting conclusions about the character of the planets.

I will give some examples of this.

Venus is a planet that has to do with love and lust. To get what we want we move into action (Rajas). The result of this action is that we are going deeper into material life (Tamas).

The Sun is a fiery planet (Rajas), however it represents the soul in the chart and has therefore Sattva characteristics.

Jupiter too is a fiery planet (Rajas), but again has Sattva characteristics because is the planet of the Guru and inner wisdom.

Saturn is a spiritual planet, because it is the planet of Sannyas (renouncing the world). Nevertheless, as we all know Saturn represents matter and therefore also Tamas.

Rahu has the same energies as Saturn only in a different order. It brings us deep into material life (Tamas). However, it only is doing this so we are able to outlive everything that this earth has to offer and then liberate ourselves (Sattva).

It may come as a surprise to some people that Mercury turns out to be the most spiritual planet.However, one thing that distinguishes us from animals, is our capacity to think and evaluate ourselves. Mercury as an airy planet can liberate us from this earth.
It is not a planet of materiality (Tamas) and neither does it like hard work and action (Rajas). It thinks about Tamas and Rajas instead of going into it.

It is not my intention to give all the answers, but merely to give the reader a system and to represent a way of thinking, which the reader can easily apply himself. After these examples, it will probably not be too hard to meditate about the character of Ketu, Mars and the Moon.

CONCLUSION

In this paragraph I have mentioned the connection of the gunas to the Nakshatras. Out of this have emerged conclusions about the connection of the gunas to the planets. I am well aware that there are other systems, which give information about the gunas and the planets. However, this system has a thorough theoretical foundation, which cannot be said of every system. The basis of most systems is mainly what the author of a certain book ‘feels’ must be the connection of the gunas to the planets.

3. THE NAKSHATRAS AND THE FOUR AIMS OF LIFE

Life has four aims:

  1. Dharma: doing what you are supposed to do. Fulfilling your soul in daily activities
  2. Artha: generating income and wealth so you can provide shelter and food for your body.
  3. Kama: going after your desires.
  4. Moksha: liberating your soul.

Every Nakshatra represents an energy in which one aim is stressed. Therefore, by looking at which planets are in which Nakshatras we can find out which aims of life are stressed in the life of a person.

At first sight there seems to be a connection between these aims and the elements. It is easy to see a connection between fire and Dharma, earth and Artha, air and Kama and moskha and water. However there is another division of Nakshatras in tattvas (elements). This is a different division then the division in aims of life.

The way the Nakshatras are divided among the aims of life is interesting. At first, the order of the aims is the same as the order of the signs which represents the connected elements in the zodiac.

We all know that the first sign in the zodiac is Aries (fire), then Taurus (earth), Gemini (air) and Cancer (water).

Now the first Nakshatra Ashwini is a Dharma Nakshatra, the second Nakshatra Bharani is a Artha Nakshatra, the third Krittika is a Kama Nakshatra and the fourth Rohini is a Moksha Nakshatra.

Then however something different happens. The fifth Nakshatra Mrigashirsha is also a Moksha Nakshatra and from then, the order is going backwards. So the sixth Nakshatra Ardra is a Kama Nakshatra, the seventh Punarvasu is an Artha Nakshatra and the eighth Pushya a
Dharma Nakshatra.

Now we have returned at the ‘first aim’ Dharma again. The ninth Nakshatra Ashlesha is still a Dharma Nakshatra. From then, we go onwards: the tenth Nakshatra Magha is Artha, the eleventh Purva Phalguni is Kama, the twelfth Uttara Phalguni is Moksha.

From then, the same thing happens as with Rohini. Again the next Nakshatra Hasta is a Moksha Nakshatra and from then, we go backwards: Chitra is Kama, Swati is Artha and Vishakha is Dharma.

As can be expected there follows another Dharma Nakshatra which is Anuradha, then we have an Artha Nakshatra Jyeshta, a Kama Nakshatra Mula and a Moksha Nakshatra Purvashadha.

At this point, something happens which may surprise us. At first what happens is very much what we would have expected. There comes another Moksha Nakshatra, which is Utturashadha, but then we  seem to skip the Kama Nakshatra and go right to an Artha Nakshatra which is Shravana and then we come to a Dharma Nakshatra which is Dhanista.

Of course, it is interesting to know why we skip the Kama Nakshatra. The answer seems to be that in the past there used to be a system of 28 Nakshatras. The 28st Nakshatra is Abhijit. This Nakshatra  is located between Purvashadha and Shravana. It is the only Nakshatra of which
the main star Vega is located far away from the ecliptic. That is also why it is hard to locate it on the ecliptic and probably one reason why it is skipped.

However, some fifteen thousand years ago Vega used to be the polestar. In the past, this Nakshatra could be very important. The fact that the deity which belongs to this Nakshatra is Brahma, the creator, seems to underline this. Today, this Nakshatra is sometimes used for religious purposes,but is not a standard part of the system.

However, let us go back to the order of Nakshatras. We have arrived at Dhanistha, which is a Dharma Nakshatra. Now we will find as expected another Dharma Nakshatra, which is Shatabhishak. Then comes an Artha Nakshatra Purva Bhadrapada, a Kama Nakshatra Uttara Bhadrapada and we end with a Moksha Nakshatra Revati.

It is interesting that we start the sequence of Nakshatras with the Nakshatra Ashwini which is a Dharma Nakshatra (that has to do with finding our purpose in life) and end with a Moksha Nakshatra which is about spiritual liberation.

In the diagram of the Nakshatras, which you can see above (in the paragraph about the gunas),
you will also find a column which gives information of which purpose of life belongs to which
Nakshatra. D = Dharma, A = Artha, K=Kama and M = Moksha.

There is something, which strikes me if I look at the table of the Nakshatras. The first Nakshatra Ashwini is Rajas-Rajas-Rajas and is a Dharma Nakshatra.

The Nakshatra Chitra is Tamas-Tamas-Tamas and is a Kama Nakshatra. The last Nakshatra Revati is Sattva-Sattva-Sattva and is a Moksha Nakshatra.

Therefore, there seems to be a connection between Rajas and Dharma, Tamas and Kama and Sattva and Moksha. This connection is logical if you look at the characteristics of the gunas and the purposes of life.

4. OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NAKSHATRAS

The symbolism of the Nakshatras is rich indeed. In addition to a planet, deity, symbol, aim of life and guna each Nakshatra also corresponds with a certain animal, animal type, caste, sex, temperament, dosha, tattva (element) and even winddirection.

Deities, planets and symbols are mentioned in my booklet the Hindu lunar zodiac, aims of life and gunas in the above paragraphs. I will now give a quick overview of the sexes, temperaments and animals. When interpreting Nakshatras I sometimes make use of these.

There is no real orderly system like with aims of life and gunas when dividing the Nakshatras among the sexes, temperaments and animals.

SEXES

Male nakshatras are: Ashwini, Bharani, Pushya, Ashlesha, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Swati, Jyeshta, Mula, Purvashadha, Uttarashadha, Shravana and Purva Bhadrapada.

Female Nakshatras are: Krittika, Rohini, Mrigashirsha, Ardra, Punarvasu, Purva Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Vishakha, Anuradha, Dhanistha, Shatabhishak, Uttara Bhadrapada and Revati.

Male Nakshatras are more active than female Nakshatras. It is notable that sometimes male Nakshatras are governed by female deities and the other way around.

TEMPERAMENTS

Deva (godly) nakshatras are Ashwini, Mrigashirsha, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Revati.

Human nakshatras are Bharani, Rohini, Ardra, Shravana and all the Purva and Uttara Nakshatras.

Rakshasa (demon) nakshatras are Krittika, Ashlesha, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha, Jyestha, Mula, Dhanistha, Shatabhishak.

People who have many planets in demon Nakshatras maybe more harsh then those who have planets in the deva Nakshatras which are mostly soft.

However we have to keep in mind that devas are not necessarily good and demons are not necessarily bad. In fact they both have their role in creation to play and are equally important.

If there were no demons, it would be impossible to deal with our karmic problems. In that case, we would probably be playing harp all-day and enjoying the sunshine. Not much spiritual growth  would result out of that.

ANIMALS

There is a connection between certain animal species and the Nakshatras. This is something that can be interesting to know about. You can look in which Nakshatra you have your ascendant, Moon or Sun and look at the corresponding animals. You may choose one (or more) of these as your ‘totem animal’.

You can meditate on this animal. When you see it, you can look at its characteristics. You can read books about the way it lives. When you see a program about this animal do not miss it because by watching the program you will learn more about yourself. Personally, I think it is funny and revealing to learn about yourself just by watching a certain animal.

Here comes the list. First I mention an animal and after that the Nakshatras which according to Indian tradition correspond with this animal.

As with most connections at first the reason why a certain animal belongs to a certain Nakshatra may not be clear. However, the reason is always there. Rather than writing a long essay about  what might be the reasons I would ask you to think about this yourself. There are several
books in which you will find descriptions of the Nakshatras like my booklet the Hindu lunar zodiac.

With these descriptions at your proposal, it may not be too difficult to find out the rational for these connections. If you feel it is difficult, just meditate on it. If things get tough, you can see it as a Zen koan.

Animal Corresponding Nakshatras
Horse: Ashwini (the horsewoman), Shatabhishak
Elephant: Bharani (the bearer), Revati
Goat: Krittika, Pushya
Serpent: Rohini, Mrigashirsha
Dog: Ardra, Mula
Cat: Punarvasu, Ashlesha
Rat: Magha, Purva Phalguni
Cow: Utter Phalguni, Uttara Bhadrapada
Buffalo: Hasta, Swati
Tiger: Chitra, Vishakha
Deer: Anuradha, Jyeshta
Monkey: Purvashadha, Shravana
Mongoose: Utturashadha
Lion Dhanistha, Purva Bhadrapada

If you want information about how to order the Hindu lunar Zodiac, booklet and cards you can click here.

B. THE NAKSHATRAS IN VEDIC CHART INTERPRETATION

In what follows I will look at what the Nakshatras have to say about charts of well known people. I believe that the ancient system of the Nakshatras contain a system of chart interpretation that can stand on its own.

You will note that some charts are from people who are more or less in the same ‘line of business’. It is interesting to see what the similarities and differences between these charts are.

BILL CLINTON (FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE USA):


Here is the chart of Bill Clinton, president of the USA. What we see at first sight is that the Nakshatra of Hasta is very important in this chart. He has his ascendant, Venus and Mars in this Nakshatra.

Here is a quote from my booklet the Hindu lunar zodiac about Hasta: "Hasta is the constellation of the conjurer who uses his hands to perform his tricks. The morality is not always very noble. The smart salesman of second-hand cars, whose merchandise sometimes has hidden faults,
belongs to this constellation. This "cleverness" can work as a boomerang. In this case, the person in whose horoscope Hasta is vividly present has to deal with problems and setbacks because of his supposed "skilfulness".

Mr. Clinton has the nickname ‘slicky Willy’. There is even a bar in Washington with that name. Of course, there is a reason why he got this nickname and if we look at the above description that might be it. Because the ascendant is in Hasta this is a trait of his character that is visible
for the whole world. Because the sexual planets Mars and Venus are in Hasta, sexuality certainly is a part of his moral problems.

Another indication that his problems have to do with sex and secrets is that the lord of Hasta, the Moon is in the eighth house of sexual strength.

Of course Hasta has other more spiritual traits too, but because Bill Clinton is not really known for being on a spiritual path the above traits surfaces.

The deity, which belongs to Hasta, is Savitar, the Sun god. This is appropriate for someone who is president of the USA.

In addition, we see he has the Sun in the royal constellation of Magha. Again, I will give a quote from the Hindu lunar zodiac:"The royal star of Regulus is the most important star in the constellation of Magha. In Western astrology, this star deals with fame and kingship too. This constellation brings prosperity.Someone whose horoscope is dominated by Magha is a natural authority".

Again, we see an important character trait of Bill Clinton.

The Nakshatra in which the Moon is located is one of the most important Nakshatras. In Bill Clinton’s case, this is Krittika. I will give a quote from the Hindu lunar zodiac about Krittika: "In the sky, Krittika is positioned in the form of a group of stars called "The Pleiades", or the
"weeping sisters" as they are sometimes called. The warrior may bring destruction and sadness. However, he may also be the protector of the good and the destroyer of evil. The warrior knows what he wants and he is prepared to give his life in order to protect what is good.

Karttikeya, the general of the heavenly army, is the bearer of the golden sword. He fights demons and shines like the sun in his golden armour. That is why Karttikeya is associated with the golden light of the sun and the wealth connected with it. Agni, the other god that reigns over
Krittika, brings destruction but also purification".

Bill Clinton has had to deal with several warlike situations during his office. Again, we see something written about ‘the golden light of the Sun’. Therefore, we have another indication of leadership.

There is more in the chart. Mercury and Saturn are in Pushya. This means two planets are in the Nakshatra about which my booklet the Hindu lunar zodiac says the following: " In Vedic astrology, Pushya and Rohini are considered to be the most favourable lunar constellations for this earthly life. An enterprise which is started when the moon is in Pushya or Rohini can hardly fail.

The god belonging to Pushya is Brihaspati. This god is the Vedic Jupiter and teacher/priest (guru) of the gods.

The constellation brings wisdom and abundance. It gives both material and spiritual nourishment. For this reason, the constellation has to do with teachers, priests, gurus, but also with material wealth and expansion. The expansion can sometimes be pushed too far and for this reason this constellation might suffer from obesity".

If we look at a picture of Bill Clinton, we see that he suffers a bit from obesity. At the same time, this is a very beneficial Nakshatra. It is important that his ascendant lord Mercury is  located here. Now you might say that Saturn in Pushya might spoil his luck. However, the lord of Pushya is Saturn. Therefore, Saturn is in its own Nakshatra, which means that Saturn is functioning well. In addition we see that Saturn is located in an Upachaya house (the eleventh) in which malefics are welcomed. Therefore this Saturn in Pushya does not spoil his luck but on the contrary promotes it.

Let us look at Rahu in the chart. Rahu is the shadow planet of insatiable desires. We have to be careful not to attach too much importance on the Nakshatra in which this shadowplanet is in, because Rahu is very slowly moving. Many people of Mr. Clinton’s age have Rahu in the same Nakshatra. Still I cannot help to note that Rahu is in Mrigashirsha. This Nakshatra has to do with romantic problems. In my booklet it says:
"It symbolises the spiritual seeker with a romantic tendency, who is always looking for new experiences.".

There is one more Nakshatra we have to look at. It is Jyeshta in which Ketu is located. In the booklet it says: "The spiritual path belonging to this constellation is that of the warrior and the acceptance of authoritative positions". Mr. Clinton is certainly on an authoritative position and had to deal with wars.

What we have seen here is that astrology does not have to be difficult. With the help of a small booklet, we can say a lot about the character of a person.

NELSON ROCKEFELLER (MULTI MILLIONAIRE):

   

This is the chart of a person who is well known for his riches. I will use this chart to give an example of another way to analyse a chart by making use of the Nakshatras. Every Nakshatra symbolises a certain purpose in life. Now l will look at what purposes of
life are emphasised in this chart.

The most important astrological elements of a chart are the ascendant, Sun and Moon. The ascendant is in Chitra (a Kama Nakshatra), the Sun in Punarvasu, which is an Artha  Nakshatra and the Moon in Swati, again an Artha Nakshatra. Therefore the first impression we have of the chart is that this is a chart which is about wealth (Artha) and desires (Kama).

If we look further, we can see the same thing. Mercury and Venus are in Ardra, which is a Kama (desire) Nakshatra. In fact, the lord of Ardra is Rahu which is the planet of insatiable desires. This same Rahu is also lord of Swati in which the Moon is located. Therefore, this is a very Rahu oriented and thus materialistic chart.

What we see is that Rahu is also in Ardra, which is its own Nakshatra. Therefore, Rahu becomes extra strong.

In the tenth house which is the house of career we have the Sun, Rahu, Mercury and Venus. From the point of view of the Nakshatras Rahu is the strongest of these planets because it is in its own Nakshatra.

The planet, which is closest to Rahu, is adaptable Mercury. Mercury is an important planet for Nelson Rockefeller because it is lord of the first and the tenth house. Mercury is easily influenced by the planet which it conjuncts. In this case it is influenced by Rahu. Therefore, his public appearance (first house) and work/career (tenth house) are very Rahu oriented and as we have already said this means materialism is central in his public appearance and work.

There is more to say about this chart. We have a Mars/Jupiter conjunction in the eleventh house, which is the house of gains. Mars is in Pushya, which is a very beneficial sign. The symbol of Pushya is the udder of a cow, from which comes milk. Milk is a symbol of riches and indeed Nelson Rockefeller has used his energy (Mars) to produce riches (Pushya).

Jupiter in Ashlesha has an uneasy feeling around it. Ashlesha is the sign of the snake and intrigues. The world of business is of course coloured by intrigues. Therefore, there must have been many (Jupiter) intrigues (Ashlesha) in his life. Most of them went well for him (influence of Jupiter), and brought him wealth (eleventh house).

MARILYN MONROE (MOVIE STAR):

  

Marilyn Monroe has her ascendant is the Nakshatra of Ashlesha. This is the Nakshatra of the snake. The deity which belongs to Ashlesha is Sarpas, the snake that became a God.

In my booklet, the Hindu lunar zodiac we find the following keywords under Ashlesha: " hypnotising, sexual power, controversial". All these keywords seem to describe Marilyn Monroe well. She almost hypnotised her audience (especially the male part of it) with her sexual charisma and led a controversial life.

This sure is something that we would not have noted if we simply looked at her ascendant being in the sign of Cancer.

The Sun is in the sign of Rohini. In addition she also has Mercury (which is the lord of Ashlesha, therefore the lord of the Nakshatra of the ascendant) in Rohini. In the Hindu lunar zodiac we find the following quote about Rohini: "Rohini was the favourite bride of Chandra, the lunar god. She became his favourite because of her beauty, artistically talents and expertise in the 'erotic arts'. The colour red which is associated with Rohini (Rohini means red) relates to passion and sensuality."

Again, we find a lot of information about Marilyn Monroe here. She was a moviestar and thus an artist. She had a great many lovers, among them John F. Kennedy. We can assume that she had expertise in the ‘erotic arts’. Her image was coloured by sensuality.

What is interesting with Rohini is that the animal specie (this is something different than the symbol) is the serpent. Again, we see the snake coming back in her chart.

The Moon is with Jupiter in Dhanistha. In the Hindu lunar zodiac we find the following keywords about Dhanistha: "wealth, prosperity, optimistic, musical". Marilyn Monroe was also a singer and was wealthy. In addition, according to Hart deFouw Dhanista can give severe problems in relationships. We know this to be true in her case.

This Moon is in the seventh house therefore it gives information about her relationships. All of her relationships were problematic in one way or another.

Now the lord of Dhanistha, which as we have seen is a key Nakshatra in Marilyn Monroe’s chart is Mars. Mars is placed in the Nakshatra of Purva Bhadrapada.

Purva Bhadrapada has the following keywords: " passion, ambition, fascination with the dark side of life, transformation, fire, warmth".

Again, this describes Marilyn Monroe very well and especially her love life. Most of the men in her life were powerful and had a lot of ambition. Her relationships brought her also into contact with the dark side of life. For example, at least one of her lovers had connections to the Mafia.

The deity, which belongs to Purva Bhadrapada is Aja Ekapada, which is a form of Rudra, the stormgod or destroyer. I believe the strange circumstances of her death have something to do with Mars being in Purva Bhadrapada. Because Mars is lord of the Nakshatra in which the seventh house Moon is located I think that one of her lovers may very well have to do with her death. It is interesting that Mars is in the eighth house, the house of death.

There is more to say about this chart, but because it is better not to make these analyses too long I will limit myself to the most important placements in charts (with an emphasis on the role of the ascendant, Sun and Moon).

MADONNA (SINGER AND ACTRESS):


In this chart, the most important Nakshatra is Purva Phalguni. The ascendant and Moon are located here. If I look at the keywords in the Hindu lunar zodiac of Purva Phalguni we find: "love, sexuality, prosperity, light-heartiness, creativity".

This describes Madonna very well. She is a rich and creative woman whose sexual charisma is obvious. What strikes me about Madonna is that she makes many changes in her image. To me this gives the impression of a certain light-heartiness, not taking these images too seriously and dropping it when she feels like it.

The lord of Purva Phalguni is Venus. Venus is located in Pushya, which is a very auspicious Nakshatra. According to some the most auspicious of all. The keywords of Pushya are: "prosperity, expansion, popularity, nourishing, happiness."

Of course, Madonna is popular. Lord of the Nakshatra of the ascendant in this auspicious Nakshatra, which gives popularity, may well account for her continuing popularity.Mars is also located in a Venus Nakshatra, namely the Nakshatra Bharani. The location of Venus, lord of the Nakshatra of her Mars in Pushya, is good for her Mars and gives her a lot of energy.

Mars in Bharani is a very interesting placement of itself. Bharani is a very sexual and somewhat intense Nakshatra. It deals with sexuality as a manner of exploring the mysteries of life and death. This is not about sexuality simply as a way of enjoying oneself, but about sexuality on
a much deeper level. The god which has to do with Bharani is Yama the god of death. This may account of her experimentation with sexuality, including some experiments with SM.

The Sun is in Ashlesha, the Nakshatra of the snake. Anyone who has seen a videoclip of Madonna surely knows what this means. When she is on stage she shows these snakelike movements. The serpent also has to do with her intense sexuality. There is even one videoclip in which she performs the role of snake seducing a priest.

Mercury, which is the lord of Ashlesha is in the first house in the royal sign of Magha. Of course she really likes to be in the centre of attention. It is also interesting that in her first videoclip ‘like a Virgin’ there was the emphatic presence of a lion.

In this chart analysis like in some others I emphasis the placements of the faster moving planets. I do think this is more important than the slower moving planets, because the placement of the slower moving planets are typical of larger age groups

BROOKE SHIELDS (ACTRESS):

    

In this chart the Moon and Venus are both in the Nakshatra Mrigashirsha. Mrigashirsha is an auspicious Nakshatra which according to Dennis Harness can bring beauty. The deity of Mrigashirsha is Soma, which is a manifestation of the lunar god.

Soma is also the name of a drug, which was used in Vedic times and brought hallucinations. By using this drug, the person met the gods.

Therefore Soma represents a hallucinate version of the Moon god. This seems to be appropriate for a female movie star. After all what we see in a movie is not the real world. Certainly some of the movies of Brooke Shields have a taste of paradise in them that is not of this world. If you look at her pictures, she seems to have a serene beauty, which is out of this world. She also has a tender look, which can be associated with the tender look of a deer.

By the way, the Moongod is male, however the Moon is a female principle and Mrigashirsha is a female Nakshatra.

Mrigashirsha is not the only Nakshatra that has to do with beauty, which is emphasised in her chart. In addition, we find a triple Jupiter/Sun/Rahu conjunction in Rohini,

I have already said something about Rohini in the analysis of the chart of Marilyn Monroe, another female moviestar whom as Brooke has the Sun in Rohini.

Keywords for Rohini (as stated in my booklet) are: "great beauty, wealth, artistic". In addition to that information I want to give the following quote out of my booklet "Rohini was the favourite bride of Chandra, the lunar God. She became his favourite because of her beauty, artistically talents and expertise in the ‘erotic arts’. The colour red relates to passion and sensuality".

Again, we see a relationship to the Moon.

It is interesting that Rohini and Mrigashirsha share the same animal specie. It is the serpent, a specie which has connections to sensuality and (erotic) female qualities.

Her ascendant is in Uttara Phalguni and her Mars in Purva Phalguni. Again both Nakshatras have to do with sensuality. The keywords of Uttara Phalguni are: "love, sexuality, prosperity, helpfulness, creativity" and the keywords of Purva Phalguni are almost the same:" love, sexuality,
prosperity, light-heartiness, creativity."

The lord of Uttara Phalguni is the Sun (lord of the Nakshatra of the ascendant), which is placed in Rohini. The lord of Purva Phalguni (lord of the Nakshatra of Mars) is Venus, which is placed in Mrigashirsha. Again, we see the Rohini/Mrigashirsha energies emphasised.

Everything in this chart seems to point in the same direction.

If we compare her chart with that of Marilyn Monroe we see that the energy of difficult Nakshatra’s like Ashlesha and Dhanista are lacking in her chart. That is why she does not have the same intrigues in her life as Marilyn Monroe had. Only Saturn in Purva Bhadrapada can cause some havoc.

If we compare her chart with the chart of Madonna we do see an emphasis of the energy of the Phalguni’s in both chart. However, what we do not see in the chart of Madonna are the energies of Rohini and Mrigashirsha. That is why the innocence of the deer is lacking in Madonna.

What we do see in the chart of Madonna is a stress on the Nakshatras Bharani and Ashlesha. These are sexual Nakshatras, but more of an intense type

It is interesting to look at the temperaments. We find in Brooke’s chart 2 astrological factors (ascendant and planets) in deva Nakshatras, 6 in human Nakshatras and 2 in Rakshasa Nakshatras.

In Madonna’s chart we find 2 in deva Nakshatras, 3 in human Nakshatras and 5 in Rakshasa Nakshatras. This gives different personalities. .

CHER (SINGER):


This singer is especially known for the surgery, which she has undergone to ‘improve’ her body.

The ascendant (which gives information about the body) is in Ardra. The keyword for Ardra in the Hindu lunar zodiac is:"new growth by elimination of old rubbish". She seems to have done this in a very literal way. This is the Nakshatra of transformation that has Rudra,
the stormgod,as a deity.

Her Sun is in Krittika. The symbol of Krittika is a knife. The translation of Krittika is "the one who cuts". I believe it is hard to imagine a more appropriate place for the Sun in this chart.

The Moon is in Purva Ashadha. This Nakshatra has the following keywords:"invincible, ambitious, travelling over water, sexual."

She sure is an ambitious woman and has a sexual charisma.

Mercury is also in what can be considered a somewhat heavy Nakshatra. It is in Bharani. Bharani has the following keyword: "changes emerge from within, big transformations". Again, transformations and changes seem to occur on a very literal level.

Mars is in the Nakshatra of Ashlesha,. the Nakshatra of the snake. We know that a snake changes his skin from time to time and so does Cher.

Of the personal planets, only Venus is in a ‘light’ Nakshatra. This is the Nakshatra of Mrigashirsha, which we have seen when dealing with the chart of Brooke Shields. It is a Nakshatra, which brings beauty which we can also see in Cher.

Now Rahu, which is the lord of the Nakshatra in which the ascendant is located is also in Mrigashirsha. In addition to that, Venus is the lord of the Nakshatras in which the Moon and Mercury are located.

Because of this, Mrigashirsha is a key Nakshatra. It is not just Venus/Rahu, which are in Mrigashirsha, but also the lords of the Nakshatras of the ascendant (Rahu), Moon (Venus) and Mercury (Venus).

I think the important influence of Mrigashirsha has caused her to be a popular singer. If this was not in her chart, I think she would have chosen another career, like maybe being a surgeon herself.

KURT COBAIN (FORMER LEAD SINGER OF THE ROCKBAND NIRVANA):


Probably not all readers know who Kurt Cobain is. He was the lead singer of a rock group called Nirvana. The songs of this group had mostly a sinister feeling around them. Some of them had spiritual qualities although of a more ‘dark’ nature. The music was loud and not very melodious. At a young age, Kurt Cobain committed suicide.

The above is found all over his chart. The ascendant and Sun are both in Shatabhishak. The keywords of Shatabhishak. are "secrets, alcohol, seclusion, philosophical, meditation".

This is all appropriate to Kurt Cobain, He used drugs (and a lot of them), was philosophical and not easy to approach.

In the Hindu lunar zodiac we find the following quotes about Shatabhishak:" Shatabhishak is a meditative constellation. Varuna is a god who plays a major part in the most ancient Vedic scriptures. It is the god of the night who makes forms fade away. When forms are no longer visible, only unity remains. It is the experience of unity with the cosmos that is essential. This feeling of cosmic unity can be achieved by natural means (through meditation), but also artificially (through alcohol). Both ways may be practised by those in whose horoscope Shatabhishak plays a part. It goes without saying that the natural way is to be preferred. The feeling of being connected to the cosmos gives rise to a philosophical tendency.

A Shatabhishak type of person has a vision about how life could be on this earth. This might lead to a feeling of uneasiness with how things are in reality. He looks for seclusion in order to be able to experience unity with the cosmos."

This is a description of some of the issues that Kurt Cobain must have been dealing with. The feeling of uneasiness, which I have mentioned in the above paragraph, may be the cause of his suicide.

However, there is more in the chart. His Moon is in the Nakshatra Ardra, the Nakshatra of Rudra, the stormgod. As I have stated before this is one of the most difficult Nakshatras. It is a Nakshatra of intense transformations and indeed death can be seen as the ultimate transformation.

It is notable that just like Shatabhishak this is a Rahu Nakshatra. In addition, Mars and Ketu are in the Rahu Nakshatra Swati. This is an extreme emphasis on Rahu energy in the chart, which is not the easiest energy to express. Indeed Rahu is the Nakshatra dispositor of the ascendant and half of the planets in the chart. This important ‘planet of shadows’ is located in Bharani. Bharani has as its deity Yama, the deity of death.

Of course, this important Rahu in the Nakshatra of Yama has to do with his suicide.

But we are not ready yet. Mercury, the planet of communication and Venus, the planet of love, are in Purva Bhadrapada. We have encountered this Nakshatra before. Aja Ekapada is the deity of this Nakshatra and is a form of Rudra, the storm god and destroyer, which we have also encountered under Ardra. Again, we encounter a potential destructive energy.

In the Hindu lunar Zodiac I state the following about Purva Bhadrapada:" Purva Bhadrapada people have lots of energy and they have to direct it carefully. There is a risk that the energy is used for self-centred goals. Another danger might be that the individual would not know how to handle it. In that case the energy can manifest itself as rage or as ways of ambition that can never be satisfied (whenever one goal is achieved, there is an immediate search for a next goal)."

His art (Venus) and way of communication (Mercury) was certainly full of energy. However, it was not refined. Suicide can be seen as rage against oneself. In addition to the other difficult energies in the chart the energy of Purva Bhadrapada was obviously too much to handle.

CONCLUSION

By looking at a few example charts, you have seen how you can use the Nakshatras for chart interpretation. The method that I have used it simple. Just look at what planets are in which Nakshatras and you can come up with an interpretation. I hope that more people will use this technique.

Indeed, sometimes I am surprised at the rather ‘far out’ and ‘difficult’ techniques some Jyotishis use while at the same time this simple and basic technique is seldom used.

Roeland roeland@dirah.org

 
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