Nakshatra - The Basics

Ashwini:

• Meaning: Horsemen
• Deity: Ashwins (twin brothers, children of the Sun and his wife Samjna (consciousness))
• Shakti (Power): To quickly reach something
• Result of Shakti: The world becomes free from disease
• Basis Above: Those to be healed
• Basis Below: Healing therapy
• Symbolism: Healing, doing good, getting to the right place at the right time, expediency

Bharani:

• Meaning: The bearers
• Deity: Yama (Dharmaraj, the king of Dharma and the deity of death)
• Shakti (Power): To take things away
• Result of Shakti: Moving on to the next world
• Basis Above: Removal of life from the body
• Basis Below: Carrying the soul to the ancestral realm
• Symbolism: Transition, transformation, death and rebirth, difficulties as opportunities

Krittika:

• Meaning: The razor, cutter, or knife
• Deity: Agni (god of fire)
• Shakti (Power): To burn
• Result of Shakti: Purification
• Basis Above: Heat
• Basis Below: Light
• Symbolism: Purification, transformation, spiritual growth, cutting away the old to make way for the new

Rohini:

• Meaning: Ruddy cow or growth
• Deity: Prajapati (lord of all offspring, equated to Brahma, the creator)
• Shakti (Power): To grow
• Result of Shakti: To create
• Basis Above: The plants
• Basis Below: The water
• Symbolism: Growth, creativity, nourishment, fertility
  

Mrigashira:

• Meaning: The head of the deer
• Deity: Soma (god of immortality)
• Shakti (Power): To give fulfillment
• Result of Shakti: To make the world enjoyable
• Basis Above: Extension
• Basis Below: Weaving
• Symbolism: Pursuit of desires, goals, and immortality, finding happiness through achieving one's aspirations

Ardra:

• Meaning: The drop (teardrop)
• Deity: Rudra (Shiva, god of the storm)
• Shakti (Power): Effort
• Result of Shakti: Achievement
• Basis Above: Hunting or searching
• Basis Below: Reaching the goal
• Symbolism: Intensity, storms, challenges, effort leading to achievement, transformation through difficulties

Punarvasu:

• Meaning: Restoring the good
• Deity: Aditi (mother of the gods)
• Shakti (Power): To gain wealth or substance
• Result of Shakti: Revitalization of plants
• Basis Above: Wind or ai
• Basis Below: Wetness or rain
• Symbolism: Restoration, revitalization, nourishment, change that brings growth, the power of the divine mother

Pushya:

• Meaning: Nourishment, flower, the best
• Deity: Brihaspati (guru of the gods, equated to Jupiter)
• Shakti (Power): To create spiritual energy
• Result of Shakti: Spiritual energy is created
• Basis Above: Sacrificial worship
• Basis Below: The worshipper
• Symbolism: Spiritual growth, doing one's best, the greater good, the means justify the end
  

Ashlesha:

• Meaning: Entwining
• Deity: Sarpas (the serpents)
• Shakti (Power): To inflict with poison
• Result of Shakti: Destruction of the victim
• Basis Above: Approach of the serpent
• Basis Below: Trembling and agitation
• Symbolism: Karmic entanglements, challenges, difficult situations, the need to confront and overcome negative patterns
  

Magha:

• Meaning: The mighty ones
• Deity: Pitris (ancestors, forefathers)
• Shakti (Power): To leave the body
• Result of Shakti: Death
• Basis Above: Mourning
• Basis Below: Leaving the body
• Symbolism: Ancestral karma, family duties, lineage, letting go, moving on

Purva Phalguni:

• Meaning: The former reddish one
• Deity: Aryaman (the Sun as a friend and beloved)
• Shakti (Power): To give the ability to procreate
• Result of Shakti: Creation of the fetus (or an idea)
• Basis Above: The wife or female partner
• Basis Below: The husband or male partner
• Symbolism: Partnership, creativity, chemistry, the beginning of creation
  

Uttara Phalguni:

• Meaning: The latter reddish one
• Deity: Bhag (the Sun as fortune)
• Shakti (Power): To give prosperity through union or marriage
• Result of Shakti: Accumulation of wealth
• Basis Above: Wealth gained from one's own family
• Basis Below: Wealth gained from one's partner's family
• Symbolism: Prosperity, wealth, abundance, the result of creativity

Hasta:

• Meaning: The hand
• Deity: Savitar (the Sun as the impeller, the vivifier)
• Shakti (Power): To gain what one is seeking, to place it in one's hands
• Result of Shakti: To put one's wishes in one's hand
• Basis Above: Seeking of gain
• Basis Below: Process of gaining
• Symbolism: Tangible results, acquiring, fulfilling desires, divine inspiration
  

Chitra:

• Meaning: Bright
• Deity: Vishwakarma (the divine architect)
• Shakti (Power): To accumulate merit in life
• Result of Shakti: Gaining honor in one's work
• Basis Above: Law
• Basis Below: Truth
• Symbolizm: Divine law, truth, doing the right thing, being noble, magnetic personality

Swati:

• Meaning: The sword
• Deity: Vayu (the wind)
• Shakti (Power): To scatter like the wind
• Result of Shakti: Transformation
• Basis Above: Moving in various directions
• Basis Below: Change of form
• Symbolism: Wind of change, transformation, making things happen through change
  

Vishakha:

• Meaning: Branched
• Deity: Indra and Agni (worshipped together)
• Shakti (Power): To achieve many and various fruits
• Result of Shakti: The fruit of the harvest
• Basis Above: Plowing or cultivation
• Basis Below: Harvest
• Symbolism: Achieving multiple goals, planning, spiritual cultivation, reaping rewards

Anuradha:

• Meaning: Following Radha
• Deity: Mitra (the divine friend, lord of compassion)
• Shakti (Power): Worship and devotion
• Result of Shakti: Honor and abundance
• Basis Above: Ascension
• Basis Below: Descent
• Symbolism: Friendship, devotion, honor, abundance, where heaven meets earth

Jyeshtha:

• Meaning: The eldest or the senior
• Deity: Indra (king of the gods)
• Shakti (Power): To rise or conquer and gain courage in battle
• Result of Shakti: One becomes a hero
• Basis Above: Attack
• Basis Below: Defense
• Symbolism: Battle, overcoming challenges, heroism, gaining respect

Mula:

• Meaning: The root
• Deity: Nirriti (goddess of disaster)
• Shakti (Power): To ruin or destroy
• Result of Shakti: The power to destroy
• Basis Above: Breaking things apart
• Basis Below: Crushing things
• Symbolism: Destruction, getting to the root, creating space for new growth

Purva Ashadha:

• Meaning: The previous invincible
• Deity: Apas (goddess of water)
• Shakti (Power): Invigoration
• Result of Shakti: Gain of luster
• Basis Above: Strength
• Basis Below: Connection
• Symbolism: Flow of consciousness, feeling strongly, invigoration, magnetism

Uttara Ashadha:

• Meaning: The latter invincible
• Deity: Vishvadevas (the universal gods)
• Shakti (Power): To grant unchallengeable victory
• Result of Shakti: One becomes the unchallenged winner
• Basis Above: The strength to win
• Basis Below: The goal that one can win
• Symbolism: Unchallengeable victory, tangible success, achieving goals

Shravana:

• Meaning: Hearing
• Deity: Vishnu (the absolute aspect of God)
• Shakti (Power): Connection
• Result of Shakti: The person gets connected to all things
• Basis Above: Seeking
• Basis Below: The paths
• Symbolism: Connection, seeking truth, the importance of hearing, bringing things together

Dhanishtha:

• Meaning: Very rich or very swift
• Deity: Vasus (the gods inherent in nature)
• Shakti (Power): To give abundance and fame
• Result of Shakti: Bringing people together
• Basis Above: Birth
• Basis Below: Prosperity
• Symbolism: Abundance, fame, wealth, drawing people together, being an icon

Shatabhishak:

• Meaning: 100 physicians or 100 medicines
• Deity: Varuna (god of the waters or the sky)
• Shakti (Power): Healing
• Result of Shakti: The world is free of calamity
• Basis Above: Pervasion overall
• Basis Below: Supporting all
• Symbolism: Healing, support, freeing the world from calamity, seeing the big picture

Purva Bhadrapada:

• Meaning: The previous auspicious feet
• Deity: Aja Ekapada (the one-footed goat)
• Shakti (Power): To give the fire to raise the worshipper up in life
• Result of Shakti: Support of the entire world
• Basis Above: What is good for all people
• Basis Below: What is good for the gods
• Symbolism: Worship, devotion, supporting the world, renunciation, hidden power

Uttara Bhadrapada:

• Meaning: The latter auspicious feet
• Deity: Ahirbudhnya (dragon of the depths)
• Shakti (Power): Bringing of the rain
• Result of Shakti: Stability of the three worlds
• Basis Above: The rainy clouds
• Basis Below: The growing of plants
• Symbolism: Bringing nourishment, consciousness, stability, fulfilling needs

Revati:

• Meaning: Wealthy
• Deity: Pushan (the Sun as nourisher and fosterer)
• Shakti (Power): Nourishment
• Result of Shakti: Nourishment of the entire world
• Basis Above: The cows
• Basis Below: The calves
• Symbolism: Nourishment, fostering, taking care of others, abundance for the purpose of nurturing