Nakshatras and Navamsa

By yenbeeyes

Date: 06.10.2007

In this article I am trying to relate the Nakshatras to the Navamsa.

Nakshatras:

According to mythology Nakshatras are the daughters of Daksha Prajapati. They were 27 in number and
were married to Moon. The list of Nakshatras is available in Taittiriya Samhita (A.V 19.7) and also in the
Shatapatha Brahmana. Each Nakshatra has one of the navagrahas as Lord and is totally governed by
them. The order for the first 9 nakshatras are Ketu, Shukra(Venus), Surya(Sun), Chandra(Moon),
Mangala(Mars), Rahu, Guru(Jupiter), Shani(Saturn) and Budha(Mercury). This cycle gets repeated two
more times to cover all the 27 nakshatras. Based on this the Vimsottari Dasa System has been built.

In Vedic Astrology the Zodiac comprises 360 degrees. By making a 30 degree division we get the 12 Rasis.
By making a 13 degree 20 minutes division we get the 27 Nakshatras. In fact the first division was by
means of Nakshatras only for which we find references in Rig-Veda also. Moon takes 27 days and 7¾
hours to make one round of the fixed Zodiac. Based on this the division of 13 0 20’ was made. Now we get
a shortfall of 7¾ hour in the lunar transit which was made up of an extra Nakshatra called Abhijit. For the
purpose of some special charts like Sarvobhadra Chakra etc we consider 28 Nakshatras and for all other
purposes we take only 27 Nakshatras. The span from 2760 40’ to 2800 54’ 13” that is to say the last pada
of Uttarashada is known as Abhijit.

Details about each Nakshatra like, Symbol, Gotra, Gana, Lord, Deity, Type, Yoni, Guna, Goal, Sex, Body
Part, Caste etc. etc. can be seen in any Standard beginner’s book. In most of the Panchanga’s also these
details are given. I am not going into the details of these in this article.

In the Gola Shastra we find a further sub-division of this arc of 13 degrees 20 minutes into 4 parts of 3
degrees 20 minutes each. These are called padas that is legs or feet. Why this was done? The arc of 13
degrees 20 minutes were found to be insufficient for the ancient astrologers and get a better and specific
characteristic features of ruler-ship of the stars the further sub-division was made. Thus each Rasi was
allotted 9 padas each in the running order of the Nakshatra.

Nakshatras and their nature have volumes and volumes of information and it is not possible to present
here all of them. Like-wise Nakshatras have deep relationships with various divisional charts, especially
the Navamsa called as D-9 chart and Nakshatramsa Chart called as D-27 chart.

Navamsa:

Bhagavat Gita says that the first symptom of fall in Dharma is when the women of the family become
corrupt and thus get polluted. Dharma is denoted by the 9th house. Hence one ninth division is called
Navamsa to stress the point that it is a Dharmamsa. That is why Navamsa gains importance while
matching charts for marriage. This is the chart which gives out the inherent abilities of the native though
in a hidden form. Rasi chart is existence at the physical level. Moon chart shows your mental abilities.
Navamsa chart shows the soul’s development through previous lives which are going to bear fruit in the
current life. The importance given to this chart by Parasara, Jaimini, Varahamihira, Kalyana Varma and
many more astrologers including respected B.V.Raman point out that the strength of the planets are to be
judged taking into account both Rasi and Navamsa chart together.

How Navamsa chart is constructed?

Each Rasi of 300 is divided into 9 equal parts. So each part will be 30 20’. For Fiery Rasis (Mesha, Simha,
Dhanus) Navamsa starts from Mesha. For earthy signs (Vrishabha, Kanya, Makara) Navamsa starts from
Makara. For Airy signs (Mithuna, Thula, Kumbha) the beginning is from Thula and for the watery signs
(Karka, Vrischika and Meena) the order starts from Karka. An Example will clarify this point:
Suppose a planet say Mercury is in 15 0 25’ at Kanya. Kanya is earthy sign. Hence starting point for
Navamsa will be Makara. 150 25’ is in the 5th part of the rasi by dividing it with 9. Hence counting 5 from
Makara we come to Vrishabha. In the Navamsa chart Mercury will be placed in Vrishabha.

Suppose Mars is in Karka 240 10’ then it falls in the 8th part of the rasi. Karka being a watery sign counting
is to begin from Karka itself. 8th from Karka is Kumbha where Mars will be placed in Navamsa chart.

This is the way Navamsa chart is to be constructed.

Relationship of Nakshatra padas and Navamsa

I have already mentioned that each Nakshatra is divided into 4 padas and the pada has a characteristic of
the sign of the zodiac which starts from Mesha. If you take 3 nakshatras you get 12 padas (3 x 4) which
can be equated to the 12 rasis.

However each rasi has been assigned only 2¼ Nakshatras or 9 padas only. So counting from Mesha the 9 th
sign falls in Dhanus. So the next Nakshatra pada should automatically start from Makara. Count 9 signs
from Makara to end up in Kanya. The next Nakshatra pada should start from Thula. Similarly counting
from Thula the 9th sign falls in Mithuna and naturally the next Nakshatra pada will begin from Karka. So
the order of beginning is Mesha, Makara, Thula and Karka which tallies with the basic principle laid down
in scriptures and as explained above.

To make matters simple I will conclude that the signs of padas and the Navamsa signs are the same.

Now let us examine the sample calculation made above according to this new rule:

Mercury is in 150 25’ in Kanya. The Nakshatra is Hasta-2 nd pada. Count the padas from Ashwini to Hasta –
2nd. Ashiwini to Uttaraphalguni it is 12 Nakshatras or 12 x 4 = 48 pada. Add 2 padas of hasta and the total
pada is 50. For the 12 rasis we are allotting 12 padas. Hence 4 x 12 = 48 padas gets allotted to all the 12
rasis. 2 padas remain – starting from Mesha the 2nd rasi will be Vrishabha which gets the 50th pada. So
Mercury will be in Vrishabha in the Navamsa Chart which tallies with our principle stated earlier.

Let us take the 2nd example also. Mars is in Karka 24 0 10’. The Nakshatra is Aslesha – 3 rd pada. From
Ashwini till pushyam 8 Nakshatras or 32 padas are there. Adding the 3 padas of Aslesha we get 35 padas.
Staring from Mesha allot each pada and you will end up in Kumbha as the 35 th pada. This is what we have
arrived at earlier.

To complete this calculation you must definitely require the Nakshatra and the pada in which the planet is
placed or the longitude of the planet.

I give below a table containing all the 108 Navamsas for all Nakshatra Padas:

The purpose of this table is if you know the longitude of a planet without the sign name and nakashatra
pada you can find the Rasi, Nakshatra, Pada and navamsa of the planet by looking at the cumulative
longitude column. If you know the Rasi and the Longitude then select Rasi column and Longitude column
and note the Nakshatra, Pada and navamsa.

Nakshatra Rasi Longitude Pada Navamsa/ Cumulative

No Pada sign Longitude
000.00’–030 20’ 1 Mesha 000.00’–030.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 2 Vrishabha 030.20’–060.40’
Ashwini Mesha
060.40’–100.00’ 3 Mithuna 060.40’–100.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 4 Karka 100.00’–130.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 5 Simha 130.20’-160.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 6 Kanya 160.40’-200.00’
Bharani Mesha
200.00’-230.20’ 7 Thula 200.00’-230.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 8 Vrsichika 230.20’-260.40’
Krittika Mesha 260.40’-300.00’ 9 Dhanus 260.40’-300.00’
 000.00’–030 20’ 10 Makara 300.00’-330.20’
Krittika Vrishabha 030.20’–060-40’ 11 Kumbha 330.20’-360.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 12 Meena 360.40’-400.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 13 Mesha 400.00’-430.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 14 Vrishabha 430.20’-460.40’
Rohini Vrishabha
160.40’-200.00’ 15 Mithuna 460.40’-500.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 16 Karka 500.00’-530.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 17 Simha 530.20’-560.40’
Mrigasirsha Vrishabha
260.40’-300.00’ 18 Kanya 560.40’-600.00’
000.00’–030 20’ 19 Thula 600.00’-630.20’
Mrigasirsha Mithuna
030.20’–060-40’ 20 Vrsichika 630.20’-660.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 21 Dhanus 660.40’-700.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 22 Makara 700.00’-730.20’
Ardra Mithuna
130.20’-160.40’ 23 Kumbha 730.20’-760.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 24 Meena 760.40’-800.00’
Punarvasu Mithuna 200.00’-230.20’ 25 Mesha 800.00’-830.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 26 Vrishabha 830.20’-860.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 27 Mithuna 860.40’-900.00’
Karka 000.00’–030 20’ 28 Karka 900.00’-930.20’
Pushya Karka 030.20’–060-40’ 29 Simha 930.20’-960.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 30 Kanya 960.40’-1000.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 31 Thula 1000.00’-1030.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 32 Vrsichika 1030.20’-1060.40’
Aslesha Karka 160.40’-200.00’ 33 Dhanus 1060.40’-1100.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 34 Makara 1100.00’-1130.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 35 Kumbha 1130.20’-1160.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 36 Meena 1160.40’-1200.00’
Magha Simha 000.00’–030 20’ 37 Mesha 1200.00’-1230.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 38 Vrishabha 1230.20’-1260.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 39 Mithuna 1260.40’-1300.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 40 Karka 1300.00’-1330.20’
PPhalguni Simha 130.20’-160.40’ 41 Simha 1330.20’-1360.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 42 Kanya 1360.40’-1400.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 43 Thula 1400.00’-1430.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 44 Vrsichika 1430.20’-1460.40’
UPhalguni Simha 260.40’-300.00’ 45 Dhanus 1460.40’-1500.00’
Kanya 000.00’–030 20’ 46 Makara 1500.00’-1530.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 47 Kumbha 1530.20’-1560.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 48 Meena 1560.40’-1600.00’
Hasta Kanya 100.00’–130.20’ 49 Mesha 1600.00’-1630.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 50 Vrishabha 1630.20’-1660.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 51 Mithuna 1660.40’-1700.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 52 Karka 1700.00’-1730.20’
Chitra Kanya 230.20’-260.40’ 53 Simha 1730.20’-1760.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 54 Kanya 1760.40’-1800.00’
Thula 000.00’–030 20’ 55 Thula 1800.00’-1830.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 56 Vrsichika 1830.20’-1860.40’
Swati Thula 060.40’–100.00’ 57 Dhanus 1860.40’-1900.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 58 Makara 1900.00’-1930.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 59 Kumbha 1930.20’-1960.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 60 Meena 1960.40’-2000.00’
Visakha Thula 200.00’-230.20’ 61 Mesha 2000.00’-2030.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 62 Vrishabha 2030.20’-2060.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 63 Mithuna 2060.40’-2100.00’
Vrischika 000.00’–030 20’ 64 Karka 2100.00’-2130.20’
Anuradha Vrischika 030.20’–060-40’ 65 Simha 2130.20’-2160.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 66 Kanya 2160.40’-2200.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 67 Thula 2200.00’-2230.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 68 Vrsichika 2230.20’-2260.40’
Jyeshta Vrischika 160.40’-200.00’ 69 Dhanus 2260.40’-2300.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 70 Makara 2300.00’-2330.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 71 Kumbha 2330.20’-2360.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 72 Meena 2360.40’-2400.00’
Mula Dhanus 000.00’–030 20’ 73 Mesha 2400.00’-2430.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 74 Vrishabha 2430.20’-2460.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 75 Mithuna 2460.40’-2500.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 76 Karka 2500.00’-2530.20’
PShada Dhanus 130.20’-160.40’ 77 Simha 2530.20’-2560.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 78 Kanya 2560.40’-2600.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 79 Thula 2600.00’-2630.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 80 Vrsichika 2630.20’-2660.40’
UShada Dhanus 260.40’-300.00’ 81 Dhanus 2660.40’-2700.00’
Makara 000.00’–030 20’ 82 Makara 2700.00’-2730.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 83 Kumbha 2730.20’-2760.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 84 Meena 2760.40’-2800.00’
Sravana Makara 100.00’–130.20’ 85 Mesha 2800.00’-2830.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 86 Vrishabha 2830.20’-2860.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 87 Mithuna 2860.40’-2900.00’
Sravana Makara 200.00’-230.20’ 88 Karka 2900.00’-2930.20’
Dhanishta Makara 230.20’-260.40’ 89 Simha 2930.20’-2960.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 90 Kanya 2960.40’-3000.00’
Kumbha 000.00’–030 20’ 91 Thula 3000.00’-3030.20’
030.20’–060-40’ 92 Vrsichika 3030.20’-3060.40’
Satabhishak Kumbha 060.40’–100.00’ 93 Dhanus 3060.40’-3100.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 94 Makara 3100.00’-3130.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 95 Kumbha 3130.20’-3160.40’
160.40’-200.00’ 96 Meena 3160.40’-3200.00’
PBhadrapada Kumbha 200.00’-230.20’ 97 Mesha 3200.00’-3230.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 98 Vrishabha 3230.20’-3260.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 99 Mithuna 3260.40’-3300.00’
Meena 000.00’–030 20’ 100 Karka 3300.00’-3330.20’
UBhadrapada Meena 030.20’–060-40’ 101 Simha 3330.20’-3360.40’
060.40’–100.00’ 102 Kanya 3360.40’-3400.00’
100.00’–130.20’ 103 Thula 3400.00’-3430.20’
130.20’-160.40’ 104 Vrsichika 3430.20’-3460.40’
Revati Meena 160.40’-200.00’ 105 Dhanus 3460.40’-3500.00’
200.00’-230.20’ 106 Makara 3500.00’-3530.20’
230.20’-260.40’ 107 Kumbha 3530.20’-3560.40’
260.40’-300.00’ 108 Meena 3560.40’-3600.00’

OM TAT SAT