To make it easy on the astrologer to read the position of the planets, the sky has been sub-divided into maps.These maps are calles ' Nakshatras=Naksha+tra'. 'Naksha' means map and 'tra; means guide. Meaning the map of the sky at the time of birth.

In Astrology, there are 12 major planets, each occupying a total of 360 degrees in the sky.Each planet rules a zodiac sign,(example: Scorpio and Aries are ruled by Mars) as you have learnt in the previous lesson.One portion of the sky is also called 'house' which is occupied by one planet each.The twelve portions or houses in the sky are further divided into 28 divisions (Nakshatras), there are27 sky maps measuring 13.20 degrees each.

In short, each Nakshatra is the abode of a house of 28 planets, worshipped by Hindus as demigods.These planets have the potential to guide the cosmic and solar evolution of constellations, asterisms, Lunar Mansions, Sieu or stars. Each sky map or Nakshatra is further divided into 4 steps or 'pada'.


One pada of constellation is also called the Nawamsa(ninth portion)of a sign. The moon is always moving from one one of the 27 Nakshatras to another. When a child takes birth,the Nakshatra, where the moon was located is called the birth nakshatra.

The names of Nakshatra along with their lords given as under:

Sl.	Constellation	Lord		Sl.	Constellation	Lord
1	Aswini	Ketu		15	Swati	Rahu
2	Bharini	Venus		16	Visakha	Jupiter
3	Kritika	Sun		17	Anuradha	Saturn
4	Rohini	Moon		18	Jyeshtha	Mercury
5	Mrigshira	Mars		19	Moola	Ketu
6	Aridra	Rahu		20	Poorva Ashada	Venus
7	Punarvasu	Jupiter		21	Uttara Ashada	Sun
8	Pushyami	Saturn		22	Sravan	Moon
9	Aslesha	Mercury		23	Dhanishtha	Mars
10	Makha	Ketu		24	Satabhisha	Rahu
11	PoorvaPhalguni	Venus		25	Poorva Bhadra	Jupiter
12	Uttara Phalguni	Sun		26	Uttara Bhadra	Saturn
13	Hasta	Moon		27	Revti	Mercury
14	Chitra	Mars		28	Abhijit*

* This constellation is composed of some portion of Uttara Ashada (No 21) and some portion of Sravan (No 22).