Nakshatras and Their Ruling Planets
The meaning of the word Nakshatra is 'that which does not decay'. In essence, the 27 Nakshatras are said to represent consciousness, and each of the Nakshatras represents a particular quality of consciousness.
The zodiac is believed to be elliptically structured and is of 360os. It is divided into twelve rashis, wherein each rashi is of 30os. The subdivision is also expressed in the form of Nakshatras. The 360os of the elliptically structured zodiac is divided into 27 Nakshatras, wherein the extent of each Nakshatra is 13o20'. The Nakshatras play a significant role in influencing the quality of the rashi in which they are positioned. And in the same way, the quality of a graha or the planet is also influenced by the Nakshatra in which it is placed.
The Nakshatras and Rashis are both intrinsical part of the zodiac, and are related to each other. While each of the 12 rashis are of 30o and make up for the 360os of the zodiac, each of the 27 Nakshatras is of 13o20' each, and in total account for the 360os of the zodiac. Correspondingly, two and a quarter of Nakshatras make up for each of the rashis.
An individual's Janam Nakshatra refers to the Nakshatra under which he is born, and this is also known as his birthstar. Just like a person is born under one of the twelve distinctive rashis or zodiac signs, the nakshatras too govern our birth. The Nakshatras are greatly significant in Vedic Astrology and creation of birth charts, and it is the placement of moon in an individual's natal chart or birth chart which determines the Nakshatra which governs an individual.
As one's Janam Nakshatra is the one where the moon was present when the individual was born, the Nakshatra has a great deal of influence on the moon. For example, if an individual is born under the Nakshatra of the Mars, the moon is a lot more likely to have a much greater influence on the aspects which are governed by Mars, such as marriage and younger siblings.
A very interesting and exceedingly significant concept associated with Vedic Astrology is that of dasas. It is with dasas that we recognize the timing of events in a person's life. The Vimsottari dasa system follows the 120 year cycle, wherein each of the nine planets in Vedic astrology rules over the life of the individual for a certain number of years, and in a cyclic order. (E.g. the Sun rules for 6 years and the moon rules for 10 years). And during that particular phase, the influence of that planet on an individual's life is greater than any other.
The dasas are calculated by the use of Nakshatras. Each of the Nakshatras is associated with a planetary Lord. And the positioning of the moon in one's Janam Nakshatra, at the time when an individual is born are used to define the dasas. As an example, if an individual is born under a Janam Nakshatra which is ruled by Ketu, Ketu would rule over his life for first 7 years, Venus for the next 20, Sun for the next 6 and Moon for the next 10, and so on. The dasa determines what planet would rule over the individual's life when he is born, and for how much time.
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Harshad has been into freelance writing for some time now. Some of the topics he loves to write about are health, wellness, life & lifestyle, fitness & spirituality.