Nakshatras · 16 of 27
Vishakha nakshatra
The 16th lunar mansion, 20°00′ Libra to 3°20′ Scorpio, ruled by Jupiter.
- Span
- 20°00′ Libra to 3°20′ Scorpio
- Ruling planet
- Jupiter (Vimshottari dasha of 16 years)
- Deity
- Indra and Agni
- Symbol
- A triumphal arch or potter’s wheel
- Nature
- Mishra (mixed)
- Gana
- Rakshasa (fierce)
- Yoni (animal)
- Tiger
- Nadi
- Antya (Kapha)
The meaning of Vishakha
Vishakha (विशाखा) is the 16th of the 27 nakshatras. Its presiding deity is Indra and Agni, the king of the gods together with the god of fire, and its symbol is a triumphal arch or potter’s wheel. In Jyotish the deity of a nakshatra is the key to its nature: what the deity does, the nakshatra does.
It is ruled by Jupiter, so a person whose Moon is in Vishakha begins life in the Jupiter dasha. The other two nakshatras ruled by Jupiter are Punarvasu and Purva Bhadrapada; together they share something of Jupiter’s character.
Good for: Mishra work
In the muhurta texts Vishakha is a mishra (mixed) nakshatra, favoured for ordinary daily work, and rituals with fire. When the Moon passes through Vishakha (about once every 27⅓ days) it is a good day for those kinds of beginnings.
The four padas
Each nakshatra divides into four padas of 3°20′. Each pada falls in a navamsa sign, and each has the traditional first syllable used for naming a child born in it.
| Pada | Sign | Navamsa | Naming syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libra | Aries | Ti |
| 2 | Libra | Taurus | Tu |
| 3 | Libra | Gemini | Te |
| 4 | Scorpio | Cancer | To |
In marriage matching
In guna milan, Vishakha is of Rakshasa gana, tiger yoni and Antya nadi. Two partners with the same nadi lose all eight points of nadi koota. Match two charts.
Find your birth nakshatra · Libra (Tula) · Chapter 5: the 27 nakshatras
Sources: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra and Phaladeepika for the signs, planets and houses; Muhurta Chintamani for the nakshatra classes and the guna milan attributes. Wording is our own.