Introduction to the Nakshatras To appreciate the depth and uniqueness of Vedic Astrology, one must encounter and explore the nakshatras. Nakshatra literally means "that which never decays." They reflect the primordial level of the zodiacal belt, which lies beneath the twelve basic signs. In comparison to the signs (or rasis as they are named in India), the nakshatras reveal the deeper, more profound effect of the constellations. While the rasis reflect a "mass or heap" of the twelve signs, the nakshatras further divide the constellations into 27 segments of equal length. Each nakshatra is 13x 20' in duration. Multiplying this length by 27 equals the entire zodiacal belt of 360x. Each nakshatra has a rich mythology and powerful deities that reside within it. It is important to remember that "the basis of astrology is mythology." By exploring the myths and archetypes of the nakshatras, the constellations are brought to life. One of the best books on this subject is Myths and Symbols of Vedic Astrology by Bepin Behari. As Behari points out, "the Atharva and Yajur Vedas give complete lists of them (nakshatras) and associate them with the oldest Vedic gods." By befriending the particular god or goddess of a given nakshatra, archetypal healing becomes possible. As the great Swiss psychiatrist C.G. Jung once stated, we must "feed the gods." The nakshatras represent the fields of activity or environment in which the creative powers of the planets can reveal their multifaceted nature. They are called lunar mansions because the Moon "lives in" each of them for approximately one day. Each lunar mansion of 13x 20' length is further subdivided into four quarters of 3x 20' called padas. An ancient Vedic myth describes how the Moon god, Soma, was given 27 wives by the lord of creation, Prajapati. Each wife represented one of the lunar mansions which Soma, the Moon god, inhabited during his lunation cycle through the constellations. Each nakshatra is associated not only with particular deities, but also with a specific planet which rules that asterism. It may fall completely within a particular sign or overlap between two signs. Thus, it is also influenced by the sign or rasi it resides within. Each nakshatra is male or female, as well as sattva, rajas or tamas in nature. Sattva has a quality of spirituality, harmony, balance and purity. Rajas, which is dominant in human experience, is high energy, activity and somewhat "Type A" behavior. Finally, tamas has the basic quality of dullness, inertia, sloth, and darkness. These are the three basic gunas in which life reflects according to the Vedas. A specific animal species, sex, caste, temperament and primary motivation such as dharma (life purpose), artha (wealth), kama (fulfillment of desire) and moksha (enlightenment) is reflected through each nakshatra. Personality strengths and weaknesses are also correlated with the basic nature of each lunar mansion. Finally, a specific archetypal symbol is depicted for each asterism. Because Vedic Astrology is a sidereal system, it is based on direct observation of the planets in the constellations. Thus when you observe the Moon at night near the fixed stars of Al Sharatain and Mesarthim, you know it resides in the first lunar mansion of Ashwini (0x to 13x 20' of Aries). In this respect the Vedic or sidereal viewpoint is more in line with an astronomer's picture of the cosmos than the season-based tropical zodiac many people use in the West. As an example of how Nakshatras are interpreted, let us focus Ashwini. Note, however, that aspects made from other planets can greatly influence the quality of a planet in a particular nakshatra. The strength of the ruling planet of a nakshatra will also provide further insights into the nature of the planet residing there.