Mrigashira Nakshatra
मृगशीर्षा · nakshatra 5 of 27
Symbolised by the head of a deer, Mrigashira stands for searching, curiosity and gentle movement. It is a soft (mridu) nakshatra, favoured for learning, travel and the arts.
Born under this nakshatra
Your birth star Mrigashira, your core nature
Your janma (birth) nakshatra is Mrigashira, the lunar mansion your Moon occupied at birth. This is one of the deepest keys to your core nature, since the Moon governs your mind, emotions and instincts. Mrigashira is symbolised by a deer's head, presided over by Soma (the moon nectar), and ruled by Mars. What it says about you: at heart you tend to be gentle, curious and searching. Your natural strengths include a seeking, inquisitive nature, gentleness, adaptability and a love of exploration, these qualities colour how you feel, react and move through life, often more truly than your outer personality. People born under Mrigashira are well suited to research, travel, writing, exploration or any field that rewards curiosity and a light, searching mind. Like every placement, the full expression depends on how strong and well placed your Moon is, and on the rest of your chart and your dasha periods, so read this as your core temperament rather than a fixed script. Used well, your Mrigashira nature is a real foundation for your life. When you lean into its genuine strengths and live in tune with your inner temperament, this birth star becomes a steady source of self-understanding and direction.
- •Your Moon was in Mrigashira nakshatra at birth, a deep key to your core nature
- •Symbol: a deer's head; deity: Soma (the moon nectar); ruling planet: Mars
- •At heart you tend to be gentle, curious and searching
- •Natural strengths: a seeking and more
- •Well suited to research, travel, writing, exploration
This reading is the same authored text the LifeAstroAPI narrative endpoints return for a Moon in this nakshatra.
Attributes
| Ruling planet | Mangal (Mars) |
|---|---|
| Vimshottari dasha | 7 years of Mangal (Mars) mahadasha for a Moon born here |
| Deity | Soma |
| Symbol | deer's head |
| Span | 53.33° – 66.67° sidereal |
| Rashi | Vrishabha (Taurus) and Mithuna (Gemini) |
| Gana | Deva |
| Nadi | Madhya |
| Yoni | Sarpa |
| Tattva | Agni |
| Rajju | Siro |
| Nakshatra shool | Travel toward the south is avoided |
The four padas
Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20′, and each pada falls in one navamsa (D9) sign. The pada of your Moon refines the reading of the nakshatra.
Pada 1 — pada 1
Navamsa: Simha (Leo)Your Moon is in the 1st pada (quarter) of Mrigashira nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Mrigashira nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 1st pada brings a fiery, initiating quality to your Mrigashira temperament. It tends to emphasise drive, leadership and a bold, pioneering edge, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Mrigashira character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Mrigashira into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Mrigashira nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Mrigashira pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Mrigashira core and this 1st-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 2 — pada 2
Navamsa: Kanya (Virgo)Your Moon is in the 2nd pada (quarter) of Mrigashira nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Mrigashira nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 2nd pada brings an earthy, practical quality to your Mrigashira temperament. It tends to emphasise steadiness, material focus and the ability to build something lasting, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Mrigashira character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Mrigashira into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Mrigashira nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Mrigashira pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Mrigashira core and this 2nd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 3 — pada 3
Navamsa: Tula (Libra)Your Moon is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Mrigashira nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Mrigashira nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 3rd pada brings an airy, communicative quality to your Mrigashira temperament. It tends to emphasise intellect, communication, sociability and adaptability, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Mrigashira character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Mrigashira into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Mrigashira nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Mrigashira pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Mrigashira core and this 3rd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 4 — pada 4
Navamsa: Vrishchika (Scorpio)Your Moon is in the 4th pada (quarter) of Mrigashira nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Mrigashira nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 4th pada brings a watery, emotional quality to your Mrigashira temperament. It tends to emphasise sensitivity, intuition, depth of feeling and care for others, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Mrigashira character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Mrigashira into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Mrigashira nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Mrigashira pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Mrigashira core and this 4th-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Other nakshatras ruled by Mangal (Mars)
Frequently asked questions
Who is the lord of Mrigashira nakshatra?
Mrigashira is ruled by Mars. A person whose Moon is in Mrigashira begins life in the Mars mahadasha of the Vimshottari system, which lasts 7 years in full.
What is the gana and nadi of Mrigashira?
Mrigashira belongs to the Deva gana and the Madhya nadi. Both are used in Ashtakoota matchmaking: Gana koota carries 6 points and Nadi koota 8 points.
Which rashi is Mrigashira nakshatra in?
Mrigashira spans 53.33° to 66.67° of the sidereal zodiac, which lies in Vrishabha (Taurus) and Mithuna (Gemini).
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Use nakshatra data in your app
Find when the Moon is in Mrigashira for any city, or read a birth nakshatra with its pada and lord, in one call.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $LIFEASTRO_API_KEY" \
"https://api.lifeastroapi.com/v1/panchang/nakshatra?date=2027-01-15&time=06:00&tz=Asia/Kolkata&lat=28.6139&lon=77.209"