Shatabhisha nakshatra
Shatabhisha (शतभिषा) is the twenty-fourth of the twenty-seven nakshatras, ruled by Rahu.
The facts
- Number
- 24 / 27
- Ruling graha
- Rahu
- Deity
- Varuna
- Symbol
- an empty circle
- Gana
- Rakshasa (fierce)
What Shatabhisha means
'A hundred healers', an empty circle, ruled by Rahu with Varuna. Shatabhisha is the nakshatra of healing and of secrets - solitary, scientific, drawn to what is hidden. Often associated with medicine, and with people who prefer to work alone.
What a nakshatra is
Before the twelve-sign zodiac, India divided the sky into twenty-seven lunar mansions of 13 degrees 20 minutes each - roughly one day of the Moon's travel. The nakshatras are older than the rashis and carry more specific meaning.
The nakshatra the Moon occupied at your birth is your janma nakshatra. It is the most important single fact in a Vedic chart after the lagna: it gives the traditional first letter for naming a child, and it decides where your entire Vimshottari dasha sequence begins.
The four padas
Every nakshatra divides into four padas of 3 degrees 20 minutes. Which pada the Moon falls in refines the reading and decides the naming syllable - two people with the same nakshatra and different padas are read differently.