Dhanishta, also written Dhanishtha or Shravishtha, is the twenty-third of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. It begins in the last third of Capricorn, at 23 degrees 20 minutes, and ends in the first part of Aquarius, at 6 degrees 40 minutes. The name is usually explained as “the richest” or “the most wealthy”, and the symbol is a drum. Together they describe a mansion linked with abundance, rhythm and the energy that pulls a crowd along with it.
Dhanishta at a glance
| Detail | Dhanishta |
|---|---|
| Number | 23 of 27 |
| Span | 23° 20′ Capricorn to 6° 40′ Aquarius |
| Ruling planet (Vimshottari lord) | Mars |
| Deity | the Vasus |
| Symbol | A drum (the damaru or mridanga); some lists give a flute |
| Gana | Rakshasa |
| Yoni | Lion (Simha) |
| Nadi | Madhya (Pitta) |
| Varna (by Moon sign) | Vaishya (Capricorn) / Shudra (Aquarius) |
| Naming syllables (by pada) | Ga (1), Gi (2), Gu (3), Ge (4) |
| Principal star | Commonly identified with Beta Delphini and nearby stars of Delphinus; lists differ |
Every value above comes from the tables behind the site’s calculators, so this page agrees with the nakshatra calculator. The varna depends on the Moon’s sign, so it changes after the second pada. The site’s baby names page spells this nakshatra Dhanishta, and its planet guides spell it Dhanishtha.
The deity and the story
The deity is the Vasus, a group of eight gods of the elements and natural forces. The lists differ between the Vedic texts and the epics, and the Mahabharata names them Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Aha, Anila, Anala, Pratyusha and Prabhasa. They are the givers of dwelling and wealth, and the word vasu itself means wealth or that which dwells.
The Mahabharata’s best known story about them explains the birth of Bhishma. The Vasus once stole the cow Nandini from the sage Vasishtha, and he cursed them to be born as humans. They begged forgiveness and he softened the curse for seven of them so that they would be freed at birth, but Prabhasa, who had led the theft, had to live a full human life. They were born as sons of the river goddess Ganga and King Shantanu, and the long-lived Prabhasa was Bhishma, remembered for his vow and his discipline.
The drum links the nakshatra with the beat that organises people, in ritual, war and festival. The tradition reads Dhanishta as a mansion of rhythm and of resources gathered for a shared purpose, not only personal wealth.
Temperament in the classical texts
Traditional descriptions of someone born in Dhanishta stress energy, ambition and resourcefulness. The lists mention a talent for music and rhythm, courage, a head for money and property, generosity to the circle one belongs to, and a readiness to act as a group’s driving force. Mars rules the nakshatra, and the old scheme has it in the Rakshasa gana, a label for a bold, forceful temperament.
The cautions are the ones for any strong Mars nakshatra: a quick temper, impatience with slower people, and a restless need to be doing something. Because the nakshatra crosses a sign border, the first two padas have a Capricorn Moon and the last two an Aquarius Moon, which colours a person from careful and practical to more humane and independent.
These are the tendencies tradition describes and not forecasts. The rest of the chart decides how they appear.
The four padas
| Pada | Span | Navamsa sign | Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Capricorn | Leo | Ga |
| 2 | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Capricorn | Virgo | Gi |
| 3 | 0° 00′ to 3° 20′ Aquarius | Libra | Gu |
| 4 | 3° 20′ to 6° 40′ Aquarius | Scorpio | Ge |
Pada 1 (Ga, navamsa Leo). The Sun’s navamsa gives the first pada a proud, leading character. It is read as the most visible and the most ambitious, with a wish to be at the front. The caution is dominance.
Pada 2 (Gi, navamsa Virgo). Mercury’s navamsa of Virgo makes the second pada precise and practical. It is linked with skilled trades, accounts, analysis and careful money management.
Pada 3 (Gu, navamsa Libra). This is the first pada in Aquarius, with Venus’s navamsa of Libra. It is read as the most social and artistic, with an ear for music and a liking for company and partnership.
Pada 4 (Ge, navamsa Scorpio). Mars rules Scorpio, which makes the last pada the most intense and private. Teachers describe strong will, a taste for research and for hidden things, and fierce loyalty.
Each planet in Dhanishta
The site has a guide to every planet in this nakshatra. Each one reads the planet through the themes of rhythm, resources and the eight Vasus.
- Sun in Dhanishta: the Sun, the self and its authority.
- Moon in Dhanishta: the Moon, the mind and feelings.
- Mars in Dhanishta: Mars, drive and courage, the ruler of Dhanishta, so it is at home in this mansion.
- Mercury in Dhanishta: Mercury, speech and thought.
- Jupiter in Dhanishta: Jupiter, wisdom and guidance.
- Venus in Dhanishta: Venus, relationships and taste.
- Saturn in Dhanishta: Saturn, discipline and patience, the lord of both Capricorn and Aquarius, the two signs it crosses.
- Rahu in Dhanishta: Rahu, appetite and the unfamiliar.
- Ketu in Dhanishta: Ketu, detachment and insight.
Compatibility and matching
Dhanishta is in the Rakshasa gana. In the tables the calculator uses, two Rakshasa partners score the full six points on gana, a Rakshasa bride with a Deva groom one point, and Rakshasa with Manushya nothing. Teachers weigh gana differently, and many treat it only as a prompt to talk about temperament and pace.
The yoni is the lion (Simha). The same animal scores highest, and the elephant (Gaja) is the one listed as a sworn enemy, giving zero on that kuta. It is a symbolic scheme about instinct and comfort between two people.
Dhanishta is in the Madhya (Pitta) nadi. Two people with the same nadi score nothing out of eight on the nadi kuta, and many astrologers apply the traditional exceptions. A different nadi scores the full eight. No pairing is called best or worst here, and nakshatra points are only one input to a full comparison.
To compare two nakshatras directly, use the nakshatra compatibility calculator. Treat its points as one input to a conversation, not a verdict on any relationship.
Names and the naming syllables
The four syllables are Ga, Gi, Gu and Ge. The first two fall in Capricorn and the last two in Aquarius, so the Moon sign changes in the middle of the nakshatra, and the birth time matters for both the pada and the sign.
Most families use the sound of the pada at birth as the first sound of the name, and where the time is not known they choose among the four.
The full list of boy and girl names for each syllable is on the Dhanishta nakshatra baby names page, and the baby names by date of birth tool works out the pada and syllable from a birth date, time and place.
Find your nakshatra
The nakshatra depends on where the Moon stood at the moment of birth, so it needs the birth date, time and place. The nakshatra calculator gives it with the pada, and the nakshatra at a date and time calculator shows which nakshatra the Moon is in at any chosen moment. Because the nakshatra crosses a sign border, check the Moon sign as well as the pada on the result.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Which sign is Dhanishta in?
The first two padas are in Capricorn (Makara) and the last two in Aquarius (Kumbha). The span is 23 degrees 20 minutes of Capricorn to 6 degrees 40 minutes of Aquarius.
↳ Who rules Dhanishta?
Mars is the Vimshottari lord and the eight Vasus are the deity. A Moon here starts life in a Mars dasha, whose balance depends on the exact degree.
↳ Why is the symbol of Dhanishta a drum?
The drum stands for rhythm, the beat that gathers a community, and for the wealth and activity the name suggests. Some lists give a flute instead.
↳ What are the naming syllables for Dhanishta?
They are Ga, Gi, Gu and Ge for padas 1 to 4. The baby names page lists names for each sound.
↳ Is Dhanishta also called Shravishtha?
Yes. Shravishtha is the older Sanskrit form of the name, and Dhanishta or Dhanishtha is the common one, so both refer to the same twenty-third nakshatra.