Punarvasu is the seventh of the 27 nakshatras. It begins at 20° 00′ of Gemini and ends at 3° 20′ of Cancer, so its first three padas lie in Gemini and its last in Cancer. The name means the return of the good, or the one who brings wealth again, and the star is pictured as a quiver that holds its arrows and is filled again after each use. In the sky it is marked by the twin stars Castor and Pollux.
Punarvasu at a glance
| Number | 7 of 27 |
| Span | 20° 00′ Gemini to 3° 20′ Cancer |
| Ruling planet (Vimshottari lord) | Jupiter |
| Deity | Aditi |
| Symbol | A quiver of arrows |
| Gana | Deva |
| Yoni | Cat (Marjara) |
| Nadi | Adi (Vata) |
| Varna (of the Moon sign) | Shudra (padas 1 to 3), Brahmin (pada 4) |
| Naming syllables | Ke (pada 1), Ko (pada 2), Ha (pada 3), Hi (pada 4) |
| Principal star | Pollux and Castor (Beta and Alpha Geminorum), the twins of Gemini |
The gana, yoni and nadi are the groups used in nakshatra matching, explained below. The varna changes at the sign boundary, since the site’s compatibility tool reads varna from the Moon’s sign.
The deity and the story
The deity of Punarvasu is Aditi, whose name means boundless or without limit. In the Rigveda she is the mother of the gods, the Adityas, and a presence of protection, freedom and open space. The tradition calls her the mother of Indra and, in the Puranas, of Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of Vishnu. A nakshatra under her care is seen as one of homecoming, of return after a journey, and of the light that comes back after a dark spell.
Many families also link Punarvasu with Rama. Valmiki’s Ramayana places Rama’s birth on the ninth day of the bright half of Chaitra, when the Moon was in Punarvasu, and the festival of Rama Navami is kept on that day. Rama’s story, with its exile and return, matches the star’s own theme of coming back. Jupiter, the lord of Punarvasu, is the planet of guidance and generosity, and adds to its reputation for kindness.
Temperament in the classical texts
The classical lists describe a Punarvasu Moon as gentle, patient, adaptable and fond of home. The texts speak of a person who forgives easily, who is kind to guests and who recovers from setbacks with grace. They connect the star with teaching, counselling, travel and wide reading, and they describe a good-natured manner that makes friends easily.
The traditional cautions are mild: a wish to please that can become hard to say no, a restless streak that makes settling difficult, and a tendency to start again instead of finishing. Teachers present these as the shadow of the star’s strength, which is renewal. Steady habits, a clear boundary and a place that feels like home are the usual common-sense suggestions, and the rest of the chart always changes the reading.
The four padas
| Pada | Span | Navamsa sign | Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20° 00′ to 23° 20′ Gemini | Aries (Mesha) | Ke |
| 2 | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Gemini | Taurus (Vrishabha) | Ko |
| 3 | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Gemini | Gemini (Mithuna) | Ha |
| 4 | 0° 00′ to 3° 20′ Cancer | Cancer (Karka) | Hi |
Pada 1 (Ke) falls in Aries navamsa and in the Gemini part of the star. It is read as the most energetic pada, where the gentle star gets a push from Mars and moves quickly.
Pada 2 (Ko) falls in Taurus navamsa. Tradition describes a steady, comfort-loving pada with a gift for building security.
Pada 3 (Ha) falls in Gemini navamsa, matching its sign, the last Gemini pada. It is read as the most communicative and curious pada, a quick learner and talker.
Pada 4 (Hi) lies in Cancer, the sign of the Moon, and also falls in Cancer navamsa. A planet in the same sign in both the birth chart and the navamsa is called vargottama, which tradition regards as strengthening it. This is the most nurturing pada, with strong family feeling.
The navamsa sign of each pada is worked out the standard way: the 108 padas of the zodiac run in order from Aries, so each pada falls in the next sign in turn. You can see the same placement for any chart in the navamsa calculator.
Each planet in Punarvasu
When a planet sits in Punarvasu, its nature is shaped by the lord Jupiter and by the deity above. Each of these pages looks at one planet in this star.
- Sun in Punarvasu Nakshatra: the Sun, the soul and authority, set in this star.
- Moon in Punarvasu Nakshatra: the Moon, your mind and janma nakshatra, here.
- Mars in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Mars, drive and courage, as this star colours it.
- Mercury in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Mercury, speech and reasoning, in this lunar mansion.
- Jupiter in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Jupiter, wisdom and guidance, placed in this star.
- Venus in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Venus, affection and taste, as it sits here.
- Saturn in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Saturn, discipline and patience, in this nakshatra.
- Rahu in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Rahu, the north node of appetite and ambition, here.
- Ketu in Punarvasu Nakshatra: Ketu, the south node of detachment, in this star.
For the whole picture, see the Moon in all 27 nakshatras.
Compatibility and matching
Punarvasu has a Deva gana, the group tradition describes as gentle and generous. In the site’s tables a Deva Moon scores 5 or 6 out of 6 on gana with a Deva or Manushya partner and does much less well with a Rakshasa partner. Its yoni is the cat, and the traditional sworn enemy of the cat is the rat, the yoni of Magha and Purva Phalguni. Punarvasu’s nadi is Adi (Vata), shared with Ashwini, Ardra, Uttara Phalguni, Hasta, Jyeshtha, Mula, Shatabhisha and Purva Bhadrapada. If both people share a nadi, the nadi kuta scores zero, and tradition recommends a fuller reading of both charts, since the texts list exceptions. As the star crosses a sign, pada 4 gives a Cancer Moon and the other three a Gemini Moon, and this changes several kutas.
Try it with two real nakshatras in the nakshatra compatibility calculator, which shows every kuta and the total out of 36. A score is one lens on a relationship, not a verdict on it.
Names and the naming syllables
The four naming syllables of Punarvasu are Ke, Ko, Ha and Hi. The first three belong to the Gemini padas and the last to Cancer, so the syllable also shows the Moon sign. The pada the Moon held at birth decides which sound is used, so the birth time is needed. The sounds come from the traditional avakahada table and are a custom, not a rule.
The page of Punarvasu baby names lists names for all four sounds. If you only know the date and place of birth, the baby names by date of birth tool finds the pada for you.
Find your nakshatra
If the Moon was between 20° 00′ of sidereal Gemini and 3° 20′ of Cancer at your birth, your nakshatra is Punarvasu. Because the star crosses a sign, a few hours can change the Moon sign as well as the pada. The nakshatra calculator shows the nakshatra, pada and sign from a date, time and place.
To check any other moment, the nakshatra at date and time calculator shows where the Moon stood and when it changes star.
Browse on: previous, Ardra; next, Pushya. All 27 are on the nakshatras hub.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is Punarvasu nakshatra known for?
Punarvasu is associated with renewal, return and generosity. Its deity is Aditi, the mother of the gods, and its symbol is a quiver of arrows. Tradition links it with home, teaching and a forgiving, adaptable nature.
↳ Which planet rules Punarvasu nakshatra?
Jupiter is the Vimshottari lord of Punarvasu, the first star in Jupiter's group of Punarvasu, Vishakha and Purva Bhadrapada. A person with the Moon in Punarvasu starts life in the Jupiter dasha, for a balance that depends on the Moon's position.
↳ Which sign is Punarvasu in?
Punarvasu spans two signs. Padas 1, 2 and 3 lie in Gemini (20° 00′ to 30° 00′), and pada 4 lies in Cancer (0° 00′ to 3° 20′).
↳ What are the letters for Punarvasu nakshatra?
The naming syllables are Ke, Ko, Ha and Hi, one for each pada. They are a naming custom and not a rule.
↳ Why is Punarvasu linked with Rama?
The Ramayana of Valmiki places Rama's birth when the Moon was in Punarvasu, and the tradition keeps that link. It is a story within the tradition, and many people find the star's themes of return and renewal echoed in it.