Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra: Meaning, Deity, Padas and Traits

Uttara Phalguni is the twelfth of the 27 nakshatras and the second of the paired Phalguni stars. It crosses a sign boundary, running from 26° 40′ in Leo to 10° 00′ in Virgo, so the Moon can be in either sign here. The name means the “latter reddish one”, and the tradition connects it with agreements, friendship and the steady work that makes a household or an institution last.

Uttara Phalguni at a glance

The deity and the story

The deity is Aryaman, one of the Adityas. In the Vedic hymns he presides over hospitality, the bonds between friends and the agreements that bind families, and especially the marriage bond: he is invoked in wedding verses as the one who brings a couple together. The Bhagavad Gita has Krishna say that among the ancestors he is Aryaman, which shows how highly the tradition regards him.

Where Purva Phalguni is the front of the bed and the rest that follows effort, Uttara Phalguni is the back legs, the part that carries the weight and stays in place. Teachers read this as a nakshatra that turns pleasure into commitment. In south India the full moon in Uttara Phalguni gives the festival of Panguni Uthiram, on which several divine weddings are traditionally placed, among them that of Shiva and Parvati.

The Sun, the planet of authority and the giver of light, rules it in the Vimshottari system. The sign of the first pada, Leo, is also ruled by the Sun, while the other three padas lie in Virgo, ruled by Mercury.

Temperament in the classical texts

Traditional accounts describe a person of this nakshatra as helpful, dependable and kind, someone who finds it natural to look after others and who is often asked for advice. There is a strong sense of duty, and the person tends to keep promises, to value honest dealings and to do well in work that involves service, teaching, administration or care.

The cautions given are mild. Too much giving can leave little room for the person’s own needs, a wish for fairness can turn into stubbornness, and a reserved manner can hide a good deal of feeling. Teachers suggest that partners and colleagues should say thanks aloud, since this nakshatra tends to work without asking. These notes describe leanings, and the rest of the chart always matters.

The four padas

Pada 1 (Leo, Sagittarius navamsa, lord Jupiter). The Moon is in Leo with a Sagittarius navamsa, ruled by Jupiter. This pada is described as the most generous and principled, with a broad outlook and an inclination towards teaching or giving counsel.

Pada 2 (Virgo, Capricorn navamsa, lord Saturn). A Capricorn navamsa, ruled by Saturn, brings discipline. This pada is read as practical and patient, good at building institutions and at long, steady responsibilities.

Pada 3 (Virgo, Aquarius navamsa, lord Saturn). The Aquarius navamsa, also ruled by Saturn, adds an interest in groups and in the common good. Teachers describe a friendly, somewhat detached manner and a gift for working among many kinds of people.

Pada 4 (Virgo, Pisces navamsa, lord Jupiter). A Pisces navamsa, ruled by Jupiter, is the most devotional and gentle. This pada is described as sensitive and imaginative, drawn to care work, the arts and spiritual practice.

Each planet in Uttara Phalguni

• Sun in Uttara Phalguni
• Moon in Uttara Phalguni
• Mars in Uttara Phalguni
• Mercury in Uttara Phalguni
• Jupiter in Uttara Phalguni
• Venus in Uttara Phalguni
• Saturn in Uttara Phalguni
• Rahu in Uttara Phalguni
• Ketu in Uttara Phalguni

The Moon in all the nakshatras page sets Uttara Phalguni beside its neighbours.

Compatibility and matching

Uttara Phalguni is a Manushya gana nakshatra and its nadi is Adi (Vata). In ashtakoota a shared Adi nadi scores zero of eight, as it would for any other shared nadi, although teachers differ about how strictly to hold to it and some accept exceptions. Hasta, its next neighbour, also has the Adi nadi, which is a useful reminder that adjacent nakshatras often share a nadi.

The yoni is the cow, and the tiger is its natural enemy and scores zero in the table, while another cow scores four. Because the nakshatra crosses from Leo to Virgo, the varna and vashya kutas depend on the pada: the calculator reads Kshatriya for the Leo pada and Vaishya for the Virgo padas. This is one reason a nakshatra-only comparison for Uttara Phalguni is less exact than a full chart comparison.

The nakshatra compatibility calculator will score Uttara Phalguni against any other nakshatra and show the eight kutas one by one. A score describes a traditional method and does not decide how a relationship goes.

Names and the naming syllables

The four naming syllables are Te, To, Pa and Pi. The first two are the retroflex sounds of the Devanagari letters टे and टो, and the first syllable belongs to the Leo end of the nakshatra while the others belong to Virgo. Families that prefer the old method choose a name starting with the syllable of the Moon’s pada and keep a second name for the home.

The page of Uttara Phalguni nakshatra baby names lists names for each syllable with meanings, and the baby names by date of birth tool finds the syllable from a birth date, time and place.

Find your nakshatra

Only the Moon at the moment of birth decides the birth nakshatra, so a calculation is needed. The nakshatra calculator does it from the birth date, time and place. The nakshatra at a date and time calculator shows where the Moon stands at any moment, which helps when you are checking a muhurta or an event.

Frequently asked questions