Vishakha Nakshatra: Meaning, Deity, Padas and Traits

Vishakha is the sixteenth of the 27 nakshatras. It begins at 20° 00′ in Libra and ends at 3° 20′ in Scorpio, so three of its padas are in Libra and the last is in Scorpio. The name is often explained as “branched” or “forked”, and the star is linked with a goal that has been chosen and a will to reach it.

Vishakha at a glance

The deity and the story

Vishakha has two deities at once, Indra and Agni, who appear together in the Rigveda as the joint recipients of a number of hymns. Indra is the king of the gods and the force that wins battles, and Agni is the sacred fire that carries offerings to the gods and the fire of purpose within every person. Taken together they stand for strength joined to focus: the power to win and the flame that keeps the path lit.

The symbol is a torana, the arch that stands at the entrance of a temple or a festival hall, and also a forked branch. Teachers read the arch as a triumph reached after a long road, and the fork as a choice between two paths. The potter’s wheel, a secondary symbol, is read as steady, patient shaping of a goal.

Tradition also tells that Skanda or Kartikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati and the god of war, bears the name Vishakha, and in Tamil Nadu his birth is celebrated on the day in the month of Vaikasi when the Moon is in Vishakha, a festival known as Vaikasi Visakam. Jupiter, the planet of guidance and growth, rules this nakshatra in the Vimshottari system.

Temperament in the classical texts

Traditional descriptions of a person born in Vishakha speak of ambition, perseverance and a striking ability to hold to a plan. The person is often a persuasive speaker, a strong organiser and a good team leader, working well in politics, law, teaching, business or any field with a visible target. Loyalty to a cause or a leader can run deep.

The cautions mentioned in the tradition concern intensity. A strong wish to win can become rivalry, a hunger for recognition can turn into impatience with others, and focus on the goal can leave little room for the present. Teachers suggest shared goals and time for rest and affection as balances. These are leanings of a single placement and do not decide a life.

The four padas

Pada 1 (Libra, Aries navamsa, lord Mars). The Moon is in Libra with an Aries navamsa, ruled by Mars, the opposite sign. This pada is described as decisive and competitive, with a charm that is paired with a taste for leadership.

Pada 2 (Libra, Taurus navamsa, lord Venus). A Taurus navamsa, ruled by Venus, steadies the aim. Teachers describe this pada as more patient and practical, interested in security, comfort and the arts.

Pada 3 (Libra, Gemini navamsa, lord Mercury). A Gemini navamsa, ruled by Mercury, makes this pada the most talkative and clever. It is read as suited to teaching, writing, negotiation and trade.

Pada 4 (Scorpio, Cancer navamsa, lord the Moon). The Moon moves into Scorpio here, with a Cancer navamsa ruled by the Moon itself. This pada is described as the most intense and private, driven by deep feeling for a few people and a few causes.

Each planet in Vishakha

• Sun in Vishakha
• Moon in Vishakha
• Mars in Vishakha
• Mercury in Vishakha
• Jupiter in Vishakha
• Venus in Vishakha
• Saturn in Vishakha
• Rahu in Vishakha
• Ketu in Vishakha

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

Compatibility and matching

Vishakha is a Rakshasa gana nakshatra and its yoni is the tiger. In the gana table a Rakshasa bride scores six with a Rakshasa groom, one with a Deva groom and zero with a Manushya groom. Tiger scores four with tiger and zero with the cow, its natural enemy, so a Vishakha and Uttara Phalguni pairing scores zero on yoni.

The nadi is Antya (Kapha), and under the traditional method two people sharing Antya score zero of eight, though teachers differ on how strictly this should be applied. Because Vishakha spans Libra and Scorpio, the calculator reads Shudra for the Libra padas and Brahmin for the Scorpio pada, so one pada of this nakshatra can differ from the other three in the varna, vashya and graha maitri kutas. Matching for Vishakha is therefore best done by pada.

Try the pair you have in mind in the nakshatra compatibility calculator, which lists each kuta separately so you can see where the points come from. Many families read the points together with the full charts and with plain observation of how two people get on.

Names and the naming syllables

The four naming syllables are Ti, Tu, Te and To, and they are the dental sounds of the Devanagari letters ति, तु, ते and तो, unlike the retroflex Ti, Tu, Te and To of Purva and Uttara Phalguni, which look the same in English spelling. The first three belong to Libra and the last to Scorpio.

The page of Vishakha 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

Your birth nakshatra is the one the Moon was passing through at the moment of birth. The nakshatra calculator gives it, with the pada, from your birth date, time and place. The nakshatra at a date and time tool answers the same question for a past or future moment and shows when the Moon changes star.

Frequently asked questions