Nakshatra 23 of 27

Dhanishtaధనిష్ఠ

Rhythm and wealth — the beat that others move to.

Ruling planet

Mars

Deity

The eight Vasus, gods of the elements

Symbol

A drum (mridanga), a flute

Gana

Rakshasa (fierce)

Nature

Chara — movable

Sidereal span

Makara 23° 20′ – Kumbha 6° 40′

About Dhanishta

Dhanishta's symbol is a drum, and its name means 'the most prosperous'. The two go together: the nakshatra governs rhythm, timing, music and dance, and also material abundance, on the understanding that both come from being in time with things rather than fighting them. Its deities, the eight Vasus, are the gods of the elemental world. Dhanishta people are often musical, often wealthy, and often better in a group than alone.

What it traditionally favours

Music and dance, group and ensemble work, investments and financial matters, and anything requiring good timing.

The four padas

Every nakshatra is divided into four quarters called padas, each three degrees twenty minutes wide. The pada refines the reading: two people born under the same nakshatra but in different padas are held to differ meaningfully, because each pada falls in a different navamsa and so carries a different sub-influence.

The pada also decides the first syllable of a child's name. Where the moon stood at birth gives the nakshatra; which quarter of it gives the syllable. The four syllables below are in pada order — a child born in the first pada takes the first, and so on. This is the naming convention used at namakaranam across most of southern India.

1. 1Ga23° 20′ →
2. 2Gi26° 40′ →
3. 3Gu30° 00′ →
4. 4Ge33° 20′ →