Joni Patry introduces the 27 Nakshatras (sidereal "lunar mansions" each 13°20') used in Vedic astrology, explains their origins in Vedic texts and an associated myth of 27 sisters and the moon (Soma), and outlines how Nakshatras are interpreted via their fixed stars, deities, symbols, and planetary rulerships. She emphasizes that the natal moon's Nakshatra determines Dasha life-cycles and demonstrates practical uses (lunar calendar, house and partner rulership); she announces an upcoming series exploring each Nakshatra in detail.
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Hi, I'm Joni Petrie and welcome to my YouTube channel. Today I'd like to talk about the 27 Nakshatras, which are so specific and truly do define Vedic astrology. And the oldest references in the ancient Indian scriptures, the Vedas, they find references to the Nakshatras. So this is one of the oldest accounts that we can date with astrology. And the 27 nakshatras are portions of the Zodiac that are specifically around 13 degrees, 20 minutes. So when you take the entire zodiac of the 12 signs and each sign is about 30 degrees. So if you're going to take all 12 of these signs and you divide them up into portions that are 13 degrees, 20 minutes, you will come up with the 27 nakshatras. So each Nakshatra is full of meaning and depth. And I think it's relative to the stars that are in these Nakshatras. So the stars are what truly can give these portions of the Zodiac their deep, profound meaning. Each one is flavored with meaning. And some of these Nakshatras can flank in between two signs. So it's not just that they stay in one sign. There can be a portion of it in and a portion in the next or the sign before. So you see There are just 13 degrees, 20 minute portions of the Zodiac. Now, these are sometimes referred to as the lunar mansions. And that's because the rate of speed that the moon goes, the moon stays in one Nakshatra approximately day. And that's because the moon stays in Anakshatra for 13 degrees, 20 minutes. So therefore, each day we have the moon changing Anakshatra pretty much. And that can be relative to the lunar calendar, because the lunar calendar used in India is based on these 27 days. 27, 28 days. Now, originally there were 28 nakshatras, abhijit.
But it was pretty much let go of long time ago. So now we have 27. But Abhijit is used in some of the mahurtas, planting different dates and times. Some astrologers do look at this 28th nakshatra, which is somewhere in Capricorn. But let me get to these portions because each one of these portions are relative in meaning. And when I think about the beginning Nakshatra through the end, I think of this almost like the story of mankind. The that as it starts with the bringers of the dawn in Ashwini, the beginning of time, it evolves to the marriage Nakshatras, which are the Falgunis, which is all a portion of our human era and development throughout our life that we experience from birth to marriage, to the badrapadas, which the badrapadas are called the funeral cots, to our ultimate destiny of Revati, going beyond this world to the next dimensions. So you see, these are a story of humankind as you read and understand the 27 Nakshatras. And as the myth goes, the 27 Nakshatras, the story goes that the moon, Somalia, would travel through a nakshatra, each one a day, relating to the lunar calendar. But there came a point where the moon started to spend more time in one nakshatra, and that's Rohini.
Rohini is known for its sensuality. So this was one of the reasons why the moon wanted to stay here. But the other Nakshatras became jealous. And Jaista, which means the eldest one, the eldest sister of the 27 sisters that this story is about, told on the moon. And therefore a spell was cast on the moon. But the spell was that the moon must die, Soma. But all the daughters became very.
Scared. They didn't want him to die. So they. They asked, please don't let him die. So they're sort of like a compromise that the moon will die but come back. And this, this goes into the story of why we have the waxing and waning moon, how it dies and comes back. But there's also relevance to the story in terms of the 27 sisters, that JSA, being the eldest one, has these issues and meanings that can surround issues of jealousy. And it means the eldest one, which is the eldest sister.
And certain Nakshatras have certain meanings. And the way that we derive these meanings are, number one, in my opinion, looking at the stars. Because when we talk about Vedic astrology, the system that it uses is sidereal. Sidereal astrology. And sidereal means star. So I always say that Vedic astrology is true to the stars because as the stars move, so does this zodiac that is relative to Vedic astrology, using sidereal zodiacs. So when we talk about the eye of the bull in terms of the fixed star, Aldebaran, it's in Taurus. But tropical astrology used in Western astrology does not use the shift that is relative to the stars. Therefore, it's in Gemini, Aldebaran, but no, it is the eye of the bull. It is not associated with Gemini. So therefore I say that this is relative to the stars. And the Nakshatras are all about the placements of the stars. So the way that we get the meaning of these Nakshatras is relative to the fixed stars that are within those portions of 13 degrees, 20 minutes. And the other way that we get the meanings is through the deity. Each Nakshatra is assigned a certain deity, God or goddess. And relative to what these deities are about, can give meaning to these Nakshatras. There's also a symbol for each Nakshatra. That symbol gives meaning to the Nakshatra in terms of what it means and what it produces. So the deity and the mythology behind the deity gives the story of humanity in terms how things evolve through, through a person's life. This is the myths of mankind.
And the story of mankind is depicted in the stars.
So another thing about the Nakshatras, we look at the symbol, the deity, the stars, the mythology. Then the next thing that you have to know about the Nakshatras is they are determinants of the whole cyclic patterns of our life that we use in prediction. In Vedic astrology, we use the Dasha system. And the Dasha system, I call it the cycles, because it really is certain cycles that we all go through at certain times. But each of us are born into a different.
Cycle. But it all evolves from one cycle to the next in a specific order that is relative to all the charts that you look at. But it's really dependent on what portion of where you're going to experience your life. All depends on what Nakshatra your natal moon is in. So when you're looking at a birth chart.
Whatever sign your natal moon is in the Nakshatra it's in will be the determinant of your entire life cycles. What you experience when that's all relative to how your natal moon is placed in your birth chart. So I often say that Vedic astrology is a lunar based system, whereas western tropical astrology is a solar based system because it's based on the sun and the seasons. Because every year at the same time, you'll have a certain season. This is relative to where the sun is. But Vedic astrology, the whole system and the cycle is based on your natal moon. And so each of these Nakshatras are also ruled by a planet, just like all of the signs are ruled by a planet. The sun rules Leo, the moon rules Cancer. All of the Nakshatras are ruled by a planet as well. So when you look at a birth chart to see the onset of all the planetary cycles that will evolve through a lifetime, it is you will start out in the life cycle when you're born of the planet that rules the Nakshatra. That your natal moon is in at birth. So if your moon, whereas my Moon is in the Nakshatra of Purva Falguni, it is ruled by Venus. Venus rules Purva Falguni, even though the sign that Purva Falguni is in which is Leo, is ruled by the Sun. There's a sign rulership, but there's a Nakshatra rulership. And because my Moon is in the Nakshatra of Purva Falguni, it is ruled by Venus. That means I started out the whole life cycles of starting with Venus and then a pattern after Venus, what transpires? Each of these cycles will fall in a certain pattern for everyone. This pattern is the same. But what Nakshatra will determine where you start in this pattern? So I started in Venus and want you to know that each of these Nakshatras are so in depth with meaning. So what you're going to learn to understand from a series that I'm about to do on the 27 Nakshatras is each Nakshatra has specific meaning. And if you have a planet in this Nakshatra, that planet will reveal these meanings in your life. It will be very obvious that certain attributes you will carry because of the Nakshatras of your planets.
Where they are. So.
So these Nakshatras in terms of house rulership is another important variable. So, for example, if you find a particular Nakshatra rules.
The seventh house, then that Nakshatra in its meaning, because the seventh house rules your marriage partner, the meanings of that Nakshatra will be what your marriage partner is all about.
So, for example, if you have the sun ruling your seventh house, let's say Leo is the sign on your seventh house. The seventh house is marriage partnerships. So if the sun rules the seventh house.
And let's say the sun is in the Nakshatra Maga, okay? So that means your sun is somewhere in Leo. Because each of these Nakshatras are in certain portions and you have the planet that rules your marriage partner goes to the Nakshatra Maga. That means your partner will have the qualities of that Nakshatra Maga means the king, the leader. Within that Nakshatra is the fixed star Regulus, which is the star of presidents and kings. So with that, I'd like to close, because I just wanted you to get a feel of what the 27 nakshatras are all about, what you can do with them. And what I plan on doing is a series on each Nakshatra so that you can understand its specific special qualities that I have discovered throughout my years of practice. So what you're going to find is each Nakshatra has specific meanings based on the variables that I just went through. The stars, the sign, the mythology, the deity, the symbol. All of these things are going to ring true in your life as you look to see what planets in your chart are in what Nakshatras. So with that, I'd like to close and you can look forward to my new series on the 27 Nakshatras. If you would like more information, you can always go to my website, which is Galactic Center.org and if you are serious about learning Vedic astrology, please go to my university, universityofvedicastrology.com thank you.
