Nakshatra 8 of 27
Pushya Nakshatra
Pushya is your birth star (Janma Nakshatra), the star the Moon occupied when you were born. It is presided over by Brihaspati, teacher of the gods, and its symbol is a flower or a cow's udder.
- Order
- 8
- Ruling planet
- Saturn
- Deity
- Brihaspati
- Span
- 3°20′ Cancer – 16°40′ Cancer
- Gana
- Deva (divine)
- Yoni (animal)
- Sheep
- Naming syllables
- Hu, He, Ho, Da
What Pushya means
Pushya is your birth star (Janma Nakshatra), the star the Moon occupied when you were born. It is presided over by Brihaspati, teacher of the gods, and its symbol is a flower or a cow's udder. Together they point to nourishment, care, devotion and reliability. Considered among the most nourishing stars, it gives a protective, caring nature and respect for tradition and teachers. The star is ruled by Saturn, so your life's first Vimshottari period was the Saturn period, and its themes of discipline, patience, duty and endurance stay close to how you feel and respond. Its temperament (Gana) is deva: gentle, idealistic and inclined to see the good in people. Many families use the star's syllables for naming, and the tara cycle counted from it is used to choose supportive days.
Naming syllables for Pushya
The four Padas of Pushya carry the starting sounds Hu, He, Ho, Da. Parents who follow Nakshatra naming choose a first syllable from the Pada of the child's birth star.
Pushya temperament
The symbol of Pushya is a cow’s udder or lotus. Pushya natives are nurturing, dutiful and principled. Considered one of the most auspicious stars, it is associated with nourishment, protection and spiritual growth.
Work that suits Pushya
Traditional texts and practising astrologers link Pushya with teaching, counselling, food and dairy, social work, priesthood and public administration. The house the Moon occupies and the strength of the star lord refine this further.
The life period Pushya starts you in
Because Saturn rules Pushya, life begins in the Saturn Mahadasha, a 19-year period. The Saturn period lasts nineteen years and teaches through patience, structure and steady work. Responsibilities grow, and results come through discipline, persistence and service, often slowly but lastingly. It favours long-term plans, careers that build over time and work with large organisations or communities. Rest, realistic pacing and support from others keep the load manageable. Saturn's placement and strength in your chart show how its lessons turn into durable achievement.
How a birth star is worked out
Your Nakshatra is the lunar mansion the Moon occupied at the moment of birth. The zodiac is divided into 27 equal parts of 13°20′ each, and each part is split into four Padas of 3°20′. Because the Moon moves roughly one Nakshatra a day, an accurate birth time and place matter: a few hours either way can change the star, and a few minutes can change the Pada. A sidereal zodiac with the Lahiri Ayanamsa is used for these pages, which is the standard most Indian almanacs follow.
How Pushya is used in practice
Families use the birth star for naming, for matching horoscopes before marriage, for choosing auspicious days (Tara Bala) and for the first life period in the Vimshottari Dasha system. The star alone is only one layer of a chart, so treat these descriptions as tendencies to recognise rather than fixed outcomes. Cast a full birth chart to see how the Moon, its sign and its house combine with the rest of the horoscope.
| Partner Nakshatra | Tamil Porutham checks | Ashtakoota points (star-based) |
|---|---|---|
| Bharani | 5/7 | 9/21 |
| Purva Ashadha | 5/7 | 9/21 |
| Rohini | 4/7 | 9/21 |
| Ardra | 4/7 | 9/21 |
| Punarvasu | 4/7 | 9/21 |
| Purva Phalguni | 4/7 | 9/21 |
Common questions
Which planet rules Pushya Nakshatra?
Pushya is ruled by Saturn. In the Vimshottari Dasha system this means anyone born with the Moon in Pushya begins life in the Saturn period, which lasts 19 years in full; the balance left at birth depends on how far the Moon had travelled through the star.
Who is the deity of Pushya?
The presiding deity of Pushya is Brihaspati. Classical texts use the deity to describe the mood and purpose of the star, and many families include the deity in prayers on birthdays that fall on this Nakshatra.
Which zodiac sign does Pushya fall in?
Pushya spans 3°20′ Cancer – 16°40′ Cancer, so it belongs to Cancer. If a Nakshatra crosses two signs, the Pada tells you which sign the Moon was in.
What are the naming syllables for Pushya?
The traditional starting sounds for the four Padas of Pushya are Hu, He, Ho, Da. Parents often pick a first letter from the Pada of the birth star; regional lists spell the sounds slightly differently, so check the list your family follows.
What is the Gana of Pushya?
Pushya belongs to the Deva (divine) Gana. Gana is one of the factors checked in marriage matching, where it is compared with the partner's star to judge temperament.
Which stars match well with Pushya for marriage?
The table on this page ranks partner stars by how many of the seven star-based Tamil Porutham checks agree and by the star-based Ashtakoota points. A full match also looks at both Moon signs, Rajju, Vedha and the complete charts, so use the ranking as a starting point and open the pair page for the factor-by-factor result.
Is Pushya a good Nakshatra?
No birth star is good or bad on its own. Each has strengths and lessons, and the rest of the chart decides how they show up. Classical texts describe tendencies; the planets, houses and periods in your own horoscope decide the details.
How do I find out if my birth star is Pushya?
Enter your date, exact time and place of birth in the free birth chart. The chart shows the Moon's Nakshatra and Pada, the current Dasha and the full planetary positions.
Does the Nakshatra change with Lahiri or KP Ayanamsa?
The Lahiri and Krishnamurti (KP) values differ by only a few minutes of arc, so the star almost never changes. It can change only when the Moon sits right on the boundary of two Nakshatras.
What happens on days when the Moon transits Pushya?
When the Moon passes through your birth star (roughly once every 27 days) the day is called your Janma Nakshatra day. Many people avoid starting major ventures on it and keep it for prayer and quiet work instead; the Panchangam shows when it falls.
What is the symbol of Pushya Nakshatra?
The symbol of Pushya is a cow’s udder or lotus, which reflects its core nature.