Anuradha is the seventeenth nakshatra, lying wholly in sidereal Scorpio from 3°20′ to 16°40′, ruled by Saturn and presided over by Mitra, the Vedic god of friendship and agreements. Its symbol is a lotus, or in some lists an archway, and it is counted among the soft (mridu) nakshatras.
The name means "following Radha", Radha being an older name for the preceding nakshatra, Vishakha. It can also be read as "after success" or "a continued offering". In the sky it is usually identified with the stars at the head of the Scorpion. If you are not sure whether your Moon is here, the free kundli shows the nakshatra and pada.
Mitra: the friend who keeps his word
Mitra is paired with Varuna in the Vedas, and where Varuna watches over cosmic law, Mitra governs the bonds between people: friendship, alliance, the handshake that seals a promise. He is also linked with the morning light. A nakshatra under Mitra carries a strong instinct for loyalty and cooperation. Anuradha people often keep friends for decades and are good at bringing different groups together.
The lotus symbol completes the picture. A lotus grows up from mud and opens clean in the sunlight. Anuradha sits in Scorpio, a deep and emotionally intense sign, and its gift is to turn that intensity into devotion and steady affection rather than suspicion.
Saturn in the sign of Mars
The lord is Saturn: patience, discipline, endurance and service. The sign lord of Scorpio is Mars: energy, courage, research and protection. The two planets are natural neutrals rather than friends, and Anuradha is where they learn to work together. The result, at its best, is someone who can stay with a hard task for a long time, who works well in organisations, and who is often drawn to research, travel, spiritual discipline or careers that require quiet persistence.
Temperament and growth areas
Strengths commonly described for Anuradha: loyalty, devotion, organising ability, resilience after setbacks, a gift for friendship and teamwork, and interest in distant places or other cultures. Many do well away from their birthplace.
Growth areas tend to come from Scorpio's depth and Saturn's seriousness. Feelings may be held in rather than spoken, disappointment can linger, and a strong sense of loyalty can make it hard to let go of people or situations that have run their course. The tradition's gentle advice is that Mitra's friendship includes friendship with oneself: rest, honest expression and room for joy.
This describes one layer of the chart. The whole kundli is read together; no single nakshatra decides anything on its own.
Gana, yoni and nadi in matching
- Gana: Deva. Refined and gentle in temperament; most comfortable with Deva or Manushya partners in the gana koota.
- Yoni: Deer (female). The male deer is Jyeshtha, so Anuradha and Jyeshtha make a natural yoni pair. The traditional hostile yoni for the deer is the dog (Ardra and Mula).
- Nadi: Madhya (pitta). The nadi koota carries the most points in gun milan, and two partners with the same nadi score zero on it, with exceptions listed in the texts.
The eight kootas are explained in the gun milan guide. Scores are a starting point for conversation, not a verdict.
Muhurta nature
Muhurta Chintamani lists four soft (mridu) nakshatras: Mrigashira, Chitra, Anuradha and Revati. They are favoured for gentle, pleasant undertakings: making friends, beginning to learn music, dance or other arts, wearing new clothes and ornaments, and, in many regional traditions, marriage. Anuradha is widely used for wedding muhurtas, though the full panchang and both charts are always considered.
The four padas of Anuradha
Pada 1: Scorpio 3°20′ to 6°40′ (Leo navamsa)
The Sun's navamsa adds pride, warmth and a wish to lead. This pada is ambitious and loyal to its own group, and it tends to take responsibility willingly. Naming syllable: Na.
Pada 2: Scorpio 6°40′ to 10°00′ (Virgo navamsa)
Mercury's navamsa makes Anuradha analytical, methodical and service-minded. It suits careful work such as research, accounts, editing or health-related service roles. Naming syllable: Ni.
Pada 3: Scorpio 10°00′ to 13°20′ (Libra navamsa)
Venus's navamsa brings charm, diplomacy and artistic taste, and this is the most sociable pada. Partnerships and group work come easily. Naming syllable: Nu.
Pada 4: Scorpio 13°20′ to 16°40′ (Scorpio navamsa)
Scorpio in Scorpio: this pada is vargottama, the same sign in the rashi and navamsa charts, which is traditionally read as strengthening whatever sits here. It is the most intense and private pada, deep, determined and interested in hidden things. Naming syllable: Ne.
The navamsa signs are computed; the pada sketches are traditional summaries that different authors phrase differently.
Planets in Anuradha
Anuradha lies in Scorpio, the Moon's sign of debilitation. The deepest point, 3° Scorpio, falls just before Anuradha begins, so a Moon here is in its debilitated sign but past the exact point. Traditional readings describe such a Moon as emotionally deep, loyal and sometimes private; the rest of the chart, including any neecha-bhanga, matters a great deal. Saturn in Anuradha, its own nakshatra, is generally considered to work steadily. Mars, the sign lord, is at home anywhere in Scorpio.
A lagna in Anuradha often gives a composed, reserved first impression that warms up with time.
Birth nakshatra and dasha
With the Moon in Anuradha, the Vimshottari dasha opens with Saturn, followed by Mercury, Ketu and so on. Anuradha's neighbours are Vishakha and Jyeshtha; see the nakshatra guide for all 27.