Mrigashira is the fifth nakshatra, spanning 23°20′ Taurus to 6°40′ Gemini in the sidereal zodiac, and it is ruled by Mars. Its deity is Soma, the Moon god, and its symbol is a deer's head, so Mrigashira is the nakshatra of searching, curiosity and gentle, alert movement.
A deer never stops sniffing the air, watchful and ready to move towards whatever calls it. That restless, questing quality runs through most of what tradition says about Mrigashira. The lunar month of Margashirsha takes its name from this nakshatra.
Half earth, half air
Mrigashira sits exactly across the Taurus–Gemini boundary: two padas in Taurus and two in Gemini. In Taurus the search is sensory and practical, for beauty, comfort and good things. In Gemini it becomes intellectual, for ideas, information and conversation. Anyone with the Moon here should first check which sign they have, because it changes a good deal.
The nakshatra lord is Mars. Mars rules three nakshatras, Mrigashira, Chitra and Dhanishta, and each of them is split evenly between two signs. All three have Mars's energy and a certain restlessness. Mrigashira's version is the gentlest, because its deity is the Moon and its muhurta class is soft.
Soma and the stag
Soma is both the Moon and the sacred drink of the Vedic ritual, the nectar that delights the gods. He stands for pleasure, nourishment, poetry and the mind that longs for more. In one well-known Puranic story Soma carries off Tara, the wife of Brihaspati, and from their union Budha (Mercury) is born. It is a fitting link, because Mercury rules Gemini, the sign where the second half of Mrigashira lies.
An older story in the Aitareya Brahmana tells of Prajapati taking the form of a stag and chasing his daughter, and of Rudra shooting him with an arrow. In the sky, Mrigashira is read as the stag's head in the constellation we call Orion, and Ardra, Rudra's nakshatra, lies just beside it. Different texts tell these stories differently; astrologers mostly draw on them for one idea, the pursuit of what one desires, and learning where it leads.
Symbol: the deer's head
The deer is gentle, graceful and easily startled. It explores constantly and stays alert. Mrigashira natives are often described as curious, soft-spoken, perceptive and quick to sense a change in the atmosphere. They are also said to find it hard to settle, as though something better might be just over the next hill.
Gana, yoni and nadi
Mrigashira is Deva gana, kindly and refined in temperament. Its yoni is the serpent (female), and its partner is Rohini (male serpent), the nakshatra just before it. Its nadi is Madhya (pitta).
For gun milan these add 6 (gana), 4 (yoni) and 8 (nadi) points to the 36-point total. Madhya-nadi partners include Bharani, Pushya, Purva Phalguni, Chitra, Anuradha, Purva Ashadha, Dhanishta and Uttara Bhadrapada. Our kundli matching tool shows each koota separately. One factor never decides a chart, so a single low koota is always weighed against the whole kundli of both people.
Muhurta nature: soft (mridu)
With Chitra, Anuradha and Revati, Mrigashira forms the mridu, or soft, group in the Muhurta Chintamani. These are gentle nakshatras for pleasant things: friendship, courtship and marriage, wearing new clothes and ornaments, music, dance and the arts, and celebrations. They are among the nakshatras tradition looks to when fixing a wedding.
Temperament
With the Moon in Mrigashira, the mind tends to be inquisitive, sensitive and eager to learn. Strengths include intelligence, a friendly and gentle manner, a love of travel and research, good taste and a lifelong student's attitude. Writing, teaching, research, design and anything involving exploration can suit them.
The growth areas are restlessness, indecision, doubt about people and a feeling that satisfaction is always elsewhere. Mars can add irritability when things move too slowly. The lesson is to let the search arrive somewhere, to finish the journey rather than begin another.
The four padas of Mrigashira
Mrigashira's padas take the Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio navamsas, as Bharani's did.
Pada 1: 23°20′ to 26°40′ Taurus (Leo navamsa)
The Sun's navamsa in an earth sign. Warm, self-assured and creative, with a taste for recognition and fine things. This pada's search is for a stage.
Pada 2: 26°40′ to 30° Taurus (Virgo navamsa)
Mercury's earthy navamsa makes the search practical and methodical. Skilful, analytical and service-oriented, with good hands and a critical eye.
Pada 3: 0° to 3°20′ Gemini (Libra navamsa)
Venus's airy navamsa in Mercury's sign. Sociable, artistic and diplomatic, with a love of conversation, music and partnership. This is the lightest and most charming pada.
Pada 4: 3°20′ to 6°40′ Gemini (Scorpio navamsa)
Mars's watery navamsa returns to the nakshatra lord and sharpens the search into investigation. Probing, intense and good at research, it digs below the surface. This pada is more private and emotionally deep.
Naming syllables
The naam akshar for Mrigashira are Ve, Vo, Ka and Ki.
Mrigashira as Moon, lagna or planet placement
- Moon in Mrigashira: life begins in Mars mahadasha, 7 years in full, with the remaining balance set by the Moon's degree.
- Lagna in Mrigashira: a light, graceful build and an alert, curious look. Taurus or Gemini rising changes the tone.
- Planets in Mrigashira: planets here gain curiosity and mobility and give Mars-coloured results in their periods.
To find your own nakshatra and pada, generate a free kundli. Neighbouring pages: Rohini and Ardra, or return to the nakshatras overview.