Shravana is the 22nd of the 27 nakshatras, covering 280° to 293°20′ of the sidereal zodiac, which is 10° to 23°20′ of Capricorn. Its lord is the Moon, its presiding deity is Vishnu, and its name comes from the Sanskrit root shru, "to hear" — the nakshatra of listening.
Because it sits entirely inside Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, Shravana joins a patient, structured sign to a receptive, feeling planet. The result, in traditional descriptions, is someone who learns by taking things in carefully and then puts that learning to steady use.
The myth: Vishnu's three steps
Shravana's deity is Vishnu the preserver, and one of its two symbols — three uneven footprints — recalls the story of Vamana. Vishnu took the form of a small Brahmin boy, asked the generous king Bali for as much land as he could cover in three steps, and then grew to cosmic size, measuring earth, sky and the heavens. The story is about order being restored quietly, through a small request and a large vision.
The other symbol is the ear. Before writing, knowledge in India travelled by shruti, "that which is heard", and Shravana is the nakshatra most closely tied to that oral tradition: hearing, remembering, reciting and passing on. In Kerala, Onam is celebrated on Thiruvonam, the Malayalam name for this nakshatra, in the month of Chingam.
Just before Shravana lies Abhijit, the "28th nakshatra" that some muhurta systems insert between the last part of Uttara Ashadha and the opening of Shravana. It is not used in Vimshottari dasha, but it explains why the start of Shravana has a special place in electional astrology.
Gana, yoni and nadi
Shravana belongs to the Deva (divine) gana, the female Monkey yoni and the Antya (kapha) nadi. These three matter mainly in gun milan:
- Gana describes temperament. Two Deva-gana nakshatras sit comfortably together; a Deva–Rakshasa pairing scores lowest in this koota.
- Yoni describes instinctive and physical compatibility. The Monkey's traditional opposite is the Sheep, so a Shravana–Sheep-yoni pair scores low on this one point.
- Nadi carries the largest weight (8 of 36 points). Two people of the same Antya nadi traditionally lose these points, though the classical texts list exceptions.
None of these decides a match alone; the whole of both charts is read together, and a kundli matching report shows every koota side by side.
Muhurta nature
Muhurta Chintamani places Shravana among the movable (chara) nakshatras, along with Swati, Punarvasu, Dhanishta and Shatabhisha. Movable nakshatras are traditionally preferred for things that involve motion or change: starting a journey, buying a vehicle, moving house, beginning a course of study or setting up a garden. Because of its link to Vishnu, Shravana is also a favoured day for sacred listening — recitation, discourse and the start of formal learning.
Temperament
Shravana natives are often described as attentive, well-mannered and good at absorbing information. The Moon gives memory and sensitivity; Capricorn gives discipline and a sense of duty. Put together, this is the student who takes careful notes and later becomes the teacher who remembers everyone's name.
There is often an interest in tradition, in how things were done before, and in keeping communities connected. Many Shravana people are natural counsellors because people feel heard by them.
The growth area is the flip side of all that listening. A Shravana native may take other people's opinions too much to heart, worry about reputation, or hold back their own view until they feel it is fully formed. Learning to speak as well as hear, and to accept that not every criticism is a verdict, tends to bring out the best of this nakshatra.
The four padas
Each pada is 3°20′ and has its own navamsa sign. For Shravana these run from Aries to Cancer.
Pada 1 — 10° to 13°20′ Capricorn (Aries navamsa)
Mars colours the first quarter with initiative. This is the most action-oriented Shravana: quick to act on what it has learned, ambitious and sometimes impatient with slow processes. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, so this pada is often described as practical and energetic.
Pada 2 — 13°20′ to 16°40′ Capricorn (Taurus navamsa)
Venus rules this navamsa, bringing steadiness, a taste for comfort and a love of music and good speech. This pada is often linked with building material security slowly and patiently.
Pada 3 — 16°40′ to 20° Capricorn (Gemini navamsa)
Mercury's navamsa sharpens the communicative side of Shravana. Writing, teaching, languages, research and trade all fit well here; the mind is curious and quick to connect ideas.
Pada 4 — 20° to 23°20′ Capricorn (Cancer navamsa)
Cancer is the Moon's own sign, so the nakshatra lord's nature is strongest here. This pada is the most emotional and protective, drawn to family, home and caring roles, and sensitive to atmosphere.
Naming syllables
In the naam-akshar system followed on this site, the four padas give the syllables Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho. A child born with the Moon in Shravana's second pada, for example, would traditionally receive a name beginning with Khu. Regional lists differ, so families often follow their own tradition.
Moon, lagna and planets in Shravana
When the birth Moon is in Shravana, this is the person's janma nakshatra, and the first mahadasha is the Moon's. The Moon here is in Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn, so emotional life tends to be steady rather than showy.
With the lagna in Shravana, the Moon becomes an important indicator for the body and personality, and Capricorn's structured style shows in the way the person meets the world.
Planets in Shravana take on its listening, learning quality: Mercury here favours study and speech, Jupiter (debilitated in Capricorn, with neecha-bhanga conditions to check) often shows a practical approach to knowledge, and Mars, exalted in the sign, gives disciplined effort.
To see which nakshatra your Moon and lagna occupy, open a free kundli. Neighbouring nakshatras worth reading next are Dhanishta, which follows Shravana, and the overview of all 27 nakshatras.