Janma Nakshatra of the Navagrahas and its various other connections

The main purpose of this article is to delineate and figure out the correct Janma or birth Nakshatra of the 9 Navagrahas. However with the way Navagrahas are used in propensity with the over dramatizing reference of them being used as Star Lords predominantly, thought it also made sense to connect the different Nakshatras listed against each of the Navagrahas and how they have a much wider scope than just purely as Nakshatra lords.   

However not to digress from the predominant objective of finding out the birth Nakshatra of the Navagrahas, lets go about in collecting information from different sources.
                         
As one would observe from the above table, it all looks like a mess with different sources claiming Navagrahas being born in various Nakshatras. Vichitra Jothidam or the VJ System is a unique branch of Tamil astrology employing Nakshatras in copious abundance. In fact based on this list only rests the DNA astrology based on Karmic registry which takes into account that so and so Navagraha was born in such and such Nakshatra. The Bengali references give 2 Janma Nakshatras for most of the Navagrahas. The book authored by Harihar Majumder titled "Hindu Science of the Future" records the birth Nakshatra of all the Navagrahas and this information is provided in numerous places. In the Brahmanda Purana and Vayu Purana, the inventory of detail is pretty similar except for the shadow planets Rahu & Ketu. A Brihat Yatra reference of Varaha Mihira also aligns largely with the Puranas with the main difference being for planet Mercury. The Jagannath Tradition indexes the data from the book written by Sanjay Rath titled "Brihat Nakshatra" and there are quite a number of differences witnessed when compared to other sources. Lastly there was a source on the net attributed to Vaishvata Manvantara detailing even the padas of the Nakshatra in which the Navagrahas were born. It states the Sun, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn being born in the 1st pada, Moon & Venus in the 4th pada and Rahu & Ketu in the 3rd pada of the respective Nakshatras mentioned.

In down south, most of the Tamil Astrologers stick staunchly to the Vichitra Jothidam source whenever there is a reference involving birth Nakshatra of a Navagraha. The germination of the DNA system of astrology revolves around this and subsequent rules are brought forward based upon this underlying concept. This was confusing a lot since for many of the Navagrahas, the Nakshatras were way off. Then came the very important realization that the catalog given here is not the Janma Nakshatra but instead the ruling deity of the Nakshatra. For instance we know that Moon (Soma) is the deity of Mrigashira and likewise Jupiter (Brihaspati) is the deity of Pushya. So the entire basis of this methodology is the deity and no direct relation to the birth Nakshatra. Of course, in some cases a Navagraha may be born in a particular Nakshatra and the same Navagraha may also be the deity of that particular Nakshatra. A good example of this is Saturn which was presumably born in Revathi star and also happens to be the deity of Revathi star as provided in the hallowed text of 'Kumaraswamiyam'. 

Another important conundrum to take care is the note provided when studying Tara Bala which deems that one's Janma Nakshatra is said to cause a lot of tension, anxiety and stress. There is a saying that on one's Janma Nakshatra, you seek the refuge of the divine for protection and preferably not dabble with any major activity or put your toe hold into something important as it has the potential to cause disappointments. There is no reason to think that Janma Nakshatra is inauspicious as a whole but that particular time is more beneficial for prayers and seeking God's support. Thus, on similar lines extending this principle to the deities themselves which in this case is the Navagrahas, the Janma Nakshatra of the Navagrahas is not expected to be considered as a favorable one.

There is a Muhurtha table which classifies the combination of Nakshatra/Vara into 4 brackets viz Siddha, Amrita, Marana and Prabalarishta. Extending the Vara to the Navagrahas, we can draw some pointers. Of course this will not be applicable for Rahu & Ketu and only relevant for the 7 days of the week ruled by the 7 planets namely Sunday - Sun, Monday - Moon, Tuesday - Mars, Wednesday - Mercury, Thursday - Jupiter, Friday - Venus and Saturday - Saturn. From the table, it can be inferred that the birth Nakshatra can only be falling in either of a category considered as Marana or Prabalarishta. Any Nakshatra/Navagraha in the combination of Siddha and Amrita will fail the Janma Nakshatra test.

Also, in cases where a Navagraha is linked to 2 Janma Nakshatras it makes sense to prefer the Nakshatra that falls in 2 of the rasis as Navagrahas are constantly orbiting and have a role of expansion when it comes to the parlance of Vedic Astrology.

Thus, to summarize on the tests for meeting the condition of Janma Nakshatra:
- The Navagraha born in a particular Nakshatra may or may not be the deity of that Nakshatra
- Irrespective of the above rule, the Janma Nakshatra of the Navagraha should either be classified under Marana or Prabalarishta Yoga. Applies to all Grahas except for Rahu/Ketu
- For those cases of 2 Nakshatras classified as Janma Nakshatra, consider giving extra preference to the Nakshatra which falls in 2 Rasis (Zodiac Signs)

With the above conditions laid, lets dwell into figuring the Janma Nakshatra for each of the Navagrahas.

Sun: 
The different contenders are Hastha, Vishakha, Anuradha and Bharani. The ruling deity of Hastha is provided as Sun as per Kumaraswamiyam. Also it doesn't equate to a Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga. Bharani can also be eliminated as its given based on the formation of Daghda Yoga and doesn't have any direct relevance to Janma Nakshatra. Between Vishakha & Anuradha, the most commonly accepted one happens to be Vishakha. Also considering the case of Nakshatra falling in 2 rasis, Vishakha meets the condition as opposed to Anuradha. Hence Vishakha can be nominated as birth Nakshatra of Sun. Additionally also Vishakha's vedic deity is said to be Indragni translated as Indra (King of the Gods) + Agni (Fire) as compared to Mitra (Friend) for Anuradha. Considering from a deity angle also Vishakha gains prominence.
Janma Nakshatra: Vishakha

Moon:
The different contenders are Mrigashira, Krithika, Rohini and Chitra. The ruling deity of Mrigashira is provided as Moon (Soma) as per Kumaraswamiyam along with it not equating to a Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga. Chitra can also be eliminated as its given based on the formation of Daghda Yoga and doesn't have any direct relevance to Janma Nakshatra. Between Krithika & Rohini, most of the lists give Krithika and also additionally Krithika forms part of Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga whereas Rohini does not. Even considering the falling in 2 rasis theory, Krithika meets the test whereas Rohini does not. The interesting take with Moon is that it exalts in Krithika Nakshatra, it's most favourite Nakshatra as per scriptures is said to be Rohini and it is the ruling deity of Mrigashira. Thus, in every way Moon is very fortunate when it happens to be in Rishaba (Taurus) rasi which contains all these 3 Nakshatras.
Janma Nakshatra: Krithika

Mars:
The different contenders are only between Poorva Ashada and Uttara Ashada. It is a close tie in the sense that this is a mixed one. However Poorva Ashada and Tuesday is neither a Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga and also it doesn't fall in 2 rasis. Additionally Poorva Ashada is said to be a predominant water related Nakshatra ruled by Apah (Water God) as compared to Uttara Ashada which is said to be more earth related and stable in line with Mars significations apart from also meeting the test of Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga and also being stationed in 2 rasis.
Janma Nakshatra: Uttara Ashada

Mercury:
The different contenders are between Dhanishta and Shravana. Again it is a close tie but here also it tilts in favour of Dhanishta on account of it being a Marana/Prabalarishta yoga along with also falling in 2 rasis both of the conditions which Shravana does not meet. Also Shravana's deity is Vishnu and Dhanishta's is Ashta Vasu. Though Mercury is a representation of Vishnu, the main deity will be Vishnu or his several forms and only will Mercury be considered. With regard to Ashta Vasus or 8 elements, Mercury is said to be the main signifier of the 64 art forms and you see the synchroneity here as 8*8 is 64 and Mercury can definitely be considered as a main deity of Dhanishta which is what has been provided in Vichitra Jothidam as well. Irrespective of this extra test, Dhanishta still wins over Shravana as Janma Nakshatra.
Janma Nakshatra: Dhanishta

Jupiter:
The different contenders are Pushya, Poorva Phalguni and Uttara Phalguni. The ruling deity of Pushya is clearly identified as Jupiter (Brihaspati) as per all well known texts along with it also not equating to a Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga. So Pushya is ruled out. Between the 2 Phalgunis - Poorva & Uttara, the stakes are divided. But looking at the conditions, it is clearly Uttara Phalguni which gets the tip as its a Marana/Prabalarishta Yoga along with it also falling across 2 zodiac signs both of the conditions which Poorva Phalguni doesn't manage to meet.
Janma Nakshatra: Uttara Phalguni

Venus:
The different contenders are Magha, Pushya and Jyeshta. This one's a toughie because all 3 fall under the classification of Marana Yoga. Since its given as a singular Nakshatra and also since all 3 fall within a rasi, the last condition does not apply. However Pushya deity is said to be ruled by Brihaspati (Jupiter) who is considered to be the Deva Guru. Shukra or Venus being Asura Guru, it somehow doesn'y sync being born the Nakshatra which its opposite number Guru rules and exalts. Jyeshta is ruled by Indra which is again said to be kingly and ruling by nature against the natural signification of Venus. Magha is associated with Pitrus and Shukra has a major connection with ancestors. Also the text 'Kumaraswamiyam' specifically mentions Shukra to be the deity of this Nakshatra. Considering all possibilities, it appears that Magha should be the most likely candidate to be the Janma Nakshatra
Janma Nakshatra: Magha

Saturn:
The contenders are Revathi and Rohini. Almost all sources unanimously agree that Revathi is the default birth Nakshatra of Saturn Navagraha. Also considering the condition, it is even more clear as Revathi falls under the Marana/Prabalarishta category whereas Rohini & Saturday is clearly said to be a favorable combination.
Janma Nakshatra: Revathi

Rahu:
The contenders are Bharani, Rohini and Vishakha. Here also it's pretty clear that it should be Bharani only as Janma Nakshatra. We don't have the normal conditions to test for the shadow planets but Rohini being Moon's favourite Nakshatra with Rahu being prime enemy of Moon doesn't seem to match up. Vishakha is also just one reference that has been bought in but there is not much traction. Also Rahu's vedic deity being Yama and Adidevata being Goddess Durga as stated by Kumaraswamiyam blends well with the possibility of Bharani being its Janma Nakshatra.
Janma Nakshatra: Bharani

Ketu:
The contenders are Ashlesha and Rohini. It's a no brainer here too that Ashlesha should be the Janma Nakshatra. Ashlesha is a Nakshatra whose deity is said to be Nagas with Ketu signifying everything to do with snakes. The worshipping deity being the divine serpent 'Adishesha' is another pointer in Ashlesha notching it up. Also with regard to Rohini, Ketu is said to hold enmity with Moon and it doesn't seem plausible to think of it as an option for Janma Nakshatra. Thus, Ashlesha seals it here.
Janma Nakshatra: Ashlesha

Coming to the linkage between Janma Nakshatra of the Navagrahas and Navagraha deity for the Nakshatras, it is a paradox in the sense that Kumaraswamiyam provides 5 of the Navagrahas as primary deity for the 27 Navagrahas. In these 5, 2 of them tally with also being the Janma Nakshatra whereas 3 of them happen to be separate.
Venus, Saturn: These 2 planets are said to be the deities of Magha and Revathi respectively. The Janma Nakshatra of Venus and Saturn also happen to be Magha and Revathi.
Sun, Moon, Jupiter: These 3 planets are said to be the deities of Hastha, Mrigashira and Pushya respectively. However as identified earlier the Janma Nakshatra of these planets instead happen to be Vishakha, Krithika and Uttara Phalguni
Mars, Mercury, Rahu and Ketu: For these 4 planets, there is no specific primary deity correlated to the Nakshatras. However these planets can be considered as secondary deities for the Nakshatras 
Uttara Ashada - Ruled by Lord Vinayaka - Secondary Deity Mars
Dhanishta - Ruled by Indrani - Secondary Deity Mercury
Bharani - Ruled by Goddess Durga - Secondary Deity Rahu
Ashlesha - Ruled by Serpent Adishesha - Secondary Deity Ketu

Nakshatra Linkage to Navagrahas - Other Factors
Now that we have linked the Janma Nakshatra and also the respective Nakshatras ruled by the 9 Navagrahas, we will look into few other correspondences connecting the two.

Nakshatra Lord:
This is the most common linking of giving 3 Nakshatras for each Navagraha based on the Vimshottari scheme. For any layman getting vetted with astrology or even with respect to most experts, this is the only connection even seen as it tends to play a key role in horoscope analysis. From Ashwini onwards, the Nakshatras are assigned to Ketu->Venus->Sun->Moon->Mars->Rahu->Jupiter->Saturn->Mercury. The order is repeated from Magha onwards and again from Moola and finally ends with Revathi being assigned to Mercury.

Nakshatra Controller:
There is a tamil text called 'Jathaka Alangaram' which gives this method called 'Angusam'. It is translated as a goad like weapon with a sharp metal spike. As per this Angusam terminology, each of the 3 Nakshatras beginning from Ashwini are ruled by the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu respectively. It is said that any planet falling in the ambit of the 3 Nakshatras are controlled by that respective Navagraha. This is a little different from Nakshatra Lord technique.

Nakshatra DNA: (Karmic Registry)
This method has picked up pace in the last few years. It is said that the karmic registry of each of the Nakshatras are ingrained in all the Navagrahas except for Ketu being Moksha Karaka. The secret formula was given as the days of the week associating with the 7 Nakshatras from Ashwini to Punarvasu followed by the 8th Nakshatra of Pushya provided to Rahu. Following on is the next set of 8 Nakshatras followed by the last set of 8. That leaves 24 with the last 3 Nakshatras again said to be having the karma of Sun, Moon and Mars to finish the total set of 27 Nakshatras.

Nakshatra Exaltation:
Each of the Navagrahas except for Rahu/Ketu are provided an exaltation degree which falls in a particular Nakshatra. For Rahu/Ketu, opinion is divided but in common parlance as per some of the Panchangams, it is said that they both exalt in Jyeshta Nakshatra. However when it comes to nodes, this needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Nakshatra Debilitation:
Similar to exaltation, each of the Navagrahas except for Rahu/Ketu are also provided a debilitation degree which falls in a particular Nakshatra. For Rahu/Ketu, opinion is divided but in common parlance as per some of the Panchangams, it is said that they both debilitate in Rohini Nakshatra. However when it comes to nodes, this information can be taken with a grain of salt.

Nakshatra Nature:
The nature or quality of Nakshatras are also divided into 7 types viz Sthira, Chara, Ugra, Mishra, Laghu, Mridu and Tikshana. They are characterized based on activities and are more tenable when a particular day is also linked to them. For instance Sthira means Fixed and represents the Nakshatras of Rohini and the 3 Uttaras - Phalguni, Ashada and Bhadrapada. When it also coincides with Sunday (ruler of Sun), it tends to be more justifiable and favorable. As its distinguished into 7 types, there is no Rahu & Ketu in this equation.
Sunday - Sthira/Dhruva Nakshatras - Fixed - For activities that require fixity such as laying foundation. Eg. coronation, sowing seeds etc.
Monday - Chara Nakshatras - Movable - For activities that require movement. Eg. riding vehicles, undertaking any journey etc.
Tuesday - Ugra Nakshatras - Cruel - For activities involving violence, force. Eg. demolishing structures, breaking things, acting with force etc
Wednesday - Misra Nakshatras - Mixed - For activities involving a mixed variety or things involving duality. Eg. Performing worshipping, engaging in ceremonies, fabricating etc
Thursday - Laghu/Shipra Nakshatras - Swift - For activities involving swiftness or quick action. Eg. involving in pleasures, wearing jewellery, fast decision making etc
Friday - Mridu Nakshatras - Tender - For activities involving learning something new, undertaking any subtle activities etc. Eg enrolling for classes, making friends, learning fine arts etc
Saturday - Tikshana Nakshatras - Sharp - For activities involving bitterness, trickery, deceit etc. Eg. invoking spirits, plotting against enemies, committing unrealistic deeds etc

Nakshatra Auspiciousness: (Amrita + Siddha)
The Muhurtha table above states a combination of Vara + Nakshatra yielding to either of Amrita, Siddha, Marana or Prabalarishta classification. Amrita equates to nourishment and Siddha correlates to accomplishment. There are however 7 combinations which are highly auspicious and termed as Amrita Siddha Yoga with both features in equal measure. Extending the principle to the Navagrahas from the Varas as the 7 Navagrahas barring Rahu + Ketu rule the 7 days of the week, listing below the Nakshatra Amrita Siddha Yoga.
Sunday + Hastha (Aditya Hastha)
Monday + Mrigashira (Soma Mrigashira)
Tuesday + Ashwini (Bhouma Ashwini)
Wednesday + Anuradha (Buddha Anuradha)
Thursday + Pushya (Guru Pushya)
Friday + Revathi (Bhrigu Revathi)
Saturday + Rohini (Manda Rohini)

Nakshatra Incarnation:
The sacred holy astrological text Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra states that "From the Sun God the incarnation of Rama, from the Moon that of Krishna, from Mars that of Narasimha, from Mercury that of Buddha, from Jupiter that of Vamana, from Venus that of Parasu Rama, from Saturn that of Koorma (Tortoise), from Rahu that of Varaha (Pig), and from Ketu that of Meena (Fish) occurred. These Avatars are said to have taken birth in a particular constellation and hence there is an indirect association of the Navagrahas with the Nakshatras in which the Vishnu Avatars were born in. For Tortoise, Pig and Fish alone information is not explicitly clear but on researching Tortoise which represents foundation & structure can be linked largely to Chitra, Pig is linked to Jyeshta as there is also a Tamil tradition of Varaha being prayed for Jyeshta Nakshatra and Fish is largely representative of Revathi Nakshatra.

Lets lay down all these characteristics for each of the Navagrahas and decode what are the different Nakshatras they all get associated with. 

Sun
- Nakshatra Birth: Vishakha
- Nakshatra Deity: Hastha
- Nakshatra Lord: Krithika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra Controller: Ashwini, Bharani, Krithika
- Nakshatra DNA: Ashwini, Ashlesha, Anuradha, Poorva Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Ashwini
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Swathi
- Nakshatra Nature: Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashada, Uttara Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Hastha
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Punarvasu

Moon
- Nakshatra Birth: Krithika
- Nakshatra Deity: Mrigashira
- Nakshatra Lord: Rohini, Hastha, Shravana
- Nakshatra Controller: Rohini, Mrigashira, Arudra
- Nakshatra DNA: Bharani, Magha, Jyeshta, Uttara Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Krithika
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Vishakha
- Nakshatra Nature: Punarvasu, Swathi, Shravana, Dhanishta, Satabisha
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Mrigashira
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Rohini

Mars
- Nakshatra Birth: Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra Deity: Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra Lord: Mrigashira, Chithra, Dhanishta
- Nakshatra Controller: Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha
- Nakshatra DNA: Krithika, Poorva Phalguni, Moola, Revathi
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Dhanishta
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Ashlesha
- Nakshatra Nature: Bharani, Magha, Poorva Phalguni, Poorva Ashada, Poorva Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Ashwini
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Swathi 

Mercury
- Nakshatra Birth: Dhanishta
- Nakshatra Deity: Dhanishta
- Nakshatra Lord: Ashlesha, Jyeshta, Revathi
- Nakshatra Controller: Magha, Poorva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni
- Nakshatra DNA: Rohini, Uttara Phalguni, Poorva Ashada
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Hastha, 
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Uttara Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Nature: Krithika, Vishakha
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Anuradha
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Vishakha 

Jupiter
- Nakshatra Birth: Uttara Phalguni
- Nakshatra Deity: Pushya
- Nakshatra Lord: Punarvasu, Vishakha, Poorva Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Controller: Hastha, Chithra, Swathi
- Nakshatra DNA: Mrigashira, Hastha, Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Pushya
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra Nature: Ashwini, Pushya, Hastha
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Pushya
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Shravana

Venus
- Nakshatra Birth: Magha
- Nakshatra Deity: Magha
- Nakshatra Lord: Bharani, Poorva Phalguni, Poorva Ashada
- Nakshatra Controller: Vishakha, Anuradha, Jyeshta
- Nakshatra DNA: Arudra, Chithra, Shravana
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Revathi
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Chithra
- Nakshatra Nature: Mrigashira, Chithra, Anuradha, Revathi
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Revathi
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Uttara Phalguni

Saturn
- Nakshatra Birth: Revathi
- Nakshatra Deity: Revathi
- Nakshatra Lord: Pushya, Anuradha, Uttara Bhadrapada
- Nakshatra Controller: Moola, Poorva Ashada, Uttara Ashada
- Nakshatra DNA: Punarvasu, Swathi, Dhanishta
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Swathi
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Bharani
- Nakshatra Nature: Arudra, Ashlesha, Jyeshta, Moola
- Nakshatra Auspiciousness: Rohini
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Chithra

Rahu
- Nakshatra Birth: Bharani
- Nakshatra Deity: Bharani
- Nakshatra Lord: Arudra, Swathi, Satabisha
- Nakshatra Controller: Shravana, Dhanishta, Satabisha
- Nakshatra DNA: Pushya, Vishakha, Satabisha
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Jyeshta
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Rohini
- Nakshatra Nature: -
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Jyeshta

Ketu
- Nakshatra Birth: Ashlesha
- Nakshatra Deity: Ashlesha
- Nakshatra Lord: Ashwini, Magha, Moola
- Nakshatra Controller: Poorva Bhadrapada, Uttara Bhadrapada, Revathi
- Nakshatra DNA: -
- Nakshatra Exaltation: Jyeshta
- Nakshatra Debilitation: Rohini
- Nakshatra Nature: -
- Nakshatra Incarnation: Revathi

As an illustration on how to read this information, lets take the case of Jupiter. Brihaspati was born in the Nakshatra of Uttara Phalguni and it is the deity of Pushya Nakshatra. It rules the Nakshatras of Punarvasu / Vishakha / Poorva Bhadrapada and controls the Nakshatras of  Hastha / Chithra / Swathi. Its DNA Karmic registry is linked to the Nakshatras of Mrigashira, Hastha and Uttara Ashada. It exalts in the Nakshatra of Pushya and debilitates in the Nakshatra of Uttara Ashada. Its quality is aligned with the Nakshatras of Ashwini, Pushya and Hastha. Its extremely auspicious in Pushya known as Guru Pushya on account of it forming an Amrita Siddha Yoga. Its incarnation is linked to the Nakshatra of Shravana as Vamana, an Avatar of Vishnu occurred from Jupiter and was born in this particular Nakshatra.

Thus on observation, it is clearly witnessed that there is an extensively dense association between the Navagrahas and Nakshatras. However, unfortunately in today's day and age, almost every single source only links Navagrahas to the 3 Nakshatra's provided as per the Vimshottari Dasa scheme. Adding to this negligence, there are references equating the Nakshatra to the natural signification of the planet which is blasphemous to say the least. It pains to see videos blatantly mentioning stuff like for instance as an example Bharani/Poorva Phalguni/Poorva Ashada Nakshatra being ruled by Venus and relating every characteristic of Venus with these Nakshatras. Have observed further mockery which makes you squeal such as stating deplorable facts such as planet in 6th Lord Nakshatra giving so and so negative results. As an illustration, if someone were born in say Aquarius Lagna, 6th Lord is Cancer (ruled by Moon). They extend this principle to the Nakshatras and make bizarre statements like planet placed in Rohini, Hastha, Shravana Nakshatra would give problems related to health. There is an over dependence on Nakshatra Lords and equating it in same lines as the Rasi Lord or the planet by itself is the equivalent of jumping into a deep well. In Dasa bhukthi also, one sees random predictions thrown in such as when for eg. let's say Mercury Dasha is running for someone and it's placed in Krithika Nakshatra, then statements are made such as Sun (Nakshatra Lord) being the one controlling and being the main runner of the Dasa.

The biggest irony is that no astrological text of yore has ever mentioned Lords of Nakshatra's exclusively. Probably in the 20th century through methodology of Meena 2 Nadi and KP Astrology, Nakshatra Lords it gained prominence but the sacrilege right now is it's also being mixed unfairly and diabolically thus ruining the sacred principles of Vedic Astrology. A planet being strong in own house cannot be equated to it being equally strong in own Nakshatra. Have been in disbelief when random fluff gets thrown such as Jupiter in Sagittarius is equally powerful as Jupiter in Poorva Bhadrapada (Own Nakshatra or Suya Saaram as they call it in Tamil).

There was a popular astrologer who once claimed that Nakshatras have no relevance in seeing horoscopes for which there was a lot of backlash. The problem is the one who criticized it had absolutely no idea about the inherent characteristics of Nakshatras whereas those opposing it were coming up with the same crap bull planet in own Nakshatra concept, being in the leg of the 6th/8th Lord Nakshatra, dismissing that a planet placed in Rahu or Ketu Nakshatras being a karmic disorder and all sorts of weird theories. Sad are the ways in which Astrology is practiced these days and the less said the better

Reiterating again that I am not against classifying Nakshatras as 3 each given for all the Navagrahas but mixing and matching it by incorporating it into regular Vedic Astrology parlance doesn't bode well. The fact is that there is so much information about Nakshatras from the Puranas describing in detail about its nature but downsizing as just being all about it's house Lord is doing grave injustice to Nakshatras as a whole. This is just scraping the surface level and in effect the comprehension and connection prevalent between the Navagrahas and Nakshatras is as much or even more han sailing the deep waters.

Difference of Opinions in Astrology!

One problem which Astrology as a science suffers is the lack of uniformity. Apart from that, another area of concern is the difference of opinions creeping up which causes a difference in the way a particular horoscope is viewed. These variations are especially prominent between the Northern and Southern parts of India especially. Let's look at a few areas in which various view points exist.

- Birth Star of Planets:
There is a branch of Astrology called DNA Astrology which places a lot of emphasis on the birth star of planets and this information is effectively obtained from a text called "Vichitra Jothidam". But there are also old Bengali texts mentioning about the constellations in which the 9 planets took birth and there appears to be some difference as seen below:

As per Vichitra Jothidam (followed in South):
Sun - Hastha
Moon - Mrigaseera
Mars - Uthara Ashada
Mercury - Dhanishta
Jupiter - Pushya
Venus - Magha
Saturn - Revathi
Rahu - Bharani
Ketu - Ashlesha

As per old Bengali Texts:
Sun - Vishakha & Anuradha
Moon - Krithika & Rohini
Mars - Poorva Ashada & Uthara Ashada
Mercury - Shravana & Dhanishta
Jupiter - Poorva Phalguni & Uthara Phalguni
Venus - Magha
Saturn - Revathi
Rahu - Bharani
Ketu - Ashlesha

Additionally Brahmanda Purana and Vayu Purana has it's own take on the birth stars of planets and the list as per it tallies mostly with Bengali texts with the exception of Venus. However just one birth star is been listed here like Vichitra Jothidam unlike olden bengali texts which provides information that some of the planets were born out of 2 constellations.
Birth stars as per Brahmanda Purana / Vayu Purana:
Sun - Vishakha
Moon - Krithika
Mars - Poorva Ashada
Mercury - Dhanishta
Jupiter - Poorva Phalguni
Venus - Pushya
Saturn - Revathi
Rahu - Bharani (Rohini as per Vayu Purana)
Ketu - Ashlesha (Rohini as per Vayu Purana)

From viewing the above results, these seems to be a consistency maintained only with respect to Saturn, Rahu and Ketu. There is a mismatch especially with respect to Sun, Moon and Jupiter. For Mars, Venus and Mercury again the results don't blend perfectly when seen from all parameters.

- Special Navatara Chakra Scheme:
The Navatara Chakra or the Moon's asterisms play an important role in analysing which constellation plays a favorable role in the life of a native. Though there is no confusion of the Navatara as the name connotes 9 constellations but the total number is considered as 27 in some cases and also 28 in other cases. In South India for instance it's always only 27 stars whereas in pockets of Northern India, the factoring of Abhijit is made making the total as 28 stars. The difference creates an issue in the end result for eg the star which ends up coming as Vainasika pertains to destruction. Now let's say for a native who is born in Punarvasu Nakshatra, the 22nd Nakshatra from it namely Ashwini happens to be the star of destruction as per the 27 tara scheme. However when adopting the special 28 tara method, the Vainasika star changes to Bharani as the 23rd Nakshatra is considered in this case. This results in an altercation in analysis.

- Maraka Lords:
Maragathipathi or Maraka refers to the house lord that can cause a killing effect to the native. In general parlance and as advocated by most texts, the 2nd and 7th lord always end up being the Maraka Lords. However there is another opinion practiced in South which advocates the Maraka Lords based on the nature of the sign depending on whether it is movable, fixed or dual. The lordships associated as Maraka as per this means is as mentioned below:
Movable Sign - 2nd & 7th are Maraka Lords
Fixed Sign - 3rd & 8th are Maraka Lords
Dual Sign - 7th & 11th are Maraka Lords

- Panchanga Lords:
Here again there exists a difference of opinion. With respect to 3 of the elements viz Vara, Nakshatra & Yoga there isn't much headroom though of course there is always a question mark with respect to whether the Nakshatras need to always be as per the Vimshottari Dasa scheme or not. However on Tithi and Karana there is a difference. For eg. in South and backed up by the Kerala Text ''Krishneeyam'',  Sasthi Tithi is ruled by planet Jupiter whereas in the Northern frontier Venus is considered as ruler of Sasthi. Most Tithis undergo a change in the ruler ship lord and similar is the case with Karana. For instance Kaulava Karana is said to be ruled by Saturn in Southern folklore whereas in the Northern regions, it is said to be ruled by Mars.

- Arudha Padas:
Arudha Pada or Bhaveshat Bhavam is largely a Jaimini concept where we calculate the efficacy of a house based on the distance it has moved from it's ownership sign. For instance Arudha Lagna or AL for a Gemini Lagna whose sign owner is Mercury if placed in 8th sign in Capricorn will end up being Leo as we need to move 8 signs from Capricorn to reflect the Arudha Pada. There are some exceptions to this rule which states that Arudha cannot be the same sign as house lord or 7th from it in which case we need to add a further 10 signs to arrive at the result. This exception based rule is mainly followed in certain sections but however these exceptions are also discarded in some traditions with just the resultant Arudha sign taken into account irrespective of it being the same or 7th from it.

- Chara Karaka Basis:
This again is largely a Jaimini concept where significators are listed based on the degrees traversed in a sign by a planet. There is however an unending debate whether 7 planets from Sun to Saturn or an additional 8th planet Rahu also should be included in the framework. The opinions are so widespread on this that most of the times there is a possibility of ending up having the wrong Amatyakaraka or Darakaraka as the case maybe.

- Aspects and Ownership of Rahu/Ketu:
This can safely be assumed that as never going to be solved. There is always a lingering question mark when it comes to these two chaya Grahas and the opinions are always at a juggernaut. Though there is a general view point that Rahu & Ketu both don't possess any aspect, there is a mixed say with respect to the aspects considered in North and South India. In the North, Rahu & Ketu are believed to possess 5,7,9 aspect akin to Jupiter whereas almost everywhere in the South, if indeed aspects are considered only 3,7,11 are taken into account. With regard to ownership, there is a general view that Rahu owns Aquarius and Ketu co-lords Scorpio but this theory does not find much footing in the South where it is largely considered as not owning any houses of it's own in the zodiac.

- Numerology of Planets
Though this is not something explicitly related to Vedic Astrology, there is a linkage of numbers with each planet ruling a specific number from 1 to 9. Here again there is a difference with respect to some of the numbers based on which planet rules them. There is a Nakshatra specialization text called 'Kumaraswamiyam' which mentions the numbers ruled by each of the planets which is different from the norm and adopts the Vimshottari Dasa order beginning from Sun.

Number ruled by Planets (Common System):
1 - Sun
2 - Moon
3 - Jupiter
4 - Rahu
5 - Mercury
6 - Venus
7 - Ketu
8 - Saturn
9 - Mars

Numbers ruled by Planets (As per Kumaraswamiyam following Vimshottari Dasa Sequence):
1 - Sun
2 - Moon
3 - Mars
4 - Rahu
5 - Jupiter
6 - Saturn
7 - Mercury
8 - Ketu
9 - Venus

As you can see above, only numbers 1,2,4 align properly in both systems and there is quite a marked difference when it comes to the other numbers ruled by the planets. Mercury for instance lords #5 as per the common system but is controller of #7 when adopting the other. Likewise Venus undergoes a change moving from 6 to 9 and so do few other planets as well.

Conclusion:
These are some of the major differences of opinions that exist in the framework of a horoscope analysis. With such varied views prevalent, there can always be a question of debate arising and also toppling up the analysis with diverse variations brought into the fray. Further research coupled with intuition is perhaps the only means to bridge the gap to a certain measurable extent.

Navatara Chakra Usage in Vedic Astrology!

The Navatara Chakra forms an important predictive part within the ambit of Vedic Astrology. The word 'Navatara' can be split as 'Nava' meaning Nine and 'Tara' denoting star. In a nutshell, it can be said to be the bifurcation of the 27 Nakshatras into 3 equal parts of 9 stars each. The categorization of the 3 parts are grouped as under:
Janma - First 9 stars beginning from Janma Nakshatra (1 to 9)
Anujanma - Next 9 stars beginning from the 10th Tara from Janma Nakshatra (10 to 18)
Trijanma - Final 9 stars beginning from the 19th Tara from Janma Nakshatra (19 to 27)

The foundation of the whole Navatara Chakra scheme is originated on the basis of the Nakshatra in which Moon is placed in one's birth chart. That particular Nakshatra is termed as the 'Janma Nakshatra'. For instance if one's Moon falls in the Nakshatra of Punarvasu, that happens to be the birth Nakshatra and the 9 stars from Punarvasu upto Swati falls under Janma Group, next 9 stars from Vishakha until Satabisha forms part of Anujanma Group and final 9 stars from Poorva Bhadrapada to Arudra gets classified under Trijanma Group. These groups also come under the tripod of body, mind and soul with the Janma group said to indicate Body Level, Anujanma Group the Mind Level and Trijanma Group Soul Level. Alternatively the Janma group is said to indicate the present, the Anujanma Group the future and the Trijanma Group the past.

The 9 stars in each group have a relevance of it's own having it's own meaning and also ruled by a particular planet viz each of the Navagrahas. Listing below list of the 9 Tara's and it's planet rulership.

1) Janma Tara : Ruled by Sun, Animal - Peacock

2) Sampat Tara : Ruled by Mercury, Animal - Horse

3) Vipat Tara : Ruled by Rahu, Animal - Goat

4) Kshema Tara : Ruled by Jupiter, Animal - Elephant

5) Pratyek Tara : Ruled by Ketu, Animal - Crow

6) Sadhak Tara : Ruled by Moon, Animal - Fox

7) Vadha Tara : Ruled by Saturn, Animal - Lion

8) Mitra Tara : Ruled by Venus, Animal - Eagle

9) Parama Mitra Tara : Ruled by Mars, Animal - Swan

In general, certain Taras are said to be favorable and some unfavorable whereas a couple are of middling variety. The 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Taras are said to be auspicious whereas the 3rd, 5th and 7th Taras are considered inauspicious. The 1st and 9th Taras are said to be neutral. The order of sequence is the same whether followed from Janma, Anujanma or Trijanma Group. Let's look at the meaning of each of these 9 kind of Taras and what they all indicate.

Janma Tara:
This in essence is the birth Nakshatra and establishes one's individuality. The Nakshatra in which Moon is placed in the horoscope happens to be the most important of all Nakshatras. Each of the Nakshatras has an energy manifested within it and the individual is said to strongly connote the significations of these resources based on the moon star one has attained birth. The Janma Tara however is not always favorable and said to denote fickleness of the mind and cause tensions. The mind always tends to be unsteady during days of Janma Nakshatras and it can be related to the prevailing environment when a child is about to take birth which is associated with a lot of difficulty and stress. The default ruler of Janma Tara happens to be Sun.

Sampat Tara:
This denotes all things related with wealth. It is a very favorable Tara and is said to be auspicious for all money related events. It can be loosely related to the 2nd and 11th house of a horoscope which speaks largely about income and profits. The ruler of Sampat Tara is Mercury.

Vipat Tara:
As the name suggests, this translates to all sorts of dangers. It can be with regard to getting hurt, embroiled into issues and all such kind. Vipat Tara is ruled by Rahu.

Kshema Tara:
The word 'Kshemam' as such endorses about being in good health and a comfortable state of mind. Hence this is about the well being of the individual concerned by possessing the requisite vitality and being in good spirits. Kshema Tara is ruled by Jupiter.

Pratyek Tara : (Also called Pratyahari Tara)
This is a negative Tara and denotes all sorts of obstacles. It is said to cause plenty of confusions onto the mind in addition to being a stumbling block with regard to completion of tasks and activities. The ruler of this Tara is Ketu.

Sadhak Tara : (Also called Sadhana Tara)
This talks about all achievements and benefits which one is entitled to. This Tara is also said to be the one in which God's blessings are said to arise. Hence worshiping and offering prayers with respect to the deities and articles denoted by the 6th Tara from Janma Nakshatra is essential to have the Almighty's support. This Tara is ruled by Moon.

Vadha Tara : (Also called Naidhana Tara)
This is an inauspicious Tara and is of a killing nature. It is strewn with negativity and denotes all sorts of denials, ill-luck and misfortune. The ruler of this Tara is Saturn.

Mitra Tara :
This is supposed to be one of the most auspicious Tara in the Navatara sequence, All prosperous things in life in general are associated with this Tara. This Tara is said to showcase the way and provide good clarity to the mind. The 2nd, 4th and 6th Tara confers specific success in related areas but the 8th Tara is said to be a combination of all the favorable instruments and hence following the energies related to the 8th Nakshatra from one's Janma Nakshatra can be extremely fruitful. Mitra Tara is ruled by Venus.

Parama Mitra Tara : (Also called Adi Mitra Tara)
This is said to be an average Tara. Though the meaning is translated as very friendly, it tends to take colors and can be good or bad according to situation. Too much of anything is not said to be beneficial and that is the reason for this Tara attaining a mild negative presence however if used in the right manner can also end up being very beneficial. It is more in line towards community living and social surroundings. Also one thing to note is that since we are dealing with sets of 9, when a particular Tara is favorable from one end, it happens to be unfavorable from the other end. For instance Sadhak Tara is favorable to Janma Nakshatra but the vice versa doesn't hold true as the Janma Tara will end up being 5th from the Sadhaka Tara. This does not happen for Parama Mitra Tara as from it's placement, the Janma Tara always happens to be the 2nd Tara and hence favorable. Parama Mitra Tara is ruled by Mars.

Important Information to Keep in Mind:
Apart from these Nava Taras, there are also certain other Taras from the Janma Nakshatras which have their own meanings and indications. Sometimes they tend to over rule the status of Navatara scheme and supersede them. A good example of the same is this concept of 'Vedha' Nakshatra not to be confused with 'Vadha' which is said to repel a particular Nakshatra and vice versa. In such a scenario, the Navatara sequence will get pushed to the back end. For eg. Magha and Revathi form Vedha with each other. For Revathi, Magha happens to be the 11th Nakshatra indicating Sampat Tara (1+1=2) but since they repel each other, the concept of it being Sampat Tara and conferring wealth will not work as they are enemies by nature. Also, the 17th Nakshatra from Janma Nakshatra indicates 'Chandrashtama' which is when Moon goes into the 8th rasi from itself and said to denote a troubled mind. Now the 17th star happens to be Mitra Tara and in such a case being Chandrashtama and being in 8th rasi, it may not be all that auspicious. Also for instance the 22nd Nakshatra from Janma Nakshatra denotes 'Vainasika' and indicates destruction. The 22nd when added up 2+2 becomes 4 which correlates to Kshema Tara but with regard to 22nd Tara, it is anything but related to good health and only has negative attributes. Hence it's important to factor these special Taras also into play before analyzing the results of the Navataras. In general, the following Taras from the Janma Nakshatra are said to be relatively auspicious as compared to the rest. These are the 2nd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 26th and 27th Taras beginning from the Janma Nakshatra.

Analysis of Navatara in Horoscope:
These Navataras can be used effectively in both Dasas and Transits. We shall look at some examples to understand the concept better.

Dasa Illustration:
Illustration 1:
Let's say a native is born with Rohini Nakshatra being the star of the Moon and currently Jupiter Dasa is running for the native which is placed in it's exaltation Nakshatra of Pushya. It may be believed that Jupiter will confer highly auspicious results as it's sitting in peak exaltation but it should not be forgotten that Pushya happens to the 5th Tara from Janma Nakshatra Rohini and will hence be Pratyek Tara which is said to indicate obstacles in work and causing confusions to the mind. It will compound further if the ruler of the star Pushya which is Saturn is placed in a negative house from Lagna and also in a bad axis like 6/8 from the ruler of Pratyek Tara which is Ketu. However there may be cases when the Bukthi Lords are in favorable Taras from the Janma Nakshatra and hence these specific periods can help ease the relief.

Illustration 2:
Let's say a native is born in Rishaba Lagna in the Janma Nakshatra of Vishaka and is presently running the Dasa of Mercury which is let's say placed in Shravana Nakshatra. Now Shravana happens to be Vadha Tara for Vishaka as it's 7th from it. We need to next see how the lord of Shravana Nakshatra that is Moon is placed with respect to the Lagna. Let's say this Moon is placed in the 6th house in sign of Libra which also happens to be in the 7th sign from Kalapurusha Lagna Mesha. We know 6th house denotes fights and issues whereas 7th house denotes partner or spouse. Thus it can be inferred by blending the two that there could be lots of fights and issues with respective partner. Also Vadha Tara ruler is Saturn and the Vada Tara in this case happens to be Moon (ruler of Shravana Nakshatra). If these two are also negatively placed from each other, say for instance Moon is in 6,8,12 from Saturn, the problems will only accentuate further. Hence best remedy is to appease the Tara in question which is Shravana and donate items related to it in order to reduce the maleficence.

Illustration 3:
Let's say a native is born in Janma Nakshatra of Poorva Bhadrapada and a Dasa of a planet is running now which is sitting in Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra. For Poorva Bhadrapada, Uttara Phalguni happens to be the 15th Nakshatra denoting Sadhak Tara (1+5=6). But there is a catch here as these two Nakshatras are vedha and hence repel each other. So in this case the Nava Tara auspiciousness of the 6th Tara Sadhak won't work and hence the way forward is to avoid all the energies pertaining to Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra and donating 'Puliyogara' rice which is a prasad symbolising Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra.

Transit Illustration:
With regards to transits especially, the lords of the respective Navataras play a crucial role. For instance let's say when Rahu is transiting a Nakshatra which is Vipat to Janma Tara or a Ketu is transiting a Nakshatra which is Pratyek to Janma Tara or a Saturn is transiting a Nakshatra which is Vadha to Janma Tara, lots of troubles can be said to be encountered by the native. Let's say for eg. birth Nakshatra is Hastha and say Rahu is over Swati (3rd Tara) it can cause dangers to native. It doesn't matter even if Swati Nakshatra as such is ruled by Rahu. Likewise let's say if Ketu is transiting over Anuradha or Uttara Bhadra or Pushya which is the 5th Tara from Hastha can cause phenomenal mind confusions. On similar vein Saturn over the 7th stars from Janma Nakshatra be it Janma, Anujanma or Trijanma viz Moola, Ashwini or Magha can cause great strife to the native.

Basic Rules and Clues for interpretation of Navatara:
- Check the Nakshatra where planet placed is operating it's Dasa or Transit.
- See which of the 9 Tara's the particular Nakshatra falls into when counted from Janma Nakshatra.
- If it happens to be 2,4,6,8 positive results can be expected, if in 3,5,7 negative results and if in 1,9 results will be neutral.
- Next check the lordship of the particular Nakshatra which sign it is placed with respect to both Lagna and also the default ruler of the Tara.
- If it is in houses 6,8,12, results can be inauspicious and may need additional measures. If in Kendra or Kona it can said to be auspicious and if in other houses can said to be average.

Explanation: Let's say a person is born in Gemini Ascendant with Moon being placed in the star of Swati. Let's say Mars which is placed in Anuradha in the horoscope is running it's Dasa currently. When counted from Swati, Anuradha happens to be the 3rd star and hence under Vipat Tara. Next we need to check the lord of the star of Anuradha which is Saturn and how it is placed with respect to Lagna and also Rahu which is ruler of Vipat Tara. If Saturn is let's say placed in 10th house of Pisces in Kendra, then from Lagna it doesn't become all that negative but however let's say Rahu is placed in Libra, then this Saturn gets associated in 6/8 axis with the rulership lord of Vipat Tara Rahu and hence problems can be accentuated. The major point of check is however to see which of the Tara's the particular Nakshatra falls into as that's how results get directed. Additional checking of the house position of the lord of the star with respect to the Ascendant and the owner of the particular Tara helps in providing additional respite.