Ashlesha Nakshatra is the coiled serpent, ruled by Mercury and closing the water sign on a gandanta. Its four padas, its Mercury dasha, and what the embrace really means.

Magha Nakshatra is Regulus, the royal throne, ruled by Ketu with the ancestors as its deity. Its four padas, its Ketu dasha, and the inheritance it asks you to carry.

Purva Phalguni Nakshatra is the front legs of the bed, ruled by Venus with Bhaga as its deity. Its four padas, its vargottama first quarter, and its long Venus dasha.

Pushya Nakshatra is widely called the most auspicious of the twenty-seven. Its four padas, the Saturn-Jupiter tension at its centre, and Guru's exaltation in its first pada.

Mrigashira Nakshatra is the deer's head, split evenly between Taurus and Gemini under Mars. Its four padas, its Mars dasha, and the restlessness it is named for.

Ardra Nakshatra is Betelgeuse, ruled by Rahu with Rudra the storm god as its deity. Its four padas, its long Rahu dasha, and the clearing that follows the destruction.

Punarvasu Nakshatra is Castor and Pollux, ruled by Jupiter with Aditi as its deity. Its four padas include the only consecutive vargottama pair in the zodiac.

Rohini Nakshatra is Aldebaran, the Moon's own favourite among the twenty-seven. Its four padas, its ten-year Moon dasha, and why the tradition treats it as the most fertile star.

Bharani Nakshatra sits in Aries under Venus, ruled by Yama and symbolised by the womb. Its four padas, its twenty-year Venus dasha, and why it is the star of limits.

Ashwini Nakshatra opens the zodiac at 0° Aries, ruled by Ketu and named for the twin physicians of the gods. Its four padas, its dasha, and the gandanta it begins on.

Krittika Nakshatra is the Pleiades, ruled by the Sun with Agni as deity. It straddles Aries and Taurus, holds the Moon's exaltation, and opens the shortest dasha of the nine.

A working guide to the 27 nakshatras in Vedic astrology: what each one is, how the 108 padas are derived, and why the birth star decides which dasha a life opens in.