Nakshatra
Jyeshtha nakshatra: Indra, Mercury and the eldest
Jyeshtha (Jyeṣṭhā) is the eighteenth nakshatra and closes sidereal Scorpio, from 16°40' to 30°00'. Indra, king of the gods, is its deity, and Mercury is its Vimshottari lord. The symbol is commonly given as a round earring or an umbrella. In classical muhurta it belongs to the tīkṣṇa, or sharp, class.
Draft · specialist source review requested
What is my Vedic astrology sign?
In most Indian usage your sign means your Moon sign, the rashi the Moon occupied at birth in the sidereal zodiac, not your Western Sun sign. Your nakshatra sits one level more detailed inside that rashi. Someone with a Jyeshtha Moon has a Scorpio (Vrischika) Moon sign, even if their tropical Sun is in Leo. If you only know your tropical chart, compute your sidereal Moon with the nakshatra calculator. The sidereal glossary entry covers the 24-degree difference.
Jyeṣṭhā means "the eldest." Its main star is Antares, the red heart of the scorpion.
| Fact | Jyeshtha |
|---|---|
| Number | 18 of 27 |
| IAST spelling | Jyeṣṭhā |
| Deity | Indra |
| Vimshottari lord | Mercury |
| Symbol (commonly given) | Round earring or umbrella |
| Sidereal span | 16°40'-30°00' Scorpio |
| Rashi | Vrischika (Scorpio), all four padas |
| Muhurta class | Tīkṣṇa (sharp) |
Indra, the eldest's protector
The Bṛhat Saṃhitā gives Indra as Jyeṣṭhā's deity, and the muhurta verse names it by Indra's title Śakra.[32] Indra is the warrior-king who kills the serpent Vṛtra and lets the rivers run. He is also jealous of his throne, and the stories make no secret of it. An umbrella, one of the common symbols, was a royal emblem in India: protection that comes with rank.
Questions about seniority
Responsibility, protectiveness, and a guarded kind of pride come up again and again in Jyeshtha readings. Turn them into prompts:
- Where are you the eldest, by birth or by role, and what does that cost you?
- Who do you protect, and do they want it?
- When you feel your position is threatened, what do you usually do?
Padas and navamsa
| Pada | Sidereal span | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16°40'-20°00' Scorpio | Sagittarius |
| 2 | 20°00'-23°20' Scorpio | Capricorn |
| 3 | 23°20'-26°40' Scorpio | Aquarius |
| 4 | 26°40'-30°00' Scorpio | Pisces |
The last pada meets the start of Sagittarius, a water-to-fire junction that some traditions treat as gandanta and mark with a pacifying rite. That is a ritual custom, not a judgment about anyone.
Muhurta uses
Bṛhat Saṃhitā puts Jyeṣṭhā with Mūla, Ārdrā and Āśleṣā in the tīkṣṇa (sharp) class and lists attack, incantation, raising spirits, binding, killing and causing division.[32] That is the list as the text gives it; this site does not suggest harmful acts. Modern muhurta practice tends to use sharp days for endings, clearing and hard conversations. Practical deadlines come first.
The chant is on the Jyeshtha mantra page. Anuradha comes before and Mula after.
Source review
Indra as deity (verses 4-5) and the tīkṣṇa list naming Jyeṣṭhā as Śakra's (verse 7) come from Bṛhat Saṃhitā chapter 97 in the Sanskrit edition, numbered 98 in the English translation.[32] The gandanta note, English glosses, symbol and prompts are editorial.
Common questions
What is the rashi of Jyeshta nakshatra?
Vrischika, or sidereal Scorpio. All four padas are in Scorpio.
Who is the lord of Jyeshtha nakshatra?
Mercury, under the Vimshottari dasha scheme. Ashlesha and Revati share that lord, and each of the three ends a water sign.
Is Jyeshtha the same as Kettai?
Yes. Kettai is the Tamil name; Jyeshta and Jyestha are other common spellings.
Keep going
Updated 2026-10-12. Traditional interpretations are not predictions.
Sources: [32] https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brihat-samhita-sanskrit/d/doc1218130.html
Vedic lens
What does the Vedic lens add?
Jyeshtha is lunar mansion 18 in the standard 27-part sidereal sequence. Its span is 13 degrees and 20 arcminutes, divided into four padas of 3 degrees and 20 arcminutes. A Moon placement should be calculated in a named ayanamsa before applying a natal interpretation.
In Vimshottari, its starting lord is Mercury. The fraction of the mansion still ahead of the Moon determines the remaining balance of that first major period. This does not mean everyone with a Jyeshtha Moon begins life with a complete Mercury period.
Natal meaning and electional timing answer different questions. A birth placement is not a recommendation to schedule every important activity under the same mansion. Check the current tithi, local time, and the practical deadline separately. Our editorial prompt is to compare one familiar response with a concrete alternative before making a decision; that is a reflection exercise, not a translated classical prediction.
Explore the yoga patterns, major and subperiods, and house-lord connections behind this reading.
How we calculate
Is astrology a guarantee of what will happen?
No. These calculations locate celestial bodies; astrology is a reflection and timing tradition, not evidence of guaranteed health, financial or relationship outcomes.
How are these results calculated?
Positions come from Astronomy Engine, an open-source astronomy library, and are checked against Swiss Ephemeris in our methodology tests. Western readings use the tropical zodiac; Vedic readings subtract the Lahiri ayanamsa. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Next: compare your birth chart, see today's sky, or make a private vision board.