Nakshatra
Mrigashira nakshatra: Soma, Mars and the deer
Mrigashira (Mṛgaśīrṣa) is the fifth nakshatra, running from 23°20' sidereal Taurus to 6°40' Gemini. Its first two padas are in Taurus and the last two in Gemini. The deity is Soma, the Moon god, and the Vimshottari lord is Mars. The symbol is commonly given as a deer's head, and its muhurta class is mṛdu, or soft.
Draft · specialist source review requested
The name means "deer's head," and the nakshatra is usually read through the deer: alert, curious, always on the move toward the next patch of grass. I like this one because the tradition gives it a searching quality without making it anxious.
What is my nakshatra by date of birth?
A date narrows it down, but the Moon spends only about a day in each nakshatra, so a birth time and place are what settle the answer. On a day when the Moon moves from Rohini into Mrigashira, two people born twelve hours apart can belong to different nakshatras. Nakshatras are counted in the sidereal zodiac. If your chart is tropical, compute your sidereal Moon with the nakshatra calculator; the glossary entry on sidereal explains the difference.
| Fact | Mrigashira |
|---|---|
| Number | 5 of 27 |
| IAST spelling | Mṛgaśīrṣa |
| Deity | Soma |
| Vimshottari lord | Mars |
| Symbol (commonly given) | Deer's head |
| Sidereal span | 23°20' Taurus-6°40' Gemini |
| Rashi | Vrishabha (padas 1-2), Mithuna (padas 3-4) |
| Muhurta class | Mṛdu (soft) |
Soma and the search
Soma is Mṛgaśīrṣa's deity in the Bṛhat Saṃhitā's sequence, and the muhurta verse calls it aindava, "belonging to the Moon."[32] Soma is both the Moon and the ritual drink of the Vedas, pressed from a plant nobody has identified for certain. A god who is also a substance people went looking for suits a nakshatra named after a deer.
Associations to test
Curiosity, restlessness, gentleness, a habit of looking for the next thing. Try them against your own life:
- What are you looking for at the moment, and would you recognize it if you found it?
- Where does curiosity help you, and where does it keep you from finishing?
- Who do you approach gently that might need you to be direct?
Padas and navamsa
| Pada | Sidereal span | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23°20'-26°40' Taurus | Leo |
| 2 | 26°40'-30°00' Taurus | Virgo |
| 3 | 0°00'-3°20' Gemini | Libra |
| 4 | 3°20'-6°40' Gemini | Scorpio |
Muhurta uses
Bṛhat Saṃhitā lists Anurādhā, Citrā, Revatī and Mṛgaśīrṣa as mṛdu (soft) and gives them friendship, lovemaking, clothing, ornaments, auspicious ceremonies and song.[32] In practice that means social and decorative starts: buying clothes for an event, meeting a new friend, a first music lesson. Real deadlines outrank the calendar.
The verse text is on the Mrigashira mantra page. Rohini comes before it and Ardra after.
Source review
Soma as deity and the mṛdu activity list come from Bṛhat Saṃhitā chapter 97, verses 4-5 and 10, in the Sanskrit edition (98 in the English translation).[32] The symbol, the English glosses and the prompts are editorial.
Common questions
Is Mrigashira nakshatra Taurus or Gemini?
Padas 1 and 2 are in sidereal Taurus (Vrishabha) and padas 3 and 4 are in sidereal Gemini (Mithuna). The rashi depends on which pada the Moon occupies.
Who is the lord of Mrigashira nakshatra?
Mars, in the Vimshottari dasha scheme. Chitra and Dhanishtha also have Mars as lord, and all three straddle two signs.
Are Mrigashira and Mrigasira the same?
Yes. Mrigasira, Mrigashirsha and Mriga are spelling and regional variants of the same nakshatra.
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?
Mrigashira is lunar mansion 5 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 Mars. 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 Mrigashira Moon begins life with a complete Mars 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.