Nakshatra
Vishakha nakshatra: Indra-Agni, Jupiter and goals
Vishakha (Viśākhā) is the sixteenth nakshatra, from 20°00' sidereal Libra to 3°20' Scorpio. Padas 1 to 3 are in Libra and pada 4 is in Scorpio. It has a paired deity, Indra and Agni, and Jupiter is its Vimshottari lord. Its symbol is commonly given as a triumphal arch or a potter's wheel.
Draft · specialist source review requested
Viśākhā is the only nakshatra with two gods sharing the job. Indra, king of the gods, and Agni, the sacred fire, are paired here as Indrāgni, and the nakshatra is read through that double drive.
| Fact | Vishakha |
|---|---|
| Number | 16 of 27 |
| IAST spelling | Viśākhā |
| Deity | Indra and Agni |
| Vimshottari lord | Jupiter |
| Symbol (commonly given) | Triumphal arch or potter's wheel |
| Sidereal span | 20°00' Libra-3°20' Scorpio |
| Rashi | Tula (padas 1-3), Vrischika (pada 4) |
| Muhurta class | Usually given as miśra (mixed); see below |
Two gods, one goal
The Bṛhat Saṃhitā lists Indra and Agni together as Viśākhā's deity.[32] Indra wins battles; Agni carries the offering. Put them together and you get the usual Vishakha themes of ambition and focus, a goal pursued with heat. The triumphal arch in modern lists is the finish line. The potter's wheel, the other common symbol, is the patience it takes to get there.
Prompts about wanting things
- What goal have you carried for years, and is it still yours?
- Who do you compete with, openly or not?
- What would you give up to reach the arch, and what would you refuse to give up?
Is Vedic astrology more accurate?
Neither system has shown predictive accuracy in controlled tests, so "more accurate" is the wrong measure. They answer different questions. Western astrology mostly uses the tropical zodiac, tied to the seasons; Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, tied to the stars, and adds tools such as nakshatras and dashas. Choose by which framework helps you reflect. Nakshatras are sidereal only, so tropical-only readers should compute a sidereal Moon with the nakshatra calculator; sidereal explains the gap.
| Pada | Sidereal span | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20°00'-23°20' Libra | Aries |
| 2 | 23°20'-26°40' Libra | Taurus |
| 3 | 26°40'-30°00' Libra | Gemini |
| 4 | 0°00'-3°20' Scorpio | Cancer |
Muhurta uses
Viśākhā does not appear in the Bṛhat Saṃhitā muhurta verses this site has checked. Later manuals usually call it and Krittika miśra, mixed, suited to ordinary work rather than major beginnings. Treat that as common practice that a specialist still needs to source. Practical deadlines always win.
The verse for this nakshatra is on the Vishakha mantra page. Swati comes before and Anuradha after.
Source review
Indra and Agni as the paired deity come from Bṛhat Saṃhitā chapter 97, verses 4-5, Sanskrit edition (98 in the English translation).[32] The miśra class, the etymology, the symbol and the prompts are not from that text.
Common questions
Who is the lord of Vishakha nakshatra?
Jupiter, under the Vimshottari dasha scheme. Punarvasu and Purva Bhadrapada share that lord, and all three cross from one sign into the next.
What is the rashi of Vishakha nakshatra?
Tula (sidereal Libra) for padas 1 to 3, and Vrischika (sidereal Scorpio) for pada 4.
What does Vishakha mean?
It means "forked" or "branched," usually explained as a branch with two prongs, which matches its two deities.
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?
Vishakha is lunar mansion 16 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 Jupiter. 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 Vishakha Moon begins life with a complete Jupiter 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.