Jyeshtha is the 18th of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 16°40′ Vrischika to 30°00′ Vrischika of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "the eldest", its presiding deity is Indra, the king of the gods, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Mercury.

The span is calculated with the Lahiri ayanamsa. The name, deity, lord and junction star are traditional and cited below; they describe a cultural system, not a measured influence.

Nakshatra 18 of 27 · Vrischika (Scorpio)

Jyeshtha ज्येष्ठा

The eldest

Presided over by Indra, the king of the gods, and ruled by Mercury.

At a glance

TRADITION
Position
18th of 27
Sidereal span
16°40′ Vrischika – 30°00′ Vrischika
Sign
Vrischika (Scorpio)
Planetary lord
Mercury
Presiding deity
Indra
Junction star
Antares (α Scorpii)

When the Moon is next in Jyeshtha

Times in UTC · Lahiri ayanamsa · to the nearest minute

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The four padas

Each pada is a quarter of 3°20′. The 108 padas of the zodiac cycle through the twelve signs in order, giving each pada its navamsa (D9) sign.

Pada 1

16°40′ Vrischika – 20°00′ Vrischika

Navamsa: Dhanus

Pada 2

20°00′ Vrischika – 23°20′ Vrischika

Navamsa: Makara

Pada 3

23°20′ Vrischika – 26°40′ Vrischika

Navamsa: Kumbha

Pada 4

26°40′ Vrischika – 30°00′ Vrischika

Navamsa: Meena

The other Mercury mansions

The nine lords repeat three times around the zodiac, so each lord rules three mansions, 120° apart.

Sources

  • Taittirīya Saṃhitā 4.4.10 — the Vedic list of nakshatras with their presiding deities. Keith, A. B. (Trans.). (1914). The Veda of the Black Yajus School entitled Taittiriya Sanhita (Part 2). Harvard University Press. Read the translation
  • Sūrya Siddhānta, chapter 8 — the asterisms and their junction stars. Burgess, E. (Trans.). (1858–1860). Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta, a text-book of Hindu astronomy. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 6. Read the translation
  • Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, Vimśottarī daśā chapter — the nine planetary lords in nakshatra order. Santhanam, R. (Trans.). (1984). Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (Vol. 2). Ranjan Publications.

Junction-star identifications differ between texts and commentators. English meanings are approximate renderings of the Sanskrit name.