Punarvasu is the 7th of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 20°00′ Mithuna to 3°20′ Karka of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "return of the light", its presiding deity is Aditi, the boundless mother of the Adityas, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Jupiter.

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 7 of 27 · Mithuna (Gemini) / Karka (Cancer)

Punarvasu पुनर्वसु

Return of the light

Presided over by Aditi, the boundless mother of the Adityas, and ruled by Jupiter.

At a glance

TRADITION
Position
7th of 27
Sidereal span
20°00′ Mithuna – 3°20′ Karka
Sign
Mithuna (Gemini) → Karka (Cancer)
Planetary lord
Jupiter
Presiding deity
Aditi
Junction star
Pollux (β Geminorum)

When the Moon is next in Punarvasu

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

20°00′ Mithuna – 23°20′ Mithuna

Navamsa: Mesha

Pada 2

23°20′ Mithuna – 26°40′ Mithuna

Navamsa: Vrishabha

Pada 3

26°40′ Mithuna – 30°00′ Mithuna

Navamsa: Mithuna

Pada 4

0°00′ Karka – 3°20′ Karka

Navamsa: Karka

The other Jupiter 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.