Purva Phalguni is the 11th of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 13°20′ Simha to 26°40′ Simha of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "the former reddish one", its presiding deity is Bhaga, the Aditya of fortune and one's share, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Venus.
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 11 of 27 · Simha (Leo)
Purva Phalguni पूर्व फाल्गुनी
The former reddish one
Presided over by Bhaga, the Aditya of fortune and one's share, and ruled by Venus.
At a glance
TRADITION- Position
- 11th of 27
- Sidereal span
- 13°20′ Simha – 26°40′ Simha
- Sign
- Simha (Leo)
- Planetary lord
- Venus
- Presiding deity
- Bhaga
- Junction star
- δ Leonis
When the Moon is next in Purva Phalguni
Times in UTC · Lahiri ayanamsa · to the nearest minute
- →
- →
- →
- →
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
13°20′ Simha – 16°40′ Simha
Navamsa: Simha
Pada 2
16°40′ Simha – 20°00′ Simha
Navamsa: Kanya
Pada 3
20°00′ Simha – 23°20′ Simha
Navamsa: Tula
Pada 4
23°20′ Simha – 26°40′ Simha
Navamsa: Vrischika
The other Venus 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.