Anuradha Nakshatra अनुराधा
Anuradha, ruled by Saturn and Mitra god of friendship, is devotion, cooperation and success through relationships. It gives loyalty, organising power and the ability to thrive far from home.
What is Anuradha nakshatra?
Anuradha (अनुराधा) is the 17th of the 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions), spanning 3°20' Scorpio – 16°40' Scorpio in the sidereal zodiac. Its ruling planet is Saturn and its presiding deity is Mitra; its symbol, the lotus / staff, captures its essence — the friend. In Vedic astrology the nakshatra your Moon occupies at birth (your Janma nakshatra) shapes your instincts far more precisely than the twelve rashis alone.
Symbol, deity and meaning
The lotus / staff and the deity Mitra give Anuradha its character: It gives loyalty, organising power and the ability to thrive far from home. As a Deva (temperament class) and a Tamas-guna star, it leans toward refinement and higher aims.
The four padas of Anuradha
Each nakshatra divides into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′, and each pada carries a different navamsa (D9) flavour — which is why two people in the same nakshatra can differ. Anuradha’s padas:
Anuradha personality and temperament
Strengths: Loyalty, cooperation, devotion. Challenges: Melancholy, dependency, jealousy. At its best Anuradha expresses the friend with grace; under stress the same energy can tip into the shadow side above.
Career and vocation
Anuradha energy suits: Management, diplomacy, group work, counselling, spirituality. These fields let the Saturn-ruled, Mitra-blessed nature of the star do its best work.
Remedies and spiritual note
To strengthen Anuradha, tradition points to honouring its lord Saturn and its deity Mitra — through the relevant mantra, day and charity, and by keeping or offering its auspicious items (blue sapphire, lotus flowers, black sesame, iron, blue cloth, a sesame-oil lamp). Because these remedies work best when matched to your whole chart (which houses Saturn rules for you, its dignity, your running dasha), treat this as a starting point, not a prescription.
Name syllables (Nama akshara)
Babies born under Anuradha are traditionally named with a starting sound from one of its four padas — Na, Ne, Nu, Ne. Each pada maps to one syllable, so the exact sound follows the pada your Moon occupied at birth. It is a naming custom, not a rule; many families use it as a gentle guide.
Mitra & Param Mitra — Anuradha’s friendly stars
In the Tara Bala cycle — the nine-fold rhythm that measures how one nakshatra sits with another — a few stars fall as Mitra (friend) and Param Mitra (best friend, also called Ati Mitra) to Anuradha. These are its most supportive, harmonious nakshatras: gentle allies whose energy tends to help rather than hinder.
Items: Blue sapphire, lotus flowers, black sesame, iron, blue cloth, a sesame-oil lamp
Param Mitra — best-friend stars
Items: Yellow sapphire, turmeric, a ghee lamp, yellow flowers, gold, black sesame
Items: Yellow sapphire, turmeric, yellow flowers, gram (chana), gold, tulsi leaves
Items: Yellow sapphire, ghee, turmeric, yellow flowers, gold, a clay pot
Mitra — friend stars
Shatabhisha, Ardra, Swati — friendly, easy-going stars for Anuradha, a step below the param-mitra bond.
How to draw on your param-mitra tara
A traditional, supportive practice: keep, wear or offer the items and symbols tied to your param-mitra nakshatras, and favour their themes for gentle or important activities on days the Moon transits them. The idea is to surround yourself with harmonious, friendly energy — a small ritual of intention. Treat it as a calming, time-honoured custom, not a guaranteed outcome; the real weight always sits with your full chart and running dasha.
Frequently asked questions
Which planet rules Anuradha nakshatra?
Anuradha is ruled by Saturn (its Vimshottari dasha lord), with Mitra as its presiding deity. Its symbol is the lotus / staff.
Which rashi does Anuradha fall in?
Anuradha spans 3°20' Scorpio – 16°40' Scorpio — that is Scorpio. Its four padas can fall across Scorpio depending on the exact degree.
What are the traits of Anuradha natives?
Anuradha, ruled by Saturn and Mitra god of friendship, is devotion, cooperation and success through relationships. It gives loyalty, organising power and the ability to thrive far from home. It is a Deva gana, Tamas-guna star of Pitta temperament. Strengths: loyalty, cooperation, devotion. Watch-outs: melancholy, dependency, jealousy.
Is my Moon in Anuradha nakshatra?
Your birth (Janma) nakshatra is the nakshatra your Moon occupied at birth — it needs your date, time and place. Cast a free Vedic chart to find your Moon's nakshatra and pada exactly.
Is your Moon in Anuradha? Your birth nakshatra and pada shape your mind and instincts — find yours and read the full picture.