The 27 Nakshatras—Lunar Mansions

The Sanskrit word Nakshatra means “that which does not decay.” The 27 Nakshatras represent consciousness and each Nakshatra represents a particular quality of consciousness. The Nakshatras permeate the whole universe and influence the quality of the Rashi in which they are positioned. In the same way the quality of the Graha depends to some extent on the Nakshatra in which it is positioned. In the Maharishi Jyotish program, the 27 Nakshatras are represented as 27 equal segments of a circle, each covering 13 degrees 20 minutes. The sequence of the 27 Nakshatras begins with Ashvini Nakshatra in Mesha Rashi.