The name syllables of the four padas of Magha are Ma (मा) for the first pada, Mi (मी) for the second, Mu (मू) for the third and Me (मे) for the fourth. All four padas are in Leo (Simha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Leo (Simha) as its name rashi. Magha spans 0° to 13°20′ Simha in the zodiac; in the Vimshottari order its graha is Ketu, and its deities are the Pitars (ancestors).
The 4 padas (charan) of Magha: name letters and rashi
| Pada | Name letter | Rashi | Degrees in the rashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | माMa | Leo (Simha) | 0°–3°20′ |
| 2 | मीMi | Leo (Simha) | 3°20′–6°40′ |
| 3 | मूMu | Leo (Simha) | 6°40′–10° |
| 4 | मेMe | Leo (Simha) | 10°–13°20′ |
Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ and each of its four padas 3°20′. To find the rashi of any name from its first letter: Rashi by name
Previous nakshatra: AshleshaNext nakshatra: Purva PhalguniAll 27 nakshatras
- Order
- 10th of 27
- In the zodiac
- 0° to 13°20′ Simha120°–133°20′ from the start of Mesha
- Rashi
- Leo (Simha): all four padas
- Deity
- the Pitars (ancestors)
- Gand mool
- One of the six gand mool nakshatras (the Ashlesha-Magha junction)When gand mool falls: dates and times
The Moon is in Magha now
- from Tuesday, 6 October 2026, 10:18 PM to Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 9:41 PMNow
- from Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 3:47 AM to Wednesday, 4 November 2026, 3:27 AM
- from Monday, 30 November 2026, 9:43 AM to Tuesday, 1 December 2026, 9:01 AM
- from Sunday, 27 December 2026, 6:05 PM to Monday, 28 December 2026, 4:34 PM
- from Sunday, 24 January 2027, 4:54 AM to Monday, 25 January 2027, 2:42 AM
- from Saturday, 20 February 2027, 4:08 PM to Sunday, 21 February 2027, 1:51 PM
Times are Indian Standard Time; the Moon enters and leaves a nakshatra at the same moment all over India. They agree with Drik Panchang within 2 minutes. Today’s panchang
Where the lists differ
- Books and lists write the vowel of some syllables long or short (वू/वु, चू/चु). The Avakahada chakra counts अ-आ, इ-ई, उ-ऊ, ए-ऐ and ओ-औ as one, so the pada stays the same.
Magha Nakshatra: questions and answers
Which letter should a name begin with in Magha Nakshatra?
By tradition the syllable of the pada of Magha that the Moon is in at birth begins the name: Ma (मा) in the first pada, Mi (मी) in the second, Mu (मू) in the third and Me (मे) in the fourth. The pada follows from the date, time and place of birth; SanatanBodh’s birth panchang works it out.
What are the 4 padas (charan) of Magha Nakshatra?
The four padas of Magha span 3°20′ each: the 1st from 0° to 3°20′ in Leo (Simha), syllable Ma (मा); the 2nd from 3°20′ to 6°40′ in Leo (Simha), syllable Mi (मी); the 3rd from 6°40′ to 10° in Leo (Simha), syllable Mu (मू); the 4th from 10° to 13°20′ in Leo (Simha), syllable Me (मे).
Which nakshatra comes after Magha?
In the order of the 27 nakshatras Purva Phalguni (11) comes after Magha (10), and Ashlesha (9) comes before it. The Moon passes the nakshatras in this order, one after another.
Which rashi is Magha Nakshatra in?
Magha spans 0° to 13°20′ Simha in the zodiac (120°–133°20′ counted from the start of Mesha). All four padas are in Leo (Simha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Leo (Simha) as its name rashi. Each rashi holds nine nakshatra padas: the 108 padas of the 27 nakshatras in 12 rashis.
What are the graha and the deity of Magha Nakshatra?
In the Vimshottari order the graha of Magha is Ketu, which is also the graha of Ashwini and Mula (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46). In the Brihat Samhita (chapter 98) the deities of Magha are the Pitars (ancestors).
How long is the Moon in Magha?
About a day. The Moon’s speed varies, so it takes about 21 to 27 hours to cross the 13°20′, and it comes back to Magha about 27 days later (our calculation, 2026–27). The moments are the same all over India.
Sources
- Name syllables: Brihad Avakahada Chakram, Nakshatra Prakarana, Shatapada Chakra verses 9–15 (archive.org); Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), pp. 22–24; Drik Panchang, nakshatra pada swar siddhanta
- Nine nakshatra padas to a rashi: Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), p. 26; the span of each nakshatra: Drik Panchang’s nakshatra pages (drikpanchang.com/tutorials/nakshatra/)
- Graha: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46, verses 12–14 (counted from Krittika: Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus), R. Santhanam’s English translation, vol. 2, pp. 507–508; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra and navagraha pages
- Deity: Varahamihira, Brihat Samhita, chapter 98, verses 4–5, English translation by V. Subrahmanya Sastri and M. Ramakrishna Bhat (Bangalore, 1946), p. 742; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra lists (Swami) and nakshatra pages
- The Moon entering and leaving each nakshatra: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha); compared with Drik Panchang’s 2026 and 2027 nakshatra lists (New Delhi), every time within 2 minutes (4 October 2026)
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