Gandmool nakshatra calculator by date of birth
Check whether a birth falls in one of the six gandmool nakshatras (Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Mula and Revati). Enter the date, time and place of birth to get the birth star, its pada and which junction it belongs to. No time? It shows every nakshatra of the day.
What gandmool nakshatras are
The 27 nakshatras divide the sidereal zodiac into equal parts of 13°20′, and the 12 rashis into parts of 30°. Nine nakshatras make exactly 120°, so the edges of a nakshatra and a rashi coincide at only three points: 0°, 120° and 240°. At each of them a water rashi ends and a fire rashi begins, and the nakshatras on either side are the gandmool (“knot and root”) nakshatras:
- 120°: Ashlesha ends Kark (Cancer) and Magha begins Singh (Leo).
- 240°: Jyeshtha ends Vrishchik (Scorpio) and Mula begins Dhanu (Sagittarius).
- 0°: Revati ends Meen (Pisces) and Ashwini begins Mesh (Aries).
The point itself is called the gandanta. The three nakshatras that end at it are ruled by Mercury and the three that begin there by Ketu, in the Vimshottari order. Together the six cover 80° of the zodiac, so the Moon is in one of them for a little over a fifth of the time.
The six gandmool nakshatras
| Nakshatra | Rashi and span | Ruling planet | Junction pada | Pada syllables (1–4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ashwini अश्विनी | Mesh, 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu | Pada 1 (begins at 0°) | Chu, Che, Cho, La |
| 9. Ashlesha आश्लेषा | Kark, 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury | Pada 4 (ends at 120°) | Di, Du, De, Do |
| 10. Magha मघा | Singh, 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu | Pada 1 (begins at 120°) | Ma, Mi, Mu, Me |
| 18. Jyeshtha ज्येष्ठा | Vrishchik, 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury | Pada 4 (ends at 240°) | No, Ya, Yi, Yu |
| 19. Mula मूल | Dhanu, 0°00′ – 13°20′ | Ketu | Pada 1 (begins at 240°) | Ye, Yo, Bha, Bhi |
| 27. Revati रेवती | Meen, 16°40′ – 30°00′ | Mercury | Pada 4 (ends at 0°) | De, Do, Cha, Chi |
The syllables are the traditional starting sounds for a baby’s name in each pada; the rashi name finder lists names for any of them.
One day across a junction
On 9 January 2024 (IST) the Moon was in Jyeshtha pada 4 until 21:11, when it crossed 240° into Mula pada 1 and from Vrishchik into Dhanu. A baby born that day is gandmool either way, but the nakshatra, rashi and name syllable all depend on the time of birth. On most other days the question is simply whether the Moon is in one of the six.
The gandmool shanti tradition
In many families a birth in a gandmool nakshatra is marked with a gandmool shanti (also called mool shanti) puja. Where it is held, it is usually arranged for the day the Moon returns to the birth nakshatra, about 27 days after the birth. Some classical texts describe the junction more narrowly, as two ghatikas (about 48 minutes) of time on each side of it. Families and regions follow different customs, and many hold no rite at all.
Related tools
- Tithi calculator: the janma tithi, yoga and karana of the same birth.
- Nakshatra and pada calculator: the birth star with its ruling planet and name syllable.
- Rashi calculator by date of birth: the Moon sign first.
- Dasha calculator: the Vimshottari periods that follow from the birth star.
- Mangal dosha calculator: the Lagna and the house of Mars.
- Baby names by nakshatra and the 27 nakshatras explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gandmool nakshatra?
Gandmool (ganda-mula, also written gand mool or gandmool) is the name for the six nakshatras that sit at the three points of the zodiac where a water rashi ends and a fire rashi begins: Ashlesha and Magha (Kark to Singh), Jyeshtha and Mula (Vrishchik to Dhanu), and Revati and Ashwini (Meen to Mesh). A birth with the Moon in one of them is called a gandmool birth.
Which are the 6 gandmool nakshatras?
Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Mula and Revati. Ashlesha, Jyeshtha and Revati are the last nakshatras of Kark, Vrishchik and Meen and are ruled by Mercury; Magha, Mula and Ashwini are the first nakshatras of Singh, Dhanu and Mesh and are ruled by Ketu.
How do I check if my baby is born in a gandmool nakshatra?
Enter the date, time and place (or UTC offset) of birth above. The calculator finds the Moon's sidereal position (Lahiri ayanamsa), names the nakshatra and pada, and says whether it is one of the six. Without a time it lists every nakshatra of that day with the time each began.
What is gandanta?
Gandanta means a junction, a knot. The nakshatra gandanta is the point where Ashlesha meets Magha, Jyeshtha meets Mula and Revati meets Ashwini, at 120°, 240° and 0° of the sidereal zodiac. These are the only three places where the end of a nakshatra and the end of a rashi fall together. Texts also describe a tithi gandanta and a lagna gandanta, built the same way from the end of one group and the start of the next.
Is the whole nakshatra gandmool, or only some padas?
Usage differs. In everyday practice the whole of each of the six nakshatras is counted as gandmool, and that is the verdict this calculator gives. Some astrologers give most weight to the pada that touches the junction (the 4th pada of Ashlesha, Jyeshtha and Revati and the 1st of Magha, Mula and Ashwini), and some classical texts give a narrower window still, two ghatikas (about 48 minutes) of time on either side of the junction. The result shows the pada and the Moon's distance from the junction so you can read it either way.
When is gandmool shanti done?
By tradition a gandmool (or mool) shanti puja, where a family chooses to hold one, is usually arranged on the day the Moon returns to the birth nakshatra, about 27 days after the birth, or on another day a priest chooses. Customs vary by region and family. This page does not recommend any rite.
Does a gandmool birth mean something bad?
No. A gandmool nakshatra is a position of the Moon on the day a child is born, and roughly one birth in four and a half falls in one of these six nakshatras. The customs around it are a matter of tradition and belief. This page reports the astronomical position only and makes no prediction about the child or the family.
Why does another app show a different answer?
Usually because the birth was close to the edge of a nakshatra (the tool warns within half a degree, about an hour of the Moon's motion), a different ayanamsa was used, or the UTC offset was wrong. A panchang's nakshatra for the day is the one at sunrise, not at the moment of birth.
Are my birth details saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent. The details appear in the page address only if you open or copy the share link.