Hasta Nakshatra: Traits, Padas, Career, Marriage and Remedies

Hasta Nakshatra means “hand”, and the five stars of Corvus that mark it in the sky are often pictured as an open palm. It is the thirteenth Nakshatra and lies entirely within Virgo, so the Moon here combines lunar sensitivity with a Mercury sign’s precision. The deity is Savitar, the form of the Sun that rouses the world each morning. Hasta natives are typically quick, skilful and practical, people who think with their hands as much as with their heads.

This guide covers the myth behind Savitar, the meaning of the hand symbol, the four padas, career directions, compatibility factors used in matching, and the traditional uses of Hasta in muhurta. As with every Nakshatra, these are tendencies that the rest of the chart can strengthen or change.

Not sure which Nakshatra you were born under? Find your Nakshatra by date of birth with our free calculator. It also shows your pada, rashi and the traditional first letter for a name.

Hasta Nakshatra at a glance

Attribute	Hasta
Position	13th of 27 Nakshatras
Span (sidereal)	Virgo 10°00′ to Virgo 23°20′
Rashi	Virgo (Kanya), all four padas
Ruling planet	Moon
Deity	Savitar, the sun god as the inspirer and impeller
Symbol	An open hand or a closed fist
Gana	Deva (divine)
Nadi	Adi (Vata)
Yoni	Buffalo (female)
Muhurta nature	Laghu / Kshipra (light, swift)
Name syllables	Pu, Sha, Na, Tha
Sun’s yearly transit	About 27 September to 9 October

Savitar: the Sun that sets things in motion

Savitar is one of the Adityas, but he is not simply the Sun as a ball of light. He is the Sun’s power to stir things into action: the impulse that wakes people at dawn and sends animals out to graze. The most famous verse addressed to him is the Gayatri mantra, which asks Savitar to inspire our thoughts. In several hymns he is described with golden hands, raised to bless creation and to set the day in order.

The link between Savitar and Hasta runs through those golden hands. Hasta is the Nakshatra of applied effort: turning an idea into a working object, a plan into a finished task. Natives often have a strong urge to be productive and feel restless when their hands or minds are idle. Savitar’s role as inspirer also gives Hasta a gift for encouraging others, a teacher’s instinct for showing rather than telling.

What the hand symbol means

A hand can do almost anything: write, heal, build, give, take or hold on. That versatility is the core of Hasta. The open palm suggests craft, service and generosity; the closed fist suggests grip, control and the ability to hold on to resources. Many Hasta natives move between the two, generous with skill and careful with money.

The hand is also the part of the body most associated with reading fortune in Indian tradition, and Hasta is linked with palmistry, crafts and any skill that depends on dexterity. Surgeons, artisans, typists, musicians who play instruments and people who make things by hand all reflect this Nakshatra’s symbol.

Personality

Strengths

• Practical intelligence. Hasta natives learn by doing and solve problems quickly.
• Skill with detail. Virgo’s precision shows in neat work, careful planning and an eye for errors.
• Wit and charm. The Moon and Mercury together give a lively, humorous way of speaking.
• Helpfulness. They like to be useful and often express care through practical help.
• Resourcefulness. They can make a little go a long way, with time and with money.

Challenges

• Restlessness. Idle time can turn into anxiety or nervous energy.
• Overthinking. The Moon in a Mercury sign can worry over small things.
• Controlling tendencies. The closed fist can show up as a need to manage every detail.
• Self-criticism. High standards are easier to apply to oneself than to forgive.

Hasta Nakshatra men and women

Hasta Nakshatra men are traditionally described as clever, hardworking and good with their hands, often skilled in a trade or profession and helpful to friends. They may be restless in youth and settle into confident maturity.

Hasta women are described as charming, practical and well organised, often talented in arts, cooking or design and quick to help others. They tend to manage money carefully and can be strongly attached to family. In both men and women, the Moon’s condition in the chart decides how calm or anxious the Hasta temperament is.

The Moon’s role and your first Mahadasha

Hasta Nakshatra is ruled by the Moon, so natives begin life in the Moon Mahadasha, whose full length is ten years. The balance at birth depends on how much of Hasta the Moon still had to cover. After the Moon period comes Mars for seven years, Rahu for eighteen, Jupiter for sixteen and Saturn for nineteen.

A Moon-ruled Nakshatra means the Moon’s own condition in the chart matters a great deal. A bright, well-placed Moon tends to make Hasta natives calm and confident; a weak or afflicted Moon can make the restless side stronger. You can see your Moon’s degree, Nakshatra and Dasha balance in our free Kundli.

Hasta Nakshatra padas

All four padas of Hasta are in Virgo, but the Navamsa sign changes with each pada and shifts the emphasis.

Pada 1: Virgo 10°00′ to 13°20′ (Aries Navamsa, ruled by Mars)

The most energetic pada. Mars adds initiative and a competitive streak, so these natives like to act quickly and take charge of practical projects. They suit engineering, sports, technical trades and any job that needs fast hands. Name syllable: Pu.

Pada 2: Virgo 13°20′ to 16°40′ (Taurus Navamsa, ruled by Venus)

Venus brings taste and patience. This pada favours crafts, design, cooking, jewellery and work with fabrics or materials. Natives are often good with money and enjoy comfort. Name syllable: Sha.

Pada 3: Virgo 16°40′ to 20°00′ (Gemini Navamsa, ruled by Mercury)

With Mercury ruling both the sign and the Navamsa, this is the most communicative pada. It suits writing, teaching, accounting, trading and any job that combines skill with words or numbers. Name syllable: Na.

Pada 4: Virgo 20°00′ to 23°20′ (Cancer Navamsa, ruled by the Moon)

The Moon rules both the Nakshatra and the Navamsa here, which makes this pada the most emotional and caring. It favours nursing, hospitality, caregiving, food and family businesses. Natives are sensitive and protective of the people close to them. Name syllable: Tha.

Choosing a name from these syllables? Browse our baby names by Nakshatra list.

Career

Hasta Nakshatra suits careers where skill can be seen and measured. Natives usually prefer jobs with tangible results to purely abstract roles. Commonly suitable fields include:

• Surgery, dentistry, physiotherapy and other hands-on healthcare work
• Crafts, design, tailoring, jewellery and fine arts
• Accounting, data work, editing and quality control
• Teaching and coaching, especially practical subjects
• Trade, sales and small businesses
• Palmistry, astrology and traditional healing arts

Hasta natives often build a reputation through consistent good work rather than self-promotion. They do well in roles where they can improve a process, fix what is broken or teach a skill they have mastered.

Love, marriage and compatibility

In relationships Hasta natives are attentive and practical. They show love by doing things: cooking, organising, remembering what a partner needs. They value humour and intelligent conversation, and they can be put off by partners who are careless or chaotic. The restless side needs a partner who gives them room to stay busy without reading it as distance.

Some Guna Milan factors follow directly from Hasta’s attributes:

• Yoni (4 points): the buffalo yoni scores highest with Swati, the male buffalo. The horse is the traditional enemy of the buffalo, so matches with Ashwini and Shatabhisha lose points here.
• Gana (6 points): as a Deva Nakshatra it matches well with other Deva Nakshatras such as Ashwini, Pushya, Anuradha, Shravana and Revati.
• Nadi (8 points): Hasta is Adi Nadi. A partner from another Adi Nadi Nakshatra (Ashwini, Ardra, Punarvasu, Uttara Phalguni, Jyeshtha, Mula, Shatabhisha or Purva Bhadrapada) creates Nadi Dosha.

For the full eight-kuta score of a couple, use our Kundli matching tool.

Health and wellbeing

Traditionally Hasta is linked with the hands and, through Virgo, with digestion and the nervous system. The Vata nadi points to habits that calm a busy mind: regular routines, warm meals and time away from screens. Many Hasta natives benefit from hobbies that use the hands, such as gardening, music or craft. For health problems, always consult a qualified doctor.

Using Hasta Nakshatra for muhurta

Hasta Nakshatra belongs to the Laghu or Kshipra (light, swift) group, along with Ashwini and Pushya. These Nakshatras are chosen for activities that should start smoothly and move quickly:

• Starting a course of study or learning a new skill
• Beginning a trade, opening a shop or launching a product
• Travel and short journeys
• Crafts, art and making jewellery
• Starting a course of treatment, with medical advice

The rest of the Panchang still matters. Check the tithi, weekday and yoga for your city on our daily Panchang before fixing a date.

Remedies and supportive practices

• Strengthen the Moon. Regular sleep, time near water and respect for one’s mother are traditional Moon remedies. The Moon’s beej mantra is Om Shraam Shreem Shraum Sah Chandraya Namah.
• Recite the Gayatri mantra. It is addressed to Savitar, Hasta’s deity, and is the most widely used practice for this Nakshatra, especially at sunrise.
• Use the hands with intention. Craft, cooking for others or any skilled service is considered a natural way to work with Hasta’s energy.
• Gemstones only after a chart check. Pearl is the Moon’s stone, but whether it suits you depends on the Moon’s role in your chart.

Hasta in tradition

In Kerala, the ten-day Onam festival begins on Atham, the Malayalam name for Hasta, in the month of Chingam, and ends on Thiruvonam, which is Shravana. Floral carpets (pookalam) are laid from Atham onwards and grow larger each day. In north and east India, the rains that fall while the Sun is in Hasta, in late September and early October, are known as Hathiya and are watched closely by farmers because they decide the moisture for the winter crop.

When the Moon transits Hasta Nakshatra

The Moon spends about a day in Hasta each month. As a swift Nakshatra, these days are traditionally chosen for things that should get off to a quick, smooth start: the first lesson of a course, opening a shop counter, a short business trip, or starting a craft project. Craftspeople in some regions prefer Hasta days to begin new pieces of work.

It is also a practical day for tidying loose ends, finishing paperwork and making things with your hands. Mondays that coincide with Hasta are considered good for Moon remedies and for visiting a temple near water.

For your own birth star, the day the Moon returns to it is your Janma Tara. In Tara Bala, the system that compares the day’s Nakshatra with your birth Nakshatra, the Janma Tara is traditionally avoided for major new beginnings such as signing a large contract, although in South India the same day in your birth month is celebrated as your star birthday. You can check the day’s Nakshatra on our daily Panchang.

Frequently asked questions

Which rashi is Hasta Nakshatra in?

All four padas of Hasta are in Virgo (Kanya), so every Hasta native has the Moon in Virgo.

What are the name letters for Hasta Nakshatra?

The padas give Pu, Sha, Na and Tha in order.

Is Hasta a lucky Nakshatra?

Hasta is considered favourable for starting work, learning and trade because it belongs to the swift group. Whether it brings good results for a person depends on the whole chart, especially the Moon.

Which Nakshatra is the best match for Hasta?

On Yoni, Swati scores highest. On Gana, Deva Nakshatras match well. Avoid relying on one factor: Nadi Dosha with Adi Nadi Nakshatras and the other kutas also matter.

What is Hasta’s first Mahadasha?

The Moon Mahadasha, with a balance of up to ten years depending on the Moon’s position at birth.

Hasta comes after Uttara Phalguni and before Chitra, the Nakshatra of the divine architect. To find your own birth star, try the Nakshatra calculator.