Short answer: Hasta Nakshatra is the thirteenth birth star, lying from 10°00′ to 23°20′ of Virgo. The Moon is its lord, Savitr, the Sun at sunrise, is its deity, and its symbol is an open hand. It is a deva gana star. Hasta natives are skilful, practical, witty and resourceful, good at making things and making things work.
Updated 8 November 2026
What does Hasta Nakshatra mean?
Hasta simply means hand. The five bright stars of this group, which Western astronomers call Corvus, were seen as the five fingers. A hand is how we make, give, take, heal, write and bless. So Hasta is a star of skill and of doing: craftsmanship, handwriting, cooking, surgery, sleight of hand, and the simple competence of someone who knows how to fix the tap.
Savitr, the deity, is the Sun at the moment of rising, the light that wakes people up and sets them to work. He is the god addressed in the Gayatri mantra. That link gives Hasta its hopeful, get-on-with-it quality. Hasta natives rarely sit and brood for long; they find something useful to do with their hands and feel better for it.
Hasta sits in the middle of Virgo, the sign of detail and service. Its neighbours and lords are listed on my nakshatra guide with the full table.
Hasta Nakshatra key facts
| Feature | Hasta |
|---|---|
| Number | 13 of 27 |
| Span | 10°00′ to 23°20′ Virgo (Kanya) |
| Star lord | Moon (Chandra) |
| Sign lord | Mercury |
| Deity | Savitr, the rising Sun |
| Symbol | An open hand or palm |
| Gana | Deva |
| Yoni (animal) | Buffalo, female |
| Nadi | Adi |
Moon and Mercury together give a quick, clever, adaptable mind with a good memory. The Moon adds feeling and imagination, Mercury adds technique. That is why Hasta natives are so often good at crafts that need both, like cooking, painting or tailoring, where feel and method meet.
The four padas of Hasta and their syllables
| Pada | Virgo degrees | Navamsa | Letter | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10°00′ to 13°20′ | Aries | Pu (पू) | Drive and initiative; good at starting projects |
| 2 | 13°20′ to 16°40′ | Taurus | Sha (ष) | Patience and taste; holds Mercury’s exaltation point at 15° |
| 3 | 16°40′ to 20°00′ | Gemini | Na (ण) | Wit, speech, trade and writing |
| 4 | 20°00′ to 23°20′ | Cancer | Tha (ठ) | Care, feeling and family focus |
Pada 2 has a technical point I always check. Mercury, the sign lord, is exalted at exactly 15° Virgo, which lies inside this pada. A Mercury there in the birth chart is at its classical best, and a Moon there sits right beside that point. Pada 3, with a Gemini navamsa, is the most talkative and commercial; these are the natural salespeople and storytellers. Pada 4 is the gentlest.
The second, third and fourth syllables (ष, ण and ठ) rarely start Indian names, so families with a Hasta child often use Pu for any pada, giving names like Pooja or Pushkar, or choose from the Virgo rashi letters instead.
What are Hasta natives like?
- Good with their hands. Cooking, drawing, repairs, music, typing, surgery: there is usually one craft they are quietly excellent at.
- Practical problem-solvers. They want to fix the issue, not talk about it for an hour.
- Witty. The Mercury side gives a quick, dry sense of humour.
- Hard workers who like a clear result at the end of the day.
- Restless when idle. Long stretches with nothing to do make them anxious.
The weak spot is worry. Mercury and the Moon in a sign of detail can turn into overthinking, especially about health, money or what others think. Busy hands are the best cure, which conveniently is what this star is good at.
Careers that suit Hasta Nakshatra
The hand gives a long list. I see Hasta natives do well in surgery, dentistry, physiotherapy and massage therapy; in handicrafts, tailoring, jewellery making and painting; in cooking and food businesses; in writing, editing, typing and coding; in accounting and bookkeeping; and in small trade, where a good salesperson’s hands-on manner wins the customer. Many are also good teachers of practical skills.
In muhurat, Hasta is one of the kshipra or swift stars, along with Ashwini and Pushya. That makes it a good star for starting trade, travel, treatment or a short course. It is also one of the stars used for wedding dates, which says something about how well it was thought of.
Moon mahadasha at birth: the Hasta timeline
Every Hasta native begins in Moon mahadasha, ten years in all. A Moon early in Hasta leaves most of those ten years, so childhood often feels gentle and home-centred. Seven years of Mars follow, then eighteen of Rahu, which for most Hasta natives covers higher studies, first jobs and often marriage.
That long Rahu stretch, arriving in the teens or twenties, explains why many Hasta natives take an unusual career turn early, often into technology or a trade their family never knew. The Moon’s own period comes back only after the full 120-year cycle, so for most people it is the opening chapter only; its general shape is on my Moon mahadasha page.
Hasta Nakshatra in marriage and kundli matching
As a partner, Hasta is helpful, attentive and fun. They show love by doing things, from cooking a favourite meal to fixing what is broken, and they want a partner who notices. Criticism stings them more than they let on, so a partner who is quick to point out flaws can wear them down.
- Gana: deva. Ashwini, Mrigashira, Pushya, Swati and Revati score fully.
- Yoni: the buffalo’s enemy is the horse, so Ashwini and Shatabhisha lose yoni points.
- Nadi: Adi, shared with Ashwini, Ardra, Punarvasu and Uttara Phalguni, which counts as nadi dosha.
- Swati is the standout pair: the male buffalo gives the best yoni score, it is also a deva star, and it sits in Antya nadi.
Swati and Hasta look excellent on three kootas, yet a pair like that can still need care elsewhere in the chart. My kundli matching approach explains what I read after the points.
Health habits and a Vastu note for Hasta
Virgo relates to the digestive system in the traditional body map, and the Moon to sleep and fluids. Hasta natives often feel stress in the stomach and lose sleep to worry. Regular meals, an early dinner and time away from screens before bed help. For anything persistent, see a doctor.
In my Vastu reading the Moon governs the north-west. For a Hasta native whose mood has been unsettled, I check whether the north-west of the home is cramped, damp or full of things that should have been thrown out long ago.
Remedies that suit Hasta
- Watch the sunrise now and then, or repeat the Gayatri mantra in the morning. Savitr is this star’s own deity.
- Keep a craft going, whatever it is: knitting, carpentry, baking or calligraphy.
- Mondays suit the Moon; keep the evening light and quiet.
- Give with your hands: cook for someone, help an elder with a task, mend something for a neighbour.
Pearl is not automatic for a Hasta Moon. Whether the Moon needs support depends on the houses it rules for your ascendant, as I explain on my gemstone recommendation page.
A Hasta reading with me
On a 45-minute call I check your Hasta pada and Mercury’s position, read the Moon for your ascendant, and lay out the Moon, Mars and Rahu periods before turning to your question. Book a time here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the hand symbol of Hasta Nakshatra stand for?
Skill, craft and the act of giving. The five stars of the group were seen as five fingers, and the star favours work done with the hands.
Is Hasta Nakshatra good for business?
It is one of the kshipra or swift stars in muhurat, often chosen for opening trade. As a birth star it gives practical, sales-friendly skills, but the 10th and 11th houses decide business success.
What are the Hasta Nakshatra name letters?
Pu, Sha (ष), Na (ण) and Tha (ठ) for padas one to four. Since the last three rarely start names, many families use Pu or the Virgo rashi letters.
Which star is most compatible with Hasta Nakshatra?
Swati scores best across yoni, gana and nadi. Other deva stars outside the Adi nadi, such as Pushya or Revati, also do well on paper.
Is Mercury strong for someone born in Hasta Nakshatra?
Mercury rules Virgo and is exalted at 15° Virgo, inside Hasta’s second pada. Its actual strength depends on where Mercury sits in your own chart, not on your Moon’s star.