Short answer: Pushya Nakshatra is the eighth birth star, lying from 3°20′ to 16°40′ of Cancer. Saturn is its lord, Brihaspati, the guru of the gods, is its deity, and its symbol is a cow’s udder. It is a deva gana star. Pushya natives are caring, dutiful and patient, the people others lean on, and they build slowly but well.
Updated 8 November 2026
What makes Pushya Nakshatra special?
Pushya means to nourish. The cow’s udder is the plainest symbol in the whole list: milk, given daily, without fuss, to whoever needs it. Pushya natives tend to look after people in exactly that way, through steady practical care rather than grand gestures.
The star is also the most trusted in muhurat. When Pushya falls on a Thursday the day is called Guru Pushya, and on a Sunday, Ravi Pushya; families across India use these days to buy gold, start a business, begin studies or sign for a house. Yet the same star is kept out of wedding dates. Good for one thing is not good for everything, which I find a useful lesson in itself.
Pushya sits in the middle of Cancer, and you can see its neighbours in my nakshatra list with lords and ganas.
Pushya Nakshatra lord, deity, symbol and gana
| Feature | Pushya |
|---|---|
| Number | 8 of 27 |
| Span | 3°20′ to 16°40′ Cancer (Karka) |
| Star lord | Saturn (Shani) |
| Sign lord | Moon |
| Deity | Brihaspati, guru of the gods |
| Symbol | Cow’s udder; also a lotus or a circle |
| Gana | Deva |
| Yoni (animal) | Goat, male |
| Nadi | Madhya |
Why is a gentle star ruled by Saturn?
People expect the nourishing star to belong to the Moon or Jupiter, and are surprised to find Saturn. But think about what real nourishment needs: getting up at the same time every day, doing the same chores, not giving up when it is dull. That is Saturn’s discipline put in the service of the Moon’s care. Brihaspati, the deity, adds wisdom and a teacher’s patience.
There is one more planetary detail. Jupiter is exalted at exactly 5° Cancer, which falls in Pushya’s first pada. So the star holds Jupiter’s best point, is ruled by Saturn and sits in the Moon’s own sign, a rare mix of wisdom, discipline and feeling.
Pushya padas and name letters
| Pada | Cancer degrees | Navamsa | Letter | How it tends to show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3°20′ to 6°40′ | Leo | Hu (हु) | Dignified, generous, holds Jupiter’s exaltation point |
| 2 | 6°40′ to 10°00′ | Virgo | He (हे) | Service-minded, careful, good with routine and health |
| 3 | 10°00′ to 13°20′ | Libra | Ho (हो) | Diplomatic, fond of beauty, good at keeping peace at home |
| 4 | 13°20′ to 16°40′ | Scorpio | Da (डा) | Private, deep, protective, drawn to research or healing |
None of the Pushya padas is vargottama, since Cancer’s own navamsa falls in Punarvasu. Families using the naming custom choose from Hu, He, Ho and Da: names like Hemant or Hoshang for the first three padas.
What are Pushya natives like?
- Reliable. If a Pushya native says they will come, they come, and early.
- Protective of family. Parents, children and old friends all get looked after.
- Conservative in good ways. They respect tradition, save money and avoid unnecessary risk.
- Slow to trust, slow to leave. Once committed to a job or a person, they stay.
- Quietly religious or principled, even when they do not talk about it.
The difficulty is over-giving. Pushya can mother everyone around it and forget itself, then feel resentful when the care is not returned. The other risk is rigidity: a habit kept long after it stopped helping. Saturn likes rules; the healthier Pushya natives review theirs now and then.
Careers suited to Pushya Nakshatra
Nourishing and teaching are the obvious directions. I see Pushya natives in schools and colleges, counselling and social work, nursing and hospital administration, dairy, food and catering, agriculture, and religious or charitable institutions. Saturn’s side adds government service, public administration, banking, property management and any job that rewards years of steady work.
They are rarely flashy at work but often end up as the person who holds the department together. Promotions come late and last.
Pushya and Saturn mahadasha at birth
Every Pushya birth begins in Saturn mahadasha, nineteen years long. A Moon at the start of Pushya leaves most of those years, so many Pushya children grow up under Saturn: responsible early, perhaps with a parent away or money tight, and serious beyond their age. Mercury’s seventeen years follow, then seven years of Ketu.
That early Saturn is often the root of the star’s steadiness. By the time Mercury arrives, the Pushya native has learnt patience the hard way and now gets a period of study, trade and communication to use it. How a Saturn period works in adult life is on my Saturn mahadasha page.
Pushya Nakshatra in marriage and matching
As a spouse, Pushya is devoted, dependable and protective, and builds the household patiently. What it needs back is respect and some care in return. A partner who takes the Pushya native’s service for granted will eventually meet a quiet but firm wall.
- Gana: deva. Ashwini, Mrigashira, Punarvasu, Hasta and Revati score fully.
- Yoni: the goat’s enemy is the monkey, so Purva Ashadha and Shravana lose yoni points.
- Nadi: Madhya, shared with Bharani, Mrigashira, Chitra and Anuradha, which counts as nadi dosha.
- Best yoni: Krittika, the female goat, though the gana score is low there.
Remember that a Pushya birth star has nothing to do with Pushya being avoided for weddings. That rule is about the date of the ceremony, not about who you marry.
Pushya for muhurat: buying, starting and signing
If you are choosing a day to buy property, a vehicle or gold, or to open a shop, Pushya is one of the first stars I look for, especially on a Thursday. I still check the tithi, the weekday lord and your own chart, because a good star on a bad day for you is not a good day. For property in particular, see my notes on property purchase timing, and for the year’s dates, my shubh muhurat list for 2027.
Health, Vastu and simple remedies for Pushya
Cancer relates to the chest and stomach. Pushya natives often carry worry in the stomach and eat when anxious. Regular meals and an early dinner help. Anything that persists needs a doctor, not a remedy.
Saturn’s side of the home is the west. For a Pushya native running a Saturn period, I check that the west of the house is not cut, cluttered or used as a dumping ground.
- Saturdays suit Saturn: help an elderly person or a worker, simply and without fuss.
- Feed cows or give milk or food where it is needed; it fits the star’s symbol.
- Keep one day a week that belongs to you, so the care you give does not drain you.
Blue sapphire is never my default for a Saturn star. It is a strong stone and suits only charts where Saturn is a clear friend of the ascendant.
Reading your Pushya Moon with me
In a 45-minute session I read your Pushya pada, Saturn and the Moon in your chart, and lay out the Saturn, Mercury and Ketu periods, then turn to the question that brought you. Book a time that suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Pushya Nakshatra not used for marriage?
An old Puranic tale says Brahma barred the star from weddings, and panchang rules still follow it. It applies to the wedding date only, not to people born in Pushya.
What is Guru Pushya yoga?
It is the combination of Pushya Nakshatra with a Thursday. Many families use it for buying gold, property or vehicles and for starting studies or work.
What are the name letters for Pushya Nakshatra?
Hu, He, Ho and Da, for padas one to four. The syllable of the exact birth pada is the one used.
Is Saturn mahadasha at birth hard for a Pushya Nakshatra child?
It often makes the child serious and responsible early, and it can coincide with a strict or busy household. It also builds the steadiness Pushya natives are known for later.
Which pada of Pushya Nakshatra holds Jupiter’s exaltation?
The first pada, from 3°20′ to 6°40′ Cancer, includes 5° Cancer, the exact point where Jupiter is exalted.