People born in Mrigashira nakshatra

Mrigashira, the deer's head, is traditionally the nakshatra of the gentle seeker - curious, sensitive and always looking for something finer.

A nakshatra has four quarters, called padas. Part of Mrigashira lies in Vrishabha and part in Mithuna, so a person born in Mrigashira has Vrishabha or Mithuna as their Moon sign depending on the pada; the kundali shows which.

The story in the sky

Mrigashira's deity is Soma, the Moon, who is called Mriganka, 'the one marked with a deer', because the old poets saw a deer in the Moon's face. Its picture is the deer's head, alert and listening. An old saying, sung by Kabir, tells of the musk deer who roams the forest searching for the sweet scent that is in fact its own. Tradition sees that gentle search in Mrigashira people: curious, sensitive, forever looking for something finer, and happiest when they learn to recognise the good already in their own home.

What the name holds

Mrigashira means 'the deer's head', and its symbol is exactly that, the picture of a graceful, watchful creature always on the move. Tradition gives each quarter (pada) of the nakshatra its own syllable for beginning a child's name, and the quarter the Moon stood in at birth chooses it: वे (ve), वो (vo), का (ka) or की (ki).

Nature

People born with the Moon in Mrigashira are said to be curious, alert and gently restless. Mars, its ruling planet, adds energy and quick wits. Mrigashira spans Vrishabha and Mithuna, so some lean towards Vrishabha's steadiness and others towards Mithuna's love of talk and ideas.

Strengths

They are good with words and quick to learn, and many love travel, reading, research or music. They are soft-spoken, courteous and pleasant company, with a refined taste in things. Their curiosity keeps them young, and their ability to see more than one side of a question makes them sensible advisers when a family has a choice to make.

In family and marriage

In family life they are affectionate, playful and attentive, and they bring lightness to the home. They enjoy outings and new experiences together. Their restless search can sometimes make them doubt a settled choice, so they may need, gently, to trust the good things they already have rather than always looking for something more.

The partner who suits them

A partner who is loving, intelligent and good to talk to tends to suit them, someone who shares their interests and keeps their minds engaged. Reassurance and steady affection calm their sensitive nature. A spouse who lets them explore while offering a settled home to return to brings out their warmth, charm and lifelong devotion.

In kundali matching

Mrigashira is Deva gana and Madhya nadi, and its yoni animal is the serpent. In a match these are set against the partner's nakshatra: a partner who is also Madhya nadi brings Nadi dosha; a partner of Rakshasa gana brings Gana dosha; and Yoni compares the two animals. Other features of the two kundalis can cancel a dosha, so no nakshatra makes a match good or bad on its own. How kundali matching works explains the whole reading.

Related guides

• How kundali matching worksWhere the gunas and Manglik come from, and how to read the result
• How many gunas should match?The 18-guna mark, what a total means, and the four answers the Gun Milan app gives
• Manglik doshaWhat being Manglik means, and which pairings suit
• Nadi doshaHealth and children: the heaviest koota, and when its dosha is cancelled
• The 27 nakshatrasThe nature and story of the people of each birth star, and the partner they suit
• The 12 rashisWhat the people of each Moon sign are like, at home and in marriage