Dhanishta nakshatra
Dhanishta is the 23rd nakshatra, spanning 23°20′ Capricorn to 6°40′ Aquarius. Ruled by Mars with the eight Vasus as its deities, its symbol is a drum: a movable star of wealth, rhythm and music.
Also known as: Dhanishtha, Shravishtha, Avittam, Dhanista, Delphinus
Dhanishta means ‘the wealthiest’; its older name, Shravishtha, means ‘the most famous’. Its stars form the small diamond of Delphinus, and its symbol is a drum (mridanga) or a flute. Its deities are the eight Vasus, elemental gods of abundance. The first two padas lie in Capricorn and the last two in Aquarius.
Dhanishta is one of the movable (chara) nakshatras, favoured for travel, vehicles, music and new ventures. Ruled by Mars, it begins life in Mars’s seven-year dasha. Because its second half lies in Aquarius, the five-day Panchak period begins when the Moon reaches the middle of Dhanishta.
Its padas give the name syllables Ga, Gi, Gu and Ge. Panchak concerns a few specific activities, not the star itself, and the first half of Dhanishta lies outside it entirely.