Vishakha nakshatra
Vishakha is the 16th nakshatra, spanning 20°00′ Libra to 3°20′ Scorpio. Ruled by Jupiter with Indra and Agni as its joint deities, its symbol is a decorated archway: a star of purpose and achievement.
Also known as: Visakha, Vishaka, Visakam, Vishakham, Bishakha
Vishakha means ‘forked’ or ‘branched’, and in Vedic times it was also called Radha. Its symbol is a triumphal archway decorated with leaves, or a potter’s wheel, and its deities are Indra and Agni, worshipped together as Indragni, who stand for power and drive. Three padas lie in Libra and the last in Scorpio.
Vishakha is one of the two mixed (mishra) nakshatras, suited to everyday work and to tasks involving fire or metal, and it is linked with single-minded ambition. Ruled by Jupiter, it begins life in Jupiter’s 16-year dasha. The month of Vaishakha takes its name from this star, and its full moon is Buddha Purnima.
Its padas give the name syllables Ti, Tu, Te and To. Its forked symbol is best read as a fork in the road: a star of choosing a goal and pursuing it.