Pushya
- Type
- Nakshatras
- Section
- Nakshatras
- Number
- 8
- Literal meaning
- "the nourishing, flourishing one"
- Degrees
- 93°20′–106°40′ (zodiac, 13°20′ step)
- Ruling planet (Vimshottari)
- Saturn
- Symbol
- cow's udder, flower varies by school
Pushya is nakshatra of nourishment and care.
Pushya (puṣya) is the eighth nakshatra; its name means "nourishing," "flourishing." It is lunar mansion No. 8, ruled by Saturn. Pushya is considered one of the most favorable and nourishing nakshatras: it feeds, supports, and protects.
Place in the system
Pushya occupies 93°20′–106°40′, in Cancer, and divides into four padas of 3°20′ each. In the Vimshottari system it is ruled by Saturn, and together with Anuradha and Uttara Bhadrapada it belongs to the trio of "Saturn" nakshatras.
The combination of a nurturing sign and a disciplining ruler makes this nakshatra reliable and grounded: Cancer's warmth gains stability and form here. By tradition Pushya is often called the kindest of the mansions.
Practical meaning
By tradition Pushya's symbol is a cow's udder and a flower: an image of abundance that nourishes others. The Brihat Samhita (XV.6) assigns to this mansion ministers, rulers, fishermen, virtuous people, and performers of sacrifices; also barley, wheat, rice, sugarcane, and forests.
This is a nakshatra of support and growth: it gives a stability that can be built on for the long term. Its strength lies in reliability and generosity, but that same pull toward caretaking can also turn into an excessive attachment to the familiar way of doing things. That is why Pushya has long been chosen for undertakings that need a solid, lasting foundation — from study and mentorship to anything laid down for years ahead. This is a recurring theme of the mansion, not a portrait of any one person: classical lists describe tendencies, not fate.
In daily practice
When the Moon moves through Pushya, the day suits study, care, consolidation, and undertakings that call for reliability.
How well such a day suits you personally is refined by Tara Bala from your birth nakshatra. A day under Pushya favors leaning on something solid and laying a foundation. It is especially good for study, healing, caring for those close to you, and anything that needs a calm, dependable support — haste is nearly the only thing that does not suit Pushya.