Chitra nakshatra

Citrā, the 14th of the 27 nakshatras, from 23°20′ to 30°00′ in Kanya (Virgo), then 0°00′ to 6°40′ in Tula (Libra): its deity, symbol, lord, padas and name syllables, from the classical texts.

Nakshatra 14 of 27 · Kanya 23°20′ to Tula 6°40′
LordMars
DeityTvaṣṭṛ
SymbolPearl, or lamp
ClassMṛdu (soft)
GanaRākṣasa
YoniTiger
NadiMadhya
Syllablespe po ra ri

Lord: Bṛhaj-jyotiḥsāra v. 411. Deity and class: Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi 2.1⁠–⁠2.8. Symbol: Burgess, Sūrya-siddhānta, p. 220. Gana, yoni and nadi: Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi 6.25⁠–⁠34.

Where Chitra sits

Chitra in the sky: 23°20′ to 30°00′ in Kanya (Virgo), then 0°00′ to 6°40′ in Tula (Libra).
Chitra in the sky: 23°20′ to 30°00′ in Kanya (Virgo), then 0°00′ to 6°40′ in Tula (Libra).
HastaChitraSwati

Each nakshatra is 13°20′ of the sidereal zodiac and each pada 3°20′, so nine padas fill a sign. Chitra crosses from Kanya into Tula.

The four padas

Pada 1 Kanya 23°20′ – 26°40′ Navamsa sign Simha peपे Names starting with this sound
Pada 2 Kanya 26°40′ – 30°00′ Navamsa sign Kanya poपो Names starting with this sound
Pada 3 Tula 0°00′ – 3°20′ Navamsa sign Tula raरा Names starting with this sound
Pada 4 Tula 3°20′ – 6°40′ Navamsa sign Vrishchika riरी Names starting with this sound

A child born in a pada is given a name starting with its sound, and a name’s first sound gives back the pada when matching by name. Avakahaḍā-cakram, pp. 22⁠–⁠23; Muhūrta-mārtaṇḍa v. 55

Attributes and their sources

AttributeChitraSource
DeityTvaṣṭṛVedic list (Taittirīya-saṃhitā): IndraMuhūrta-cintāmaṇi 2.1, p. 52Burgess, Sūrya-siddhānta
SymbolPearl, or lampBurgess, Sūrya-siddhānta, p. 220
LordMars, the Vimśottarī lordBṛhaj-jyotiḥsāra v. 411, p. 150
GanaRākṣasaMuhūrta-cintāmaṇi 6.29
YoniTigerMuhūrta-cintāmaṇi 6.25⁠–⁠26
NadiMadhyaMuhūrta-cintāmaṇi 6.34
ClassMṛdu (soft); its weekday is FridayMuhūrta-cintāmaṇi 2.2⁠–⁠2.8

Gana, yoni and nadi are the classes used in kundli matching. The texts read give no varṇa or element for each nakshatra, so none is shown.

Questions

Attributes from the Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi and the other texts named, with the page for each.

Which rashi is Chitra in?

It crosses two signs: 23°20′ to 30°00′ of Kanya (Virgo), then 0°00′ to 6°40′ of Tula (Libra). Padas 1⁠–⁠2 are in Kanya; Padas 3⁠–⁠4 are in Tula.

Who is the lord of Chitra?

Mars. It is the nakshatra’s lord in the Vimśottarī dasha, so a birth with the Moon in Chitra starts in Mars’s dasha. Bṛhaj-jyotiḥsāra v. 411, p. 150

What are the padas of Chitra?

Four quarters of 3°20′: pada 1, 23°20′ to 26°40′ Kanya, navamsa Simha; pada 2, 26°40′ to 30°00′ Kanya, navamsa Kanya; pada 3, 0°00′ to 3°20′ Tula, navamsa Tula; pada 4, 3°20′ to 6°40′ Tula, navamsa Vrishchika.

What is the deity and symbol of Chitra?

The deity is Tvaṣṭṛ; the Vedic list, the Taittirīya-saṃhitā, gives Indra. The symbol is pearl, or lamp. Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi 2.1; Burgess, Sūrya-siddhānta, p. 220

What gana, yoni and nadi is Chitra?

Rākṣasa gana, tiger yoni and Madhya nadi. These are the classes used in kundli matching. Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi 6.25⁠–⁠34

Which syllables start names for Chitra?

pe, po, ra, ri, one for each pada in order. A child born in a pada is given a name starting with its sound. Avakahaḍā-cakram pp. 22⁠–⁠23

How it is worked out

Read the methodology
Spans
27 equal nakshatras of 13°20′ from 0° Mesha in the sidereal zodiac; four padas of 3°20′ each.
Navamsa
The padas run through the signs from Mesha, starting again every 12 padas.
Attributes
Muhūrta-cintāmaṇi 2.1⁠–⁠2.8 and 6.25⁠–⁠34; Burgess’s notes to the Sūrya-siddhānta; Bṛhaj-jyotiḥsāra v. 411.
Syllables
The Avakahaḍā chakra as printed in Sītārāma Jhā, 1932, pp. 22⁠–⁠23.

Sidereal zodiac (Lahiri) · equal nakshatras of 13°20′ · Swiss Ephemeris · Method