What is Chandrashtamam?
Chandrashtamam is a caution period tied to your own birth star (janma Nakshatram), not a universal date like Kari Naal. It occurs whenever the transiting Moon reaches a specific Nakshatram relative to your own – traditionally described as “the Moon in the 8th sign from your birth Rashi,” but the precise, commonly-published version of the rule works directly in Nakshatram terms.
The Rule
You are in Chandrashtamam whenever the Moon is transiting the Nakshatram that sits exactly 12 positions ahead of your own birth Nakshatram (wrapping around after Revati back to Ashwini). Equivalently: today’s affected Nakshatrams are always today’s Moon Nakshatram(s) + 12.
Full 27-Nakshatram Mapping
Find the row for today’s Moon Nakshatram (shown on the homepage’s Thithi Now tab) – the Nakshatram in the second column is the one in Chandrashtamam that day.
| If Moon’s Nakshatram is… | …then Chandrashtamam is for people born in |
|---|---|
| Ashwini | Hasta |
| Bharani | Chitra |
| Krittika | Swati |
| Rohini | Vishakha |
| Mrigasira | Anuradha |
| Ardra | Jyeshtha |
| Punarvasu | Mula |
| Pushya | Purva Ashadha |
| Ashlesha | Uttara Ashadha |
| Magha | Shravana |
| Purva Phalguni | Dhanishta |
| Uttara Phalguni | Shatabhisha |
| Hasta | Purva Bhadrapada |
| Chitra | Uttara Bhadrapada |
| Swati | Revati |
| Vishakha | Ashwini |
| Anuradha | Bharani |
| Jyeshtha | Krittika |
| Mula | Rohini |
| Purva Ashadha | Mrigasira |
| Uttara Ashadha | Ardra |
| Shravana | Punarvasu |
| Dhanishta | Pushya |
| Shatabhisha | Ashlesha |
| Purva Bhadrapada | Magha |
| Uttara Bhadrapada | Purva Phalguni |
| Revati | Uttara Phalguni |
Since the Moon changes Nakshatram roughly once a day, each Nakshatram – and each person’s Chandrashtamam window – lasts about a day, occasionally split into two adjacent days when the transit happens mid-day. Anudinam computes this precisely, including the exact start/end time, using the actual Moon transit data rather than this nominal one-per-day table.
Chandrashtamam on Anudinam
On the homepage’s Today’s Key Details table, “Chandrashtamam Nakshatrams Today” always shows which birth stars are affected today – no setup needed. Just check whether your own birth Nakshatram is in the list.
What to Be Cautious About During Chandrashtamam
- Starting new ventures or signing major agreements
- Travel, especially long journeys
- Marriages, engagements, and other major ceremonies
- Large purchases or financial decisions
Chandrashtamam is traditionally treated as a caution period, not an absolute prohibition – many people simply proceed with extra care, or perform a brief prayer, rather than postponing everything.
Related Pages
- Nakshatram & Nakshatram Mantra – The 27 lunar mansions and their mantras
- Soonya Thithi – Void Tithis to avoid (a different, Thithi-based rule)
- Kari Naal – Inauspicious calendar dates (universal, not birth-star based)
- Understanding Anudinam – Overview of all rules
