Maghā begins at 0°00’ of Siṃha (Leo) — the very first degree of the royal sign, and this placement is not incidental. Presided over by the Pitṛs (the divine ancestors who are the foundation of familial and social lineage) and governed by Ketu, Maghā is the nakṣatra of ancestral authority, royal dignity, and the power that flows from deep roots. The throne symbol is apt: Maghā natives carry themselves with an authority that is not learned but inherited — whether from actual lineage, from the accumulated karma of past lives (Ketu’s domain), or from a genuine gravitational force of character.
Parāśara describes Maghā natives as respectful toward elders and ancestors, proud of their heritage, generous with those who serve them, possessed of a strong sense of tradition, and inclined toward religious and ritual practices that honor those who came before. The darker qualities include excessive pride, a sense of entitlement, and difficulty in yielding to others. The throne creates both responsibility and the risk of pride that blinds.
Ketu’s rulership gives Maghā a quality of otherworldliness beneath the royal surface — these natives often have a deep connection with the past, with previous lives, and with realms that lie beyond ordinary perception. The Pitṛs are not merely biological ancestors but the collective wisdom-field of those who have lived before. Maghā natives, whether they know it consciously or not, often carry ancestral wounds and ancestral gifts — patterns from the family line that they are tasked with either perpetuating in their highest form or transforming.
Professionally, Maghā is associated with politics, administration, positions of authority, historical research, genealogy, preservation of traditional arts, museums, religious institutions, and ceremonial roles. These individuals excel where heritage and authority intersect. They can be extraordinarily loyal to those they lead, and demand the same loyalty in return.
Maghā is a tikṣṇa and ugra nakṣatra — fierce energy associated with significant undertakings, with ancestral rites (the śrāddha ceremonies are traditionally performed at Maghā’s passage), and with acts of royal power. The four pādas fall in Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer navāṁśas. Varāhamihira notes Maghā natives are “wealthy, with many servants, devoted to the gods and ancestors, engaged in important work.” Regulus (Alpha Leonis) — one of the four royal stars of ancient astronomy — is associated with Maghā, making this nakṣatra a fixed point of celestial royalty.