Puṣya occupies 3°20’ to 16°40’ of Karka (Cancer) and holds a singular reputation in classical Jyotiṣa: it is considered the most auspicious of all twenty-seven nakṣatras for commencing important undertakings. The Atharva Veda praises it explicitly; the classical texts consistently describe it as the “king of nakṣatras.” Governed by Saturn and presided over by Bṛhaspati (the divine preceptor and personification of wisdom), Puṣya combines Saturn’s disciplined, structural energy with Jupiter’s wisdom and Cancer’s nurturing depth — the result is a nakṣatra of profound nourishment, both material and spiritual.
The name “Puṣya” derives from the root “puṣ” — to nourish, to cause to flourish, to feed. The cow’s udder symbol encapsulates this perfectly: abundance made available, nourishment flowing freely, life sustained. Bṛhaspati is the guru of the gods, the keeper of sacred knowledge and ceremonial wisdom; his presence as the presiding deity gives Puṣya a quality of profound competence in religious and educational matters. Saturn’s rulership may seem incongruous with such a gentle deity, but here Saturn works in its highest expression: patient, structured, devoted to long-term nurturing and the slow building of what truly lasts.
Parāśara describes Puṣya natives as calm, learned, wealthy, obedient to their parents and teachers, devoted to dharma, and possessed of a nature that is fundamentally supportive and giving. Where Bharaṇī holds and transforms, Puṣya holds and nourishes. These individuals are often found in roles of feeding — whether literally (food, agriculture, medicine) or metaphorically (education, spiritual guidance, counseling, management). They tend to be reliable in a way that is rare — genuinely committed to the welfare of those in their care, and patient enough to sustain that commitment over decades.
The shadow of Puṣya, as with any nakṣatra, lies in the excess of its gifts: excessive attachment to nurturing roles, difficulty in setting boundaries, a tendency to give beyond capacity, or a conservative rigidity (Saturn’s influence) in how nourishment is dispensed. Some Puṣya natives become so committed to a particular form of giving that they lose flexibility and the capacity for personal renewal.
Puṣya is classified as a sthira (fixed) and laghu (light) nakṣatra — highly auspicious for initiating enduring projects, performing sacred ceremonies, investing, planting, establishing institutions, and any undertaking meant to nourish for the long term. The Guru-śukra conjunction in Puṣya (Jupiter and Venus together here) is traditionally considered one of the most powerful omens of spiritual and material abundance. Varāhamihira describes Puṣya natives as “learned, wealthy, and endowed with all virtues” — a characterization that captures this nakṣatra’s essential quality: wisdom put in service of life.