Pushan is the Vedic deity of Revati Nakshatra, which spans 16°40' to 30° Pisces and is ruled by Mercury. He is a solar god of the Rig Veda who guards roads, travellers and cattle. He finds what is lost and leads the dead to the next world. His name means "the nourisher."
Revati is the last of the 27 nakshatras, and Pushan is the god of safe passage. His themes of guidance, care and safe arrival shape this final nakshatra.
| Pushan | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Meaning of the name | The nourisher, the one who makes things grow |
| Nakshatra | Revati (16°40' to 30° Pisces) |
| Nakshatra ruler | Mercury |
| Group | One of the Adityas, the sons of Aditi |
| Chariot | Drawn by goats |
| Carries | A golden awl and a goad |
| Food | Karambha, a mash of grain and curd |
| Roles | Guard of roads, cattle and travellers, finder of lost things, guide of souls |
In this article
What Does Pushan Mean?
The name Pushan comes from the Sanskrit root push, "to nourish" or "to make prosper." The same root gives pushti, growth and prosperity. Pushan is the god who makes people, cattle and crops grow well.
He is a form of the sun. Aditya Hridayam, the hymn to the Sun in the Ramayana, includes Pusha among the Sun's names (Yuddha Kanda 105.10). Pusha is also one of the 12 names chanted in Surya Namaskar.
Pushan in the Rig Veda
Pushan has 8 hymns of his own in the Rig Veda, most of them in the sixth book. 2 more hymns praise him together with Soma (2.40) and with Indra (6.57). The hymns show a friendly, practical god who walks beside people on their journeys.
He has braided hair and a beard. His chariot is drawn by goats. He carries a golden awl and a horn-tipped goad for driving cattle (Rig Veda 6.53.8-9). His food is karambha, a simple mash of grain and curd (Rig Veda 6.56.1).
| Verse | What Pushan does |
|---|---|
| Rig Veda 1.42.1-3 | Clears the road and drives off the wolf and the robber |
| Rig Veda 6.54.1 | Leads people to the one who knows where the lost thing is |
| Rig Veda 6.54.7 | Brings the herd home with none lost or hurt |
| Rig Veda 6.55.3-6 | Rides a chariot drawn by sure-footed goats |
| Rig Veda 6.58.3 | Sails golden ships across the sky as messenger to Surya |
| Rig Veda 10.17.3-6 | Guides the dead to the Fathers by the safest way |
| Rig Veda 10.85.26 | Leads the bride from her home, holding her hand |
Pushan, Guardian of Roads and Travellers
Pushan knows every path. Rig Veda 1.42 asks him to shorten the way, remove obstacles and walk in front. It asks him to drive off the wolf and the robber who lies in wait on the road.
The Vedic hymns call on him for a safe journey. He is a god of roads, meetings and safe arrival.
Pushan, Finder of Lost Things
Pushan guards cattle and brings back the ones that stray. Rig Veda 6.54.1 asks him to lead the seeker to a person who knows the way:
सं पूषन्विदुषा नय यो अञ्जसानुशासति। य एवेदमिति ब्रवत्॥
O Pushan, bring us to the man who knows, who shall direct us straight, and say to us, "It is here." (Rig Veda 6.54.1)
The same hymn asks that none of the herd be lost, hurt or fall into a pit. Pushan brings them all home safe (Rig Veda 6.54.7). This is why he is called on when something precious goes missing.
Pushan as the Guide of Souls
The funeral hymn of the Rig Veda gives Pushan his widest road. Rig Veda 10.17.3 calls him the guard of the world, whose cattle are never lost. It asks him, the one who knows, to carry the dead person forward to the Fathers.
The next verses say that Pushan knows all these regions and leads by the ways most free from fear. He was born to travel the far paths between earth and heaven, and he goes and returns with full knowledge (Rig Veda 10.17.5-6).
The marriage hymn uses him in the same way. Rig Veda 10.85.26 asks Pushan to lead the bride from her old home, taking her by the hand. Every crossing, from one house to another or from one world to the next, is in his care.
Pushan in the Isha Upanishad
The Isha Upanishad turns to Pushan at its close. Verse 15 is one of the best-known prayers of the Upanishads:
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्।
तत्त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये॥The face of truth is covered with a golden lid. O Pushan, remove it, so that I, who hold to truth, may see. (Isha Upanishad 15)
Verse 16 calls him again, "O Pushan, sole seer," and asks him to draw back his rays and gather his light. It ends with the words so'ham asmi, "that person in the sun, I am he."
Why Is Pushan Toothless?
Pushan is the toothless god, and the reason goes back to the Brahmanas. Shatapatha Brahmana 1.7.4.7 says Pushan tasted a portion of the sacrifice that Rudra had pierced, and it knocked out his teeth. From then on, the text says, Pushan is called toothless.
The Puranas tell the story through Daksha's sacrifice. Shiva's attendant Virabhadra knocked out Pushan's teeth there, since Pushan had laughed during the insult to Shiva (Bhagavata Purana 4.5.21).
When the sacrifice was restored, Shiva gave Pushan a way to eat. He would take ground food and chew with the teeth of the one who offers the sacrifice (Bhagavata Purana 4.7.4). This is why Pushan receives soft food such as karambha.
Is Pushan an Aditya?
Yes. The Mahabharata and the Puranas list Pushan among the 12 Adityas, the sons of Aditi and Kashyapa. The Bhagavata Purana (6.6.39) names him third, after Vivasvan and Aryaman, with Varuna and Mitra later in the same list.
The Rig Veda links him closely with the sun. Rig Veda 6.58.3 says he sails golden ships across the ocean of the sky as a messenger to Surya.
Pushan and Revati Nakshatra
Revati takes its nature from Pushan. It closes the zodiac at the end of Pisces, and its deity is the god who guides every crossing. Safe passage, nourishment, care for animals and the return of what was lost are the themes of this nakshatra.
The Nakshatra Suktam ties them directly. Its Revati verse says that Pushan follows the path together with Revati, and asks Revati to guard the small animals.
People with the Moon in Revati are often gentle, caring and drawn to guide others. Many work in teaching, counselling, travel, animal care or service. Mercury, the nakshatra ruler, adds speech, learning and skill with words. You can find your own birth nakshatra with the nakshatra calculator.
This care for others can leave a person tired or without a direction of their own. Working with Pushan means walking one's own road with the same care given to others, and asking for guidance when the way is unclear.
Pushan Mantra
The Vedic verse for Revati in the Nakshatra Suktam of the Taittiriya Brahmana (3.1) is addressed to Pushan:
पूषा रेवत्यन्वेति पन्थाम् ।
पुष्टिपती पशुपा वाजबस्त्यौ ।
इमानि हव्या प्रयता जुषाणा ।
सुगैर्नो यानैरुपयातां यज्ञम् ।
क्षुद्रान् पशून् रक्षतु रेवती नः ।
गावो नो अश्वाग्ं अन्वेतु पूषा ।
अन्नग्ं रक्षन्तौ बहुधा विरूपम् ।
वाजग्ं सनुतां यजमानाय यज्ञम् ॥Pusha Revatyanveti pantham |
pushtipati pashupa vajabastyau |
imani havya prayata jushana |
sugairno yanairupayatam yagyam |
kshudran pashun rakshatu Revati nah |
gavo no ashvagum anvetu Pusha |
annagum rakshantau bahudha virupam |
vajagum sanutam yajamanaya yagyam ||
Meaning: Pushan follows the path with Revati, the 2 lords of growth, guardians of cattle, rich in food. Accepting these prepared offerings, may they come to our sacrifice on easy paths.
May Revati guard our small animals. May Pushan follow our cows and horses. Guarding our food of many kinds, may they give strength and the sacrifice to the one who offers.
Learn the accents from a teacher or a recording before you recite it. The verses for all 27 nakshatras are on our page of nakshatra mantras.
Name Mantra
ॐ पूष्णे नमः
Om Pushne Namaḥ
It means "Om, salutation to Pushan." Pushne is the Sanskrit form for "to Pushan," and the same line is one of the 12 Surya Namaskar mantras.
How to Worship Pushan
Recite the Nakshatra Suktam verse or chant Om Pushne Namah on the days the Moon passes through Revati. This happens about once every 27 days.
Since Pushan is a form of the sun, Surya Namaskar and the Aditya Hridayam also reach him. Rig Veda 6.54.1 suits a prayer before a journey or when something is lost.
Pushan is the god who feeds and guards, so feeding animals and helping travellers fit his worship well. All of this works on the mind. For a reading of your own Moon nakshatra and running dasha, you can book a Vedic astrology consultation.
Pushan Temple
We could not find a major temple dedicated to Pushan alone. As a Vedic god, he receives worship through the sun and through the nakshatra rites.
In Tamil Nadu, the temple most often named for Revati is the Kailasanathar Temple at Karukudi, in Musiri taluk of Tiruchirappalli district. It is a Shiva temple, with Karunakaravalli as the goddess. People born under Revati visit it on their star day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the deity of Revati Nakshatra?
Pushan is the deity of Revati. The Taittiriya Brahmana names him in the verse for this nakshatra, which says he follows the path with Revati.
Is Pushan the same as Surya?
Pushan is a solar god and one of the Adityas, the brothers of Surya. Aditya Hridayam and the Surya Namaskar mantras use Pushan as a name of the Sun.
Why does Pushan ride goats?
The Rig Veda gives him a chariot drawn by sure-footed goats (Rig Veda 6.55.6). The hymns give no reason for this choice.
What is Pushan the god of?
Pushan is the god of roads, travellers, cattle and nourishment. He finds lost things and guides the dead to the world of the Fathers.
What is the mantra of Pushan?
The name mantra is Om Pushne Namah (ॐ पूष्णे नमः), also used in Surya Namaskar. The Vedic verse for him is the Revati verse of the Nakshatra Suktam, which begins "Pusha Revatyanveti pantham."
Which planet rules Revati Nakshatra?
Mercury rules Revati. The nakshatra lies fully in Pisces, so Jupiter, the lord of Pisces, also shapes it through the sign.
Summary
Pushan is the nourishing sun god and the deity of Revati. The Rig Veda shows him guarding roads and cattle, finding lost things, driving a goat chariot and guiding souls to the Fathers. The Isha Upanishad asks him to remove the golden lid from the face of truth.
His toothless story comes from the Brahmanas and Puranas, and later texts count him among the 12 Adityas. To work with Revati, recite his Nakshatra Suktam verse on the Revati star day and help those who travel or have lost their way.
