Saturn Transit in Mrigashira

Mrigashira belongs to Mars, Saturn's enemy, and its deity is Soma, with a deer's head as the symbol. The first two padas lie in Taurus and the last two in Gemini, both signs of Saturn's friends. The graha is at ease in the sign and uneasy with the lord.

Mrigashira searches, and curiosity, travel, restlessness and the deer's habit of looking for what is just out of reach are its themes. Saturn slows the search and makes the seeker choose. Short trips give way to one long commitment. The wandering mind is asked to settle on a single line of study or work.

It lasts about a year, usually in two or three visits because of the retrograde. The Taurus padas concern property, voice and family income, and in the Gemini padas the stay turns to writing, siblings, trade and the nerves.

In the Taurus padas, Gemini, Taurus and Aries Moons are in Sade Sati, Aquarius Moons in Kantaka and Libra Moons in Ashtama. Once Saturn enters Gemini, Sade Sati shifts to Cancer, Gemini and Taurus Moons, with Pisces in the fourth and Scorpio in the eighth. The favourable third, sixth and eleventh of Phaladeepika go first to Pisces, Sagittarius and Cancer, then to Aries, Capricorn and Leo Moons and lagnas.

The quality of a person's seeking comes into view, and a sincere search is given structure. Slowing down makes Soma's gentleness available.

Take up a fixed course of study, kept daily, with a teacher if possible. Give sesame or oil on Saturday, recite Om Sham Shanaishcharaya Namah, and offer milk to the Moon on Monday evening in Soma's name. Feeding deer at a temple, or animals at a shelter, suits the nakshatra.