Gana and temperament: what the texts say
The gana classification is said in the texts to describe a person's temperament: divine, human or demonic. Modern readers treat this as a traditional category rather than a fixed description of character.
What it is
The three ganas are the same as in the nakshatra gana article. Matching uses them, but the scoring is not computed on this site.
How it is worked out or read
The texts disagree on how strongly the gana should weigh in a decision, and the descriptions should be read as the classical view.
Where it appears on this site
See nakshatra gana classes and ashtakoota explained.
The three ganas
Every nakshatra belongs to one of three ganas, or temperament classes: deva, manushya and rakshasa. The words mean divine, human and demonic, but in Jyotish they are best understood as three broad styles of temperament rather than moral labels. A person's gana is taken from the nakshatra of the Moon at birth, so two people born on the same day can differ in gana if the Moon has moved into a new nakshatra.
Each gana has nine nakshatras, so the twenty-seven are divided evenly among the three classes.
Which nakshatras belong where
The deva gana nakshatras are Ashwini, Mrigashira, Punarvasu, Pushya, Hasta, Swati, Anuradha, Shravana and Revati. The manushya gana nakshatras are Bharani, Rohini, Ardra, Purva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni, Purva Ashadha, Uttara Ashadha, Purva Bhadrapada and Uttara Bhadrapada. The rakshasa gana nakshatras are Krittika, Ashlesha, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha, Jyeshtha, Mula, Dhanishta and Shatabhisha.
Notice that the rakshasa list includes nakshatras with strong, independent and intense themes, such as Mula and Jyeshtha, while the deva list includes many with gentle or helpful themes, such as Pushya and Revati.
How the traditional descriptions read
Traditional descriptions say that deva gana people tend to be gentle, generous and inclined to faith; manushya gana people balanced, practical and attentive to worldly duty; and rakshasa gana people strong-willed, independent and direct, sometimes with a sharper temper. These are summaries of classical descriptions, and they are meant to be read alongside the rest of the chart. A rakshasa gana person with a well placed Jupiter, for example, would not be read as harsh simply because of the gana.
Gana in matching
The best known use of gana is in the Ashtakoota matching system, where gana kuta carries six points. The same gana for both people is generally given the full score; deva with manushya is usually scored well; and combinations involving rakshasa with deva or manushya are scored low in most tables. Tables differ between traditions, and some apply exceptions when the Moon signs are friendly or when other kutas are strong. A reader should treat the gana score as one input in an overall matching, and should remember that temperament differences can also be complementary in real life.
Finding your gana
To find your gana, look up the Moon's nakshatra in the birth chart calculator on this site and match it against the lists above. A matching tool is planned; until it is ready, each person's gana can be found this way by hand.