Vasu is the name given to the eighth chakra by Venkatamakhi. The Ashta (eight) Vasu-s are a group of deva-s or celestial beings celebrated as stars in the firmament. The eight stars Aapa, Dhruva, Soma, Dava, Pratyusha, Anila, Anala and Prabhasa are shown in the green inset at the bottom right hand corner of the picture. All the mela raga-s of the eighth chakra have the prati madhyama. There are not many compositions in the ragas of this chakra, hence these raga-s are not very popular. Subhapantuvarali, and to a lesser extent Bhavapriya and Shadvidhamargini, are the better known raga-s in this chakra. To denote the number eight, the artist has chosen to depict the ‘Ashta Dik-palaka’ or the Protectors of the Eight Directions with their vehicle or mount.