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Ashlesha Nakshatra

आश्लेषा · nakshatra 9 of 27

The nakshatra of the serpent deities, symbolised by a coiled snake. It is linked with insight, mystical knowledge and intensity, and is classed as a sharp (tikshna) nakshatra.

Born under this nakshatra

Your birth star Ashlesha, your core nature

Your janma (birth) nakshatra is Ashlesha, the lunar mansion your Moon occupied at birth. This is one of the deepest keys to your core nature, since the Moon governs your mind, emotions and instincts. Ashlesha is symbolised by a coiled serpent, presided over by the Nagas (serpent deities), and ruled by Mercury. What it says about you: at heart you tend to be penetrating, mystical and shrewd. Your natural strengths include deep insight, hypnotic charm, intuition and the power to penetrate hidden things, these qualities colour how you feel, react and move through life, often more truly than your outer personality. People born under Ashlesha are well suited to psychology, research, the occult, medicine, strategy or any field needing depth and insight. Like every placement, the full expression depends on how strong and well placed your Moon is, and on the rest of your chart and your dasha periods, so read this as your core temperament rather than a fixed script. Used well, your Ashlesha nature is a real foundation for your life. When you lean into its genuine strengths and live in tune with your inner temperament, this birth star becomes a steady source of self-understanding and direction.

  • •Your Moon was in Ashlesha nakshatra at birth, a deep key to your core nature
  • •Symbol: a coiled serpent; deity: the Nagas (serpent deities); ruling planet: Mercury
  • •At heart you tend to be penetrating, mystical and shrewd
  • •Natural strengths: deep insight and more
  • •Well suited to psychology, research, the occult, medicine, strategy

This reading is the same authored text the LifeAstroAPI narrative endpoints return for a Moon in this nakshatra.

Attributes

Ruling planetBudh (Mercury)
Vimshottari dasha17 years of Budh (Mercury) mahadasha for a Moon born here
DeitySarpas (Nagas)
Symbolcoiled serpent
Span106.67° – 120° sidereal
RashiKarka (Cancer)
GanaRakshasa
NadiAntya
YoniMarjara
TattvaAgni
RajjuKati
Nakshatra shoolTravel toward the south is avoided

The four padas

Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20′, and each pada falls in one navamsa (D9) sign. The pada of your Moon refines the reading of the nakshatra.

Pada 1 — pada 1

Navamsa: Dhanu (Sagittarius)

Your Moon is in the 1st pada (quarter) of Ashlesha nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashlesha nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 1st pada brings a fiery, initiating quality to your Ashlesha temperament. It tends to emphasise drive, leadership and a bold, pioneering edge, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashlesha character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashlesha into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashlesha nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ashlesha pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashlesha core and this 1st-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.

Pada 2 — pada 2

Navamsa: Makara (Capricorn)

Your Moon is in the 2nd pada (quarter) of Ashlesha nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashlesha nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 2nd pada brings an earthy, practical quality to your Ashlesha temperament. It tends to emphasise steadiness, material focus and the ability to build something lasting, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashlesha character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashlesha into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashlesha nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ashlesha pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashlesha core and this 2nd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.

Pada 3 — pada 3

Navamsa: Kumbha (Aquarius)

Your Moon is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Ashlesha nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashlesha nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 3rd pada brings an airy, communicative quality to your Ashlesha temperament. It tends to emphasise intellect, communication, sociability and adaptability, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashlesha character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashlesha into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashlesha nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ashlesha pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashlesha core and this 3rd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.

Pada 4 — pada 4

Navamsa: Meena (Pisces)

Your Moon is in the 4th pada (quarter) of Ashlesha nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashlesha nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 4th pada brings a watery, emotional quality to your Ashlesha temperament. It tends to emphasise sensitivity, intuition, depth of feeling and care for others, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashlesha character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashlesha into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashlesha nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ashlesha pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashlesha core and this 4th-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.

Other nakshatras ruled by Budh (Mercury)

Read the chapter: Nakshatras explained →

Frequently asked questions

Who is the lord of Ashlesha nakshatra?

Ashlesha is ruled by Mercury. A person whose Moon is in Ashlesha begins life in the Mercury mahadasha of the Vimshottari system, which lasts 17 years in full.

What is the gana and nadi of Ashlesha?

Ashlesha belongs to the Rakshasa gana and the Antya nadi. Both are used in Ashtakoota matchmaking: Gana koota carries 6 points and Nadi koota 8 points.

Which rashi is Ashlesha nakshatra in?

Ashlesha spans 106.67° to 120° of the sidereal zodiac, which lies in Karka (Cancer).

Use nakshatra data in your app

Find when the Moon is in Ashlesha for any city, or read a birth nakshatra with its pada and lord, in one call.

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  "https://api.lifeastroapi.com/v1/panchang/nakshatra?date=2027-01-15&time=06:00&tz=Asia/Kolkata&lat=28.6139&lon=77.209"