Ashwini Nakshatra
अश्विनी · nakshatra 1 of 27
The first nakshatra, ruled by the twin physicians of the gods. It is associated with speed, healing and new beginnings, and is traditionally favoured for starting journeys, medicine and learning.
Born under this nakshatra
Your birth star Ashwini, your core nature
Your janma (birth) nakshatra is Ashwini, 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. Ashwini is symbolised by a horse's head, presided over by the Ashwini Kumaras (divine healers), and ruled by Ketu. What it says about you: at heart you tend to be quick, pioneering and energetic. Your natural strengths include speed, healing ability, courage and a youthful, adventurous spirit, these qualities colour how you feel, react and move through life, often more truly than your outer personality. People born under Ashwini are well suited to medicine, healing, sports, travel or any fast-moving, pioneering work. 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 Ashwini 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 Ashwini nakshatra at birth, a deep key to your core nature
- •Symbol: a horse's head; deity: the Ashwini Kumaras (divine healers); ruling planet: Ketu
- •At heart you tend to be quick, pioneering and energetic
- •Natural strengths: speed and more
- •Well suited to medicine, healing, sports, travel
This reading is the same authored text the LifeAstroAPI narrative endpoints return for a Moon in this nakshatra.
Attributes
| Ruling planet | Ketu |
|---|---|
| Vimshottari dasha | 7 years of Ketu mahadasha for a Moon born here |
| Deity | Ashwini Kumaras |
| Symbol | horse's head |
| Span | 0° – 13.33° sidereal |
| Rashi | Mesha (Aries) |
| Gana | Deva |
| Nadi | Aadi |
| Yoni | Ashva |
| Tattva | Agni |
| Rajju | Pada |
| Nakshatra shool | Travel toward the east 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: Mesha (Aries)Your Moon is in the 1st pada (quarter) of Ashwini nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashwini nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 1st pada brings a fiery, initiating quality to your Ashwini temperament. It tends to emphasise drive, leadership and a bold, pioneering edge, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashwini character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashwini into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashwini 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 Ashwini pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashwini core and this 1st-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 2 — pada 2
Navamsa: Vrishabha (Taurus)Your Moon is in the 2nd pada (quarter) of Ashwini nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashwini nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 2nd pada brings an earthy, practical quality to your Ashwini temperament. It tends to emphasise steadiness, material focus and the ability to build something lasting, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashwini character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashwini into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashwini 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 Ashwini pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashwini core and this 2nd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 3 — pada 3
Navamsa: Mithuna (Gemini)Your Moon is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Ashwini nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashwini nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 3rd pada brings an airy, communicative quality to your Ashwini temperament. It tends to emphasise intellect, communication, sociability and adaptability, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashwini character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashwini into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashwini 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 Ashwini pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashwini core and this 3rd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 4 — pada 4
Navamsa: Karka (Cancer)Your Moon is in the 4th pada (quarter) of Ashwini nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ashwini nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 4th pada brings a watery, emotional quality to your Ashwini temperament. It tends to emphasise sensitivity, intuition, depth of feeling and care for others, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ashwini character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ashwini into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ashwini 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 Ashwini pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ashwini core and this 4th-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Other nakshatras ruled by Ketu
Frequently asked questions
Who is the lord of Ashwini nakshatra?
Ashwini is ruled by Ketu. A person whose Moon is in Ashwini begins life in the Ketu mahadasha of the Vimshottari system, which lasts 7 years in full.
What is the gana and nadi of Ashwini?
Ashwini belongs to the Deva gana and the Aadi nadi. Both are used in Ashtakoota matchmaking: Gana koota carries 6 points and Nadi koota 8 points.
Which rashi is Ashwini nakshatra in?
Ashwini spans 0° to 13.33° of the sidereal zodiac, which lies in Mesha (Aries).
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Use nakshatra data in your app
Find when the Moon is in Ashwini for any city, or read a birth nakshatra with its pada and lord, in one call.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $LIFEASTRO_API_KEY" \
"https://api.lifeastroapi.com/v1/panchang/nakshatra?date=2027-01-15&time=06:00&tz=Asia/Kolkata&lat=28.6139&lon=77.209"