Ashlesha Nakshatra
Ruled by Mercury · Cancer · Rakshasa gana
Ashlesha is the 9th of the 27 nakshatras (lunar mansions). It spans 16°40′ Cancer to 0°00′ Leo of the sidereal zodiac, which places it in Cancer. Its ruling planet is Mercury, its deity is The Nagas (serpent deities), and its symbol is a coiled serpent.
Ashlesha nakshatra: personality and nature
Ashlesha is the clinging, perceptive nakshatra. Natives are often described as intuitive and strategic, reading people well and guarding themselves carefully.
Love and relationships
Intense and private, with deep attachment that can turn possessive or guarded.
Career and work
Psychology, medicine and herbs, research, strategy, politics and writing.
What to watch for
Suspicion and secrecy. As with any placement, the Moon's sign and house, the planets aspecting it and the running dasha change how Ashlesha shows up in a particular chart.
The four padas of Ashlesha
Each nakshatra is divided into four padas of 3°20′, and each pada falls in one navamsa (D9) sign, which colours how the nakshatra expresses and matters for marriage reading.
- Pada 1: 16°40′ Cancer to 20°00′ Cancer, Sagittarius navamsa.
- Pada 2: 20°00′ Cancer to 23°20′ Cancer, Capricorn navamsa.
- Pada 3: 23°20′ Cancer to 26°40′ Cancer, Aquarius navamsa.
- Pada 4: 26°40′ Cancer to 0°00′ Leo, Pisces navamsa.
Ashlesha and the Vimshottari dasha
A person whose Moon is in Ashlesha begins life in the Mercury Mahadasha, the full length of which is 17 years. How much of it remains at birth depends on how far the Moon has travelled through Ashlesha. The Ketu Mahadasha follows. The Vimshottari dasha system derives from the Moon's nakshatra, so this is why the nakshatra matters for timing.
Compatibility: gana, yoni and nadi
In Ashtakoota (Guna Milan) matching, Ashlesha counts as Rakshasa gana, Cat yoni (male) and Antya nadi. Gana and yoni describe temperament and instinctive compatibility. Nadi carries the most weight, 8 of the 36 points, and scores zero when both partners share the same nadi. Note that Rakshasa is a temperament label in this system, not a moral judgement. These are read from each partner's Moon nakshatra, so the full pair of charts should be considered together.
For informational and self-reflection purposes only. Not financial, medical, legal, or professional advice.
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Ashlesha nakshatra: common questions
Mercury rules Ashlesha. A Moon here starts the 17-year Mercury Mahadasha in the Vimshottari system.
Ashlesha spans 16°40′ Cancer to 0°00′ Leo of the sidereal zodiac, so it lies in Cancer.
Pada 1 falls in the Sagittarius navamsa; Pada 2 falls in the Capricorn navamsa; Pada 3 falls in the Aquarius navamsa; Pada 4 falls in the Pisces navamsa.
Ashlesha is Rakshasa gana, Cat yoni (male) and Antya nadi.
It depends on your date, exact time and place of birth, because the Moon moves through a nakshatra in about a day. Generate a free Kundli to see your Moon's nakshatra and pada.