Ashlesha is the ninth of the 27 nakshatras and fills the last part of Cancer, from 16° 40′ to 30° 00′ of the sidereal sign. Its name is linked to the root for clinging or embracing, and its symbol is a coiled serpent. It is the last star of Cancer and the last of the first nine, and it stands at a boundary of the zodiac where the water signs give way to Leo.
Ashlesha at a glance
| Number | 9 of 27 |
| Span | 16° 40′ to 30° 00′ Cancer |
| Ruling planet (Vimshottari lord) | Mercury |
| Deity | the Nagas |
| Symbol | A coiled serpent |
| Gana | Rakshasa |
| Yoni | Cat (Marjara) |
| Nadi | Antya (Kapha) |
| Varna (of the Moon sign) | Brahmin |
| Naming syllables | Di (pada 1), Du (pada 2), De (pada 3), Do (pada 4) |
The gana, yoni and nadi are the groups used in nakshatra matching, explained below. The varna is read from the Moon’s sign, which is Cancer for every pada. The site’s tables use the retroflex sound for Ashlesha’s syllables.
The deity and the story
The deities of Ashlesha are the Nagas, the serpent beings of Indian tradition, who live in the underworld and guard its treasures and the waters. They are not simply feared in tradition: they are honoured at Nag Panchami, and serpents appear on the body of Shiva and as the couch of Vishnu. The great serpent Shesha holds the world on his hoods in the Puranas, and the serpent Vasuki served as the rope when the gods and demons churned the ocean.
The Mahabharata tells how the serpents were cursed by their mother Kadru, and how King Janamejaya began a great sacrifice to destroy them in revenge for his father’s death. The young sage Astika, whose mother was a serpent and father a Brahmin, persuaded the king to stop it, and the serpents were spared. The tradition remembers Astika on Nag Panchami. Mercury, the nakshatra’s lord, adds speech, wit and shrewdness to the serpent’s quiet insight.
Temperament in the classical texts
The classical lists describe an Ashlesha Moon as perceptive, intuitive, intelligent, private and persuasive. The texts speak of a person who reads people well, who is deeply loyal to those who earn trust, and who has a gift for research, medicine or the study of hidden things. The mind is quick and the speech skilful.
The traditional cautions concern guardedness: reluctance to share feeling, a habit of holding on to grievances and a tendency to over-analyse. Teachers present these as the cost of an acute mind and a strong need for safety. Honest conversation, time near water or in nature, and a few trusted people are the usual common-sense suggestions. The rest of the chart changes the picture, and the serpent in this tradition is a symbol of wisdom as often as of caution.
The four padas
| Pada | Span | Navamsa sign | Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16° 40′ to 20° 00′ Cancer | Sagittarius (Dhanu) | Di |
| 2 | 20° 00′ to 23° 20′ Cancer | Capricorn (Makara) | Du |
| 3 | 23° 20′ to 26° 40′ Cancer | Aquarius (Kumbha) | De |
| 4 | 26° 40′ to 30° 00′ Cancer | Pisces (Meena) | Do |
Pada 1 (Di) falls in Sagittarius navamsa. It is read as the most open and philosophical pada, with a wish to teach and a love of travel in thought.
Pada 2 (Du) falls in Capricorn navamsa. Tradition describes a disciplined and ambitious pada, with caution and a patient eye for strategy.
Pada 3 (De) falls in Aquarius navamsa. The reading is original and detached, with an interest in science, systems and unusual ideas.
Pada 4 (Do) falls in Pisces navamsa, ruled by Jupiter. It is described as the most compassionate and imaginative pada, closest to the intuitive, dream-like side of the star.
The navamsa sign of each pada is worked out the standard way: the 108 padas of the zodiac run in order from Aries, so each pada falls in the next sign in turn. You can see the same placement for any chart in the navamsa calculator.
Each planet in Ashlesha
When a planet sits in Ashlesha, its nature is shaped by the lord Mercury and by the deity above. Each of these pages looks at one planet in this star.
- Sun in Ashlesha Nakshatra: the Sun, the soul and authority, set in this star.
- Moon in Ashlesha Nakshatra: the Moon, your mind and janma nakshatra, here.
- Mars in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Mars, drive and courage, as this star colours it.
- Mercury in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Mercury, speech and reasoning, in this lunar mansion.
- Jupiter in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Jupiter, wisdom and guidance, placed in this star.
- Venus in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Venus, affection and taste, as it sits here.
- Saturn in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Saturn, discipline and patience, in this nakshatra.
- Rahu in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Rahu, the north node of appetite and ambition, here.
- Ketu in Ashlesha Nakshatra: Ketu, the south node of detachment, in this star.
For the whole picture, see the Moon in all 27 nakshatras.
Compatibility and matching
Ashlesha has a Rakshasa gana, a name for a strong-willed and independent temperament group which carries no moral meaning. In the site’s tables a Rakshasa Moon scores full marks on gana only with another Rakshasa and little with a Deva or Manushya partner. Its yoni is the cat, shared with Punarvasu, and the traditional sworn enemy is the rat, the yoni of Magha and Purva Phalguni. Ashlesha’s nadi is Antya (Kapha), the same as Krittika, Rohini, Magha, Swati, Vishakha, Uttara Ashadha and Shravana. Same nadi scores zero on that kuta, and tradition then suggests a fuller reading. Ashlesha lies wholly in Cancer, so every pada gives the same Moon sign in matching.
Try it with two real nakshatras in the nakshatra compatibility calculator, which shows every kuta and the total out of 36. A score is one lens on a relationship, not a verdict on it.
Names and the naming syllables
The four naming syllables of Ashlesha are Di, Du, De and Do. These are the retroflex sounds, written with the Devanagari letter ड, and they are not the dental sounds used for Revati and Purva Bhadrapada. The pada the Moon held at birth decides which sound is used, so the time of birth matters. The sounds come from the traditional avakahada table and are a custom.
The page of Ashlesha baby names lists names for all four sounds. If you only know the date and place of birth, the baby names by date of birth tool finds the pada for you.
Find your nakshatra
If the Moon was between 16° 40′ and 30° 00′ of sidereal Cancer at birth, your nakshatra is Ashlesha. The Moon leaves Ashlesha for Magha, in Leo, on the same day as it leaves Cancer, so a birth near the end of the star depends strongly on time. The nakshatra calculator shows the nakshatra, pada and sign.
To check any other moment, the nakshatra at date and time calculator shows where the Moon stood and when it changes star.
Browse on: previous, Pushya; next, Magha. All 27 are on the nakshatras hub.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is Ashlesha nakshatra known for?
Ashlesha is associated with intuition, insight and a strong hold on what it values. Its deity is the Nagas, the serpent beings, and its symbol is a coiled serpent. Tradition links it with research, healing and shrewdness.
↳ Which planet rules Ashlesha nakshatra?
Mercury is the Vimshottari lord of Ashlesha, the first star in Mercury's group of Ashlesha, Jyeshtha and Revati. A person with the Moon in Ashlesha starts life in the Mercury dasha, for a balance that depends on the Moon's position.
↳ Which sign is Ashlesha in?
All four padas of Ashlesha lie in Cancer (Karka), from 16° 40′ to 30° 00′. Their navamsa signs are Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.
↳ What are the letters for Ashlesha nakshatra?
The naming syllables are Di, Du, De and Do, written with the retroflex letter ड. They are a naming custom and not a rule.
↳ Is Ashlesha a dangerous nakshatra?
Tradition counts Ashlesha among the sharp nakshatras, but sharp describes depth of mind and not harm. The serpent is honoured in the tradition as a guardian and a symbol of wisdom, and many accomplished people have their Moon here.