Nakshatra 9 of 27 · Lahiri sidereal
Ashlesha Nakshatra
Ashlesha is nakshatra 9 of the 27, spanning 16°40′ to 30°00′ Karka of the sidereal zodiac. Its ruler is Budha, its deity the Nagas, serpent wisdom, its symbol a coiled serpent, and its yoni animal the Cat.
At a glance
- Span (sidereal)
- 16°40′ to 30°00′ Karka
- Moon sign (rashi)
- Karka
- Ruling planet
- Budha · Vimshottari dasha of 17 years
- Deity
- The Nagas, serpent wisdom
- Symbol
- A coiled serpent
- Gana
- Rakshasa
- Yoni (animal)
- Cat (natural enemy: Rat)
- Nadi
- Antya
What Ashlesha is like
Ashlesha, ‘the clinging one’ or ‘the embracer’, is the star of the coiled serpent. The Nagas, the serpent-beings of Indian tradition who guard hidden treasure and wisdom, preside over it, and Budha (Mercury) rules it. The texts link it with penetrating insight, strategy and the power to hold on. It lies wholly in Karka, the Moon’s own sign.
Born with the Moon in Ashlesha
With the Moon in Ashlesha you pick up what people leave unsaid. You are careful about whom you trust and loyal to the few you do. The mind is sharp and intuitive, often drawn to psychology, medicine, research or strategy. The growth is to loosen your grip sooner, once holding on no longer serves you.
In short: Perceptive and wise about people — you read what is unsaid and hold on to what matters. A useful growth area: trusting a little sooner, and loosening your grip when holding no longer helps.
Budha rules Ashlesha, so a Moon here means birth in the Budha mahadasha, 17 years in all. How much of it remains depends on how far the Moon had travelled through the star. The Vimshottari sequence then moves on to Ketu.
Deity and symbol
In Indian tradition the Nagas guard hidden things: water, treasure and secret knowledge. The serpent is also a symbol of the kundalini energy said to rise along the spine, and its coil shows energy gathered and held.
The symbol of Ashlesha is a coiled serpent, and its deity is the Nagas, serpent wisdom.
Padas and navamsa signs
Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20′, one ninth of a sign each. The pada your Moon was in gives its navamsa (D9) sign. The four padas of Ashlesha are:
| Pada | Degrees | Moon sign | Navamsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16°40′ – 20°00′ | Karka | Dhanu |
| 2 | 20°00′ – 23°20′ | Karka | Makara |
| 3 | 23°20′ – 26°40′ | Karka | Kumbha |
| 4 | 26°40′ – 30°00′ | Karka | Meena |
So the first pada of Ashlesha falls in Dhanu navamsa and the last in Meena.
Ashlesha in Kundali Milan
As a partner Ashlesha is protective and deeply loyal, and appreciates someone who is open, reliable and patient while trust builds.
In Ashtakoot matching, Ashlesha brings a Cat yoni, Rakshasa gana and Antya nadi. Yoni Koota (4 points) is full when both partners share an animal and 0 when their animals are natural enemies; the Cat’s natural enemy is the Rat. Nadi Koota (8 points) scores 0 when both share a nadi. These are parts of one comparison, never a verdict on a couple.
Questions people ask
Which rashi does Ashlesha nakshatra fall in?
Ashlesha lies entirely within Karka, from 16°40′ to 30°00′ Karka. A Moon in Ashlesha is therefore always a Karka Moon.
Who rules Ashlesha, and which dasha does it start?
Budha rules Ashlesha. A person born with the Moon in Ashlesha starts the Vimshottari sequence in the Budha mahadasha (17 years in all), counted from the balance left at birth, and then moves on to Ketu.
What is the yoni of Ashlesha, and what does it mean in Kundali Milan?
The yoni of Ashlesha is the Cat, shared with Punarvasu. Yoni Koota scores 4 of 4 when both partners’ animals match and 0 when they are natural enemies (Cat and Rat); other pairs score between 1 and 3. In the classical texts yoni speaks of instinct and physical ease between two people; it is one of eight kootas.
Is Ashlesha a good or a bad nakshatra?
Neither. The classical texts do not rank nakshatras as good or bad for a person; each has its own character, strengths and growth areas. For Ashlesha the texts speak of perceptive and wise about people — you read what is unsaid and hold on to what matters. The growth area: trusting a little sooner, and loosening your grip when holding no longer helps.
How do I find my nakshatra?
Your birth nakshatra is the one the Moon was in when you were born, so it needs your date, time and place of birth. The free kundali on JYOTISH.info shows it with the pada, using the Lahiri ayanamsa. The Moon changes nakshatra about once a day, so without a birth time the nakshatra can be uncertain, and the app marks it as approximate.
What are the symbol and deity of Ashlesha?
The symbol is a coiled serpent, and the deity is the Nagas, serpent wisdom. The classical texts link the qualities of the deity to the character of the star.
Every position on this page is calculated sidereal with the Lahiri ayanamsa from the astronomy-engine library (MIT licence). The classical texts describe tendencies; this page is for guidance and reflection, not a verdict, and no outcome is promised. How we calculate. This is the English page and the legal reference. The same page is available in Hindi. Checked October 2026.