Nakshatra 9 of 27 · Kark (Cancer)
Ashlesha Nakshatra
Ashlesha is the 9th of the 27 nakshatras, spanning Cancer 16°40′ – Cancer 30°00′. Its lord is Mercury, its deity Nagas (Serpents), and it is Rakshasa gana, Cat yoni and Antya (Kapha) nadi.
The Moon is next in Ashlesha from Monday, 2 November 2026, 4:30 AM to Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 3:46 AM (Hyderabad time).
At a glance
Ashlesha nakshatra lord, deity, gana, yoni and nadi
| Span | Cancer 16°40′ – Cancer 30°00′ |
|---|---|
| Rashi (Moon sign) | Kark (Cancer) |
| Ruling planet (dasha lord) | Mercury |
| Deity | Nagas (Serpents) |
| Symbol | Coiled Serpent |
| Gana | Rakshasa |
| Yoni | Cat |
| Nadi | Antya (Kapha) |
| Tattva (element) | Water (Jal) |
| Nature for muhurta | Tikshna (sharp) |
| Gandmool nakshatra | Yes |
All four padas are in Kark (Cancer).
Tattva here is the nakshatra's own element in the five-block scheme AstroSage also prints (Ashwini to Mrigashira earth, Ardra to Purva Phalguni water, Uttara Phalguni to Anuradha fire, Jyeshtha to Shravana air, Dhanishta to Revati ether) — not the element of the Moon sign.
Four padas
Ashlesha nakshatra padas, navamsa and name letters
The naming letters for Ashlesha are Dee, Doo, De, Do, one per pada. In the Namakaran tradition a child is named beginning with the sound of the pada the Moon occupied at birth, so the pada — not just the nakshatra — decides the letter.
| Pada | Degrees | Rashi | Navamsa (D9) | Name syllable | Varna (matching) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cancer 16°40′ – Cancer 20°00′ | Kark (Cancer) | Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Dee | Brahmin |
| 2 | Cancer 20°00′ – Cancer 23°20′ | Kark (Cancer) | Makar (Capricorn) | Doo | Brahmin |
| 3 | Cancer 23°20′ – Cancer 26°40′ | Kark (Cancer) | Kumbh (Aquarius) | De | Brahmin |
| 4 | Cancer 26°40′ – Cancer 30°00′ | Kark (Cancer) | Meen (Pisces) | Do | Brahmin |
Varna is given per pada because Ashtakoota matching scores the varna of the Moon sign (water signs Brahmin, fire Kshatriya, earth Vaishya, air Shudra). Some tables also assign a varna to the nakshatra itself; those lists disagree from source to source and matching does not use them.
Characteristics
Ashlesha nakshatra characteristics
Ashlesha is the coiled serpent, presided over by the Nagas, and the tradition reads it as the star of grip and insight. People with the Moon here are described as perceptive, persuasive and hard to deceive, with a talent for strategy, research and anything that needs patience before the decisive move. Mercury as lord sharpens the mind. The caution is secrecy and possessiveness — holding on to people, or to grievances, for longer than is good for anyone.
Strengths the tradition names
- Intuition
- Strategic mind
- Mystical ability
- Kundalini potential
What to watch
- Manipulation
- Distrust
- Poison tongue
- Emotional coldness
Work it is traditionally linked with
Occult sciences, Pharmacy, Psychology, Intelligence/espionage.
A nakshatra describes the Moon's position, which millions of people share. It is read as a tendency to reflect on, alongside the whole chart — not as a verdict on a person.
Compatibility
Ashlesha nakshatra compatibility for marriage
Nadi. Ashlesha is Antya (Kapha) nadi. When both birth stars share a nadi, Guna Milan's Nadi koota scores 0 of 8 (nadi dosha), so a match with any of these stars starts with that gap: Krittika, Rohini, Magha, Swati, Vishakha, Uttara Ashadha, Shravana, Revati. Several traditions list exceptions that cancel the dosha; read the full 36-point report rather than one koota.
Yoni. Ashlesha is Cat yoni. The same yoni — Punarvasu — scores the full 4 of 4. Its sworn-enemy yoni is Rat, so Magha, Purva Phalguni score 0 of 4 in either direction.
Gana. Ashlesha is Rakshasa gana. The Gana koota is directional — the score depends on which partner is the groom — and these are the engine's own values:
| Partner's gana | Ashlesha native is the groom | Ashlesha native is the bride |
|---|---|---|
| Deva | 1 / 6 | 0 / 6 |
| Manushya | 0 / 6 | 0 / 6 |
| Rakshasa | 6 / 6 | 6 / 6 |
Nadi, yoni and gana are 18 of the 36 points; the rest come from the Moon signs and the count between the two stars. Full kundli matching · Matching by name · Nakshatra porutham
Gandmool
Is Ashlesha a gandmool nakshatra?
Ashlesha is one of the six gandmool nakshatras — Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Moola, Revati — the stars that sit at the three junctions where a water sign ends and a fire sign begins. Many families have a gandmool shanti performed for a child born with the Moon in one of them, traditionally on the day the Moon returns to the same star about 27 days later. It is a ritual observance, not a forecast: a very large number of people are born in these stars and live entirely ordinary lives.
Live from the ephemeris
When is Ashlesha nakshatra next?
| From | Until |
|---|---|
| Monday, 2 November 2026, 4:30 AM | Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 3:46 AM |
| Sunday, 29 November 2026, 10:59 AM | Monday, 30 November 2026, 9:42 AM |
| Saturday, 26 December 2026, 8:13 PM | Sunday, 27 December 2026, 6:04 PM |
Times are for Hyderabad. The Moon enters and leaves a nakshatra at the same instant everywhere, so another city changes only the clock these are written in. The Moon takes about 27.3 days to come back to the same star and stays roughly a day each time.
Questions
Ashlesha nakshatra questions
Which rashi is Ashlesha nakshatra in?
Ashlesha spans Cancer 16°40′ – Cancer 30°00′. All four padas are in Kark (Cancer).
Who is the lord of Ashlesha nakshatra?
Mercury. Vimshottari dasha begins from the lord of the birth star, so a person born with the Moon in Ashlesha is born in a Mercury mahadasha; how much of it remains depends on how far the Moon had travelled through the star.
What are the name letters for Ashlesha nakshatra?
One per pada — pada 1: Dee; pada 2: Doo; pada 3: De; pada 4: Do. The pada the Moon occupied at birth decides which one applies.
What is the gana, yoni and nadi of Ashlesha?
Rakshasa gana, Cat yoni and Antya (Kapha) nadi — the values Guna Milan scores.
Is Ashlesha a gandmool nakshatra?
Yes. It is one of the six — Ashwini, Ashlesha, Magha, Jyeshtha, Mula and Revati — for which many families perform a gandmool shanti after a birth. It is a ritual, not a forecast.
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