Nakshatra
Ashlesha nakshatra: the serpents, Mercury and padas
Ashlesha (Āśleṣā) is the ninth nakshatra and closes sidereal Cancer, from 16°40' to 30°00'. Its deities are the Sarpas, the serpents, and its Vimshottari lord is Mercury. The symbol is commonly given as a coiled serpent. Classical muhurta places it in the tīkṣṇa, or sharp, class.
Draft · specialist source review requested
Āśleṣā means "the embrace" or "the entwining." It is a fair name for a serpent nakshatra, and also for one that people approach nervously, because its reputation has a grip on them before they have read anything.
| Fact | Ashlesha |
|---|---|
| Number | 9 of 27 |
| IAST spelling | Āśleṣā |
| Deity | Sarpas (serpents) |
| Vimshottari lord | Mercury |
| Symbol (commonly given) | Coiled serpent |
| Sidereal span | 16°40'-30°00' Cancer |
| Rashi | Karka (Cancer), all four padas |
| Muhurta class | Tīkṣṇa (sharp) |
The serpents
The Bṛhat Saṃhitā gives the Sarpas, the serpent beings, as Āśleṣā's deities, and its muhurta verse calls the nakshatra by the title "lord of snakes."[32] Serpents in Indian myth are not simply villains. Nāgas guard treasure and water, and a snake sheds its skin and keeps going. Venom and medicine come from the same animal, which is roughly how astrologers read this nakshatra too.
Prompts for an Ashlesha Moon
Tradition links Ashlesha with perception, persuasion and a tight hold on what matters. Check that against yourself.
- What do you hold onto longer than you need to?
- When you read a room quickly, do you share what you saw or keep it?
- Which old skin are you ready to shed?
Which pada of Ashlesha nakshatra is bad?
None. No pada is bad. The question comes from the idea of gandanta: the last pada of Ashlesha, 26°40' to 30°00' Cancer, is where a water sign meets a fire sign (Leo), and some traditions recommend a pacifying ritual for births there. Some lineages also single out pada 1. Those are ritual customs about a junction point, not a verdict on a child or an adult. If you were told your pada is "bad," ask what the person actually meant and which text they were following.
| Pada | Sidereal span | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16°40'-20°00' Cancer | Sagittarius |
| 2 | 20°00'-23°20' Cancer | Capricorn |
| 3 | 23°20'-26°40' Cancer | Aquarius |
| 4 | 26°40'-30°00' Cancer | Pisces |
Nakshatras are sidereal. Tropical-only readers can find their sidereal Moon and pada with the nakshatra calculator; the sidereal entry explains the offset.
Muhurta uses
Bṛhat Saṃhitā lists Mūla, Ārdrā, Jyeṣṭhā and Āśleṣā as tīkṣṇa (sharp) and assigns them attack, incantation, raising spirits, binding, killing and causing division.[32] That is the list as written. This site does not suggest harmful acts. Modern muhurta practice tends to use sharp days for endings, clearing and hard conversations, and practical deadlines outrank all of it.
The chant for this nakshatra is on the Ashlesha mantra page. Pushya comes before, and Magha opens Leo after it.
Source review
The serpent deities (verses 4-5) and the tīkṣṇa list with its "lord of snakes" title (verse 7) are from Bṛhat Saṃhitā chapter 97 in the Sanskrit edition (98 in the English translation).[32] The gandanta note, the English glosses, the symbol and the prompts are editorial.
Common questions
Who is the lord of Ashlesha nakshatra?
Mercury, in the Vimshottari dasha scheme. Jyeshtha and Revati also have Mercury as lord, and all three end a sign.
What is the symbol of Ashlesha nakshatra?
Modern lists usually give a coiled serpent. That matches the deities, the Sarpas, though symbols vary between sources.
Is it unlucky to be born in Ashlesha?
No. Some traditions flag Ashlesha births for extra ritual attention, especially near the end of Cancer, but that is a ritual custom. It does not decide anyone's character or future.
Keep going
Updated 2026-10-12. Traditional interpretations are not predictions.
Sources: [32] https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/brihat-samhita-sanskrit/d/doc1218130.html
Vedic lens
What does the Vedic lens add?
Ashlesha is lunar mansion 9 in the standard 27-part sidereal sequence. Its span is 13 degrees and 20 arcminutes, divided into four padas of 3 degrees and 20 arcminutes. A Moon placement should be calculated in a named ayanamsa before applying a natal interpretation.
In Vimshottari, its starting lord is Mercury. The fraction of the mansion still ahead of the Moon determines the remaining balance of that first major period. This does not mean everyone with a Ashlesha Moon begins life with a complete Mercury period.
Natal meaning and electional timing answer different questions. A birth placement is not a recommendation to schedule every important activity under the same mansion. Check the current tithi, local time, and the practical deadline separately. Our editorial prompt is to compare one familiar response with a concrete alternative before making a decision; that is a reflection exercise, not a translated classical prediction.
Explore the yoga patterns, major and subperiods, and house-lord connections behind this reading.
How we calculate
Is astrology a guarantee of what will happen?
No. These calculations locate celestial bodies; astrology is a reflection and timing tradition, not evidence of guaranteed health, financial or relationship outcomes.
How are these results calculated?
Positions come from Astronomy Engine, an open-source astronomy library, and are checked against Swiss Ephemeris in our methodology tests. Western readings use the tropical zodiac; Vedic readings subtract the Lahiri ayanamsa. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Next: compare your birth chart, see today's sky, or make a private vision board.