Ashlesha is the 9th of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 16°40′ Karka to 30°00′ Karka of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "the embrace", its presiding deity is The Sarpas (serpents), the serpent deities, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Mercury.

The span is calculated with the Lahiri ayanamsa. The name, deity, lord and junction star are traditional and cited below; they describe a cultural system, not a measured influence.

Nakshatra 9 of 27 · Karka (Cancer)

Ashlesha आश्लेषा

The embrace

Presided over by The Sarpas (serpents), the serpent deities, and ruled by Mercury.

At a glance

TRADITION
Position
9th of 27
Sidereal span
16°40′ Karka – 30°00′ Karka
Sign
Karka (Cancer)
Planetary lord
Mercury
Presiding deity
The Sarpas (serpents)
Junction star
ε Hydrae

When the Moon is next in Ashlesha

Times in UTC · Lahiri ayanamsa · to the nearest minute

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The four padas

Each pada is a quarter of 3°20′. The 108 padas of the zodiac cycle through the twelve signs in order, giving each pada its navamsa (D9) sign.

Pada 1

16°40′ Karka – 20°00′ Karka

Navamsa: Dhanus

Pada 2

20°00′ Karka – 23°20′ Karka

Navamsa: Makara

Pada 3

23°20′ Karka – 26°40′ Karka

Navamsa: Kumbha

Pada 4

26°40′ Karka – 30°00′ Karka

Navamsa: Meena

The other Mercury mansions

The nine lords repeat three times around the zodiac, so each lord rules three mansions, 120° apart.

Sources

  • Taittirīya Saṃhitā 4.4.10 — the Vedic list of nakshatras with their presiding deities. Keith, A. B. (Trans.). (1914). The Veda of the Black Yajus School entitled Taittiriya Sanhita (Part 2). Harvard University Press. Read the translation
  • Sūrya Siddhānta, chapter 8 — the asterisms and their junction stars. Burgess, E. (Trans.). (1858–1860). Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta, a text-book of Hindu astronomy. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 6. Read the translation
  • Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, Vimśottarī daśā chapter — the nine planetary lords in nakshatra order. Santhanam, R. (Trans.). (1984). Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (Vol. 2). Ranjan Publications.

Junction-star identifications differ between texts and commentators. English meanings are approximate renderings of the Sanskrit name.