The first of the twenty-seven Nakshatras is Ashwini,                                                               which spans from 0° to 13°20′ of the 30° of Aries. The symbol for Ashwini is the head of a horse, and its ruling deities are the Ashwini Kumaras. Ashvin अश्विन् means horse-tamer or cavalier, and Kumaara कुमार means youth or prince. The Ashwini Kumaras are the twin horsemen sons of the Sun god, Surya. Suitably placed at the beginning of the solar zodiac, they symbolize sunrise and sunset, the transition from darkness to light, and new beginnings. The Kumaras are also the gods of Ayurvedic Medicine. They have great healing powers able to bestow youth, regeneration, life force, and stamina.

The Nakshatra Ashwini represents the beginning of the soul’s journey. It is energetic and wants to be active. It’s Guna is Rajas and its main motivation (Purushaartha) is Dharma. It’s ruling planet is Ketu, the descending node of the Moon. Ketu is a shadow planet and very mysterious, but through his mysterious ways, he is also a significator of Moksha (liberation). Ketu is the planet of past lives, and those born with planets, especially the Moon, in Ashwini will have strong past life connections. The Sun is exalted in Ashwini, which indicates a powerful connection to the soul and inner consciousness. And those born with Ascendant here are often great healers.

All the Nakshatras, Vedic (Sidereal) Zodiac signs, and more can be found in my book, Shedding Light on Jyotisha, Vedic Astrology For Beginners © 2015.

Shedding Light on Jyotisha, Vedic Astrology For Beginner’s, is now available online at Amazon, Amazon Canada, Amazon India, Amazon UK, and international Amazon stores, Barnes & Noble, and other smaller bookstores.