Ashvini, the beginning of everything, especially Ketu's energies, is represented in the celestial firmament by two bright stars in the constellation of Aries. The ancient vedic seers saw the constellation of Aries as forming a horse's head, and thus these two stars were seen as making a similar pattern. These stars are known in modern astronomy as Alpha-Arietes (Hamal) and Beta-Arietes (Sheratari). Alpha-Arietes is slightly brighter with a visual magnitude of 2.02, while Beta-Arietes has a visual magnitude of 2.66. These relatively bright stars lie very close to the planetary ecliptic, right below the bright constellation of Andromeda, and are easy to locate in the night sky.
«Ashvini» сап be translated into either «Born of a Female Horse» or the «Horse-Woman». The first meaning is clear but the second one leaves one confused as to whether the woman is riding a horse, or is she a mythical creature with a horse's head and woman's body. As we shall discover later, it is probably the latter.
Its alternative name is Asvayuj, which translates into «she who yokes horses». Once again a strong emphasis on the horse and a female is seen, the root of which we would discover when we get to its ruling deities.
Ashvini's main symbol is a «horse's head». This symbol, as we can see, is in keeping with its name. A horse's head conveys the idea of «a beginning». One can notice how riders pat their horse's neck before beginning any journey. From time immemorial a horse has been seen as a symbol of power, courage, movement and vitality. A horse's head signifies an eagerness to act and a swiftness of approach. A-horse as we know is always ready to make journeys, not for its own ends, but for the ends of its rider or others in general.
If one has had the chance of being close to a horse, one will realize that a horse's head conveys a certain amount of sensitivity and alertness. Since Ashvini lies in the beginning of the sign Aries, which is seen as representing the head of the kala purusha (the eternal being), it makes sense that Ashvini be related to a head of some kind. The head of course relates to the brain, the controlling organ of all body functions. Thus Ashvini automatically relates to mental impulses and leadership. Horses are nervous, fidgety and highly strung animals. Therefore this nakshatra carries all of these qualities in good measure.
Its alternative symbol is a 'horse carriage consisting of two horses carrying two people'. This symbolism relates to the presiding deities of this nakshatra. This symbol once again emphasizes a need for movement and relates to transportation of all kinds. This movement can relate to material transportation on the earth or travelling between different worlds, realms or planes.
The Ashvini Kumaras, the two celestial horsemen, are regarded as the main presiding deities of this nakshatra. Their names are Dashra and Nasatya, which translate into «bringing help» and «truthfulness» respectively. There's no ancient culture where one cannot find stories and legends carrying their symbolism. The tales often show two heroic brothers travelling around solving the problems of whosoever they encounter in their travels.
In the Vedic legend they are twin brothers, who were born out of the union of Sun and his wife Sanjana, when they were in the form of a stallion and a mare. These two brothers are seen as the celestial physicians in ancient Vedic texts. This is where the healing and rejuvenating aspect of this nakshatra stems from.
The Ashvini Kumaras are supposed to have knowledge of all herbs on the physical and astral plane; and are supposed to possess supernatural powers to cure any disease or fix any problem. They are particularly concerned with friction or obstacles which might come up between married couples. Thus Ashvini is a nakshatra which promotes marital harmony. Ashvini Kumaras are also invoked to aid childbirth. They are also very well known in the ancient legends for curing impotence and other types of sexual disorders.
This nakshatra reflects the divine qualities of these two beings as best as it can be done on the material plane. The Ashvini Kumaras are considered so powerful that they can make the old become young and even bring the dead back to life. They themselves have a youthful appearance and never age. This explains the ageless quality of this nakshatra. The generosity and compassion of the Ashvini Kumaras extends to the animals as well. There are a lot of stories of them saving gentle animals like lambs from preying creatures like wolves.
In our view, Brahma, the creator among the Trinity, can be regarded as the overseer of this nakshatra. Not many scholars have shed light on this aspect, but the fact remains that this nakshatra represents the beginning of all things, including creation. Brahma is the architect of the universe and is responsible for all types of beginnings.
Ganesha, the elephant headed son of Parvati and Shiva, is also strongly attached with this asterism. Ganesha also represents the beginnings of all things and is regarded as the remover of obstacles. It is interesting to note that this nakshatra can be summed up by the phrase «Remover of obstacles». Ganesha is also the main presiding deity of Ketu, the planet ruling this nakshatra. His four main qualities — purity, auspiciousness, innocence and supreme devotion to the Universal Mother principle, can be seen manifested through the functionings of Ashvini.
'Spontaneous' is the word which sums up this nakshatra's nature and functioning. It is a nakshatra which is way ahead of all the other nakshatras as far as initiating anything is concerned. It is also the quickest amongst the nakshatras. All associated qualities with quickness like agility and speediness form the core of Ashvini's functioning. One can see that in order to be quick one has to be direct and to the point. This nakshatra has a straightforward, no nonsense approach to dealing with things and life in general.
The natives with prominent Ashvini never lose a minute in converting their impulses into thoughts and their thoughts into action. This often results in an impulsive behaviour pattern, which in its negative aspect often leads to rashness. All the phrases like «Hurry causes delay, and haste makes waste», seem to be aimed directly at Ashvini natives.
Ashvini natives are usually brimming with life, have lively intelligence, a quick comprehension ability and a happy go lucky disposition. Their appearance is usually youthful and eager. They seem to age less quickly than other nakshatra types. When Ashvini is rising on the Ascendant, it makes the person short, athletic, robust and charming in an innocent sort of way. In fact natives with prominent Ashvini can be singled out by their innocent looks and childish demeanour. Since the Ashvini Kumaras are known for their charm, elegance, style and extravagance — these qualities are reflected in the mental and physical makeup of Ashvini natives.
Ashvini natives usually have a strong spirit of adventure and revel in encountering the unknown. A spirit of adventure always requires courage and this nakshatra has loads of it. It is a fearless nakshatra which derives satisfaction from heroic pursuits. For example, a person bungy jumping at the age of ninety could only be an Ashvini type. In its negative aspect, this quality often comes out as foolhardiness, and Ashvini natives have a tendency to suffer a lot as a result. The lesser evolved among such natives show a marked tendency not to learn from their mistakes, and can be seen to be repeating the same mistake over and over again. There is definitely a lack of reflection associated with this nakshatra and the bad news is that things don't usually improve with age.
There's a distinct sense of humour associated with this nakshatra. Natives have a light hearted and jovial humour and possess an ability to laugh at themselves and others. Its peculiar brand of humour is best exemplified by Charlie Chaplin movies.
The constant need for movement makes the Ashvini natives completely useless at all activities requiring stillness and patience. This is the reason why they are very rarely seen to bring to completion what they have begun. They have enough motivation when it comes to initiating new activities, but they find it hard to stick it out.
Ashvini natives are known for having an eye for the needs of others and a helpful nature, but in our experience they are more likely to be helpful in short term things or those requiring quick bursts of energy. If something requires long term attention, Ashvini natives are likely to transfer their responsibilities to some other nakshatra type and move onto the next thing.
Their innate urge to quickly move onto the next thing makes them lose out as far as attaining enduring knowledge and wisdom is concerned. This is especially the case with younger and less evolved souls. In today's hyper-materialistic day and age, such natives can easily scatter their lives away moving from one triviality or distraction to the next. ^Naivete' is the keyword which sums up such Ashvini types. Ashvini natives usually have an independent and confident spirit and don't like to be told what to do. This quality is similar to that of a wild or untamed horse. This is alright in evolved souls who know exactly which path to follow, but for those who have not reached that level it makes them want to do things their own way, without even knowing what to do. Such Ashvini types can be very stubborn and unyielding, and are likely to ignore all good counsel. Just like the wildest horse can be tamed, all Ashvini natives can be made to tow the line if handled with a certain degree of sensitivity and caution, mixed with aggression and firmness.
Ashvini natives usually like to dress well and can be seen spending a considerable amount of time on their wardrobe. They are direct, straightforward people and appreciate the same quality in others. They are always fascinated by all affairs related to healing, rejuvenation and self-improvement practices of all kinds. They can be easily found in the local health club and most of the bodily improvement advertisments seem to be directed at them.
Ashvini natives like to be unique in whatever they do and how they are seen. All Ashvini natives have a marked tendency to feel unique in comparison to others. They like to think that they have some special gifts which others do not possess. It is true that they have a pioneering approach to things, which makes them a step ahead of the rest. In the present day and age they are the ones that are likely to catch on to the new trends and happenings first-One peculiarity of Ashvini natives is that they are moderate eaters and are modest in any circumstance. Despite their unique qualities, they are not the show off types and are not likely to gloat over their accomplishments. They have a thing about being self sufficient and don't like to be dependant on others. Ashvini is a very resourceful nakshatra. Natives under its influence always seem to come up with the required resources under the most adverse circumstances, as if by magic. They are competent and sincere about whatever they do, although they may lack the discipline and endurance required to achieve perfection. Ashvini natives who have endurance are often very successful at whatever they choose to do. This endurance factor usually comes from other factors in a chart rather than Ashvini itself.
In keeping with its basic nature and disposition, ancient Vedic seers saw this as an Active asterism. This comes as no surprise as this nakshatra relates to the very beginning of all activities. It Is the basic primordial force which introduces activity into passivity of time and space. The original creative spark cannot be anything but active.
It belongs to the Vaishya or merchant caste of nakshatras. It might surprise some to know that the original creative spark is a business man, but the ancient Vedic seers did not have the above indication in mind when they designated the Vaishya caste to this asterism. Doing any kind of business requires a lot of initiative and there is no nakshatra with more initiative than Ashvini, so it automatically gets connected to all kinds of business activities on the material as well as other planes of existence. Business out here cannot just be seen as buying and selling goods, as is mostly the case nowadays. It relates to interaction and exchange on many different levels, and the primordial, unconscious motivations underlying all activity. In the present context however, Ashvini natives can be seen to be good at doing business and making money.
It is a male nakshatra, since it is the first nakshatra and the number 'Г relates to the male aspect in nature. This nakshatra projects the archetypical masculine qualities like drive, ambition, logic and initiative. It is also mainly connected to male planets like Sun and Mars. All its presiding deities are also male.
Knees and the top portion of the feet are the main body parts ruled by this nakshatra. Its association with knees is evident from its association with movement. Knees are the body parts which provides us our capacity for walking, running and jumping. Horses can run fast because they have strong knees. The feet again are related to our ability to move.
It is a primarily «Vata» (airy) nakshatra. Vata as we know carries a very moveable energy in tune with this nakshatra's basic nature. All of nature's moveable creatures like birds, have a Vata disposition.
Its main directions are centre, east, south and northwest.
The first pada or quarter of this asterism falls in Aries Navamsa and is ruled by Mars. This is the pada which relates to the most pioneering, courageous and physically active part of this nakshatra. This pada is full of initiative and bestows abundant energy and drive.
The second pada or quarter of this asterism falls in Taurus Navamsa ruled by Venus. This- pada relates to the more practical and resourceful aspect of this nakshatra. It is connected to the splendorous, graceful and indulgent aspect of the Ashvini Kumaras. This pada likes to see the material manifestation of its thoughts and ideas.
The third pada or quarter of this asterism falls in Gemini Navamsa ruled by Mercury. This pada relates to the light, humorous, communicative aspect of this nakshatra. This pada gives a very quick comprehension and makes one adept at all kinds of mental activity. It can be said to be the speedy jack of the zodiac.
The fourth pada or quarter of this asterism falls in Cancer Navamsa ruled by Moon. This pada relates to the healing part of Ashvini. This pada has an eye for people's needs, and is usually very in tune with the pulse of the collective consciousness at any given point in time. It is the birth place of the emotional faculty which manifests itself as empathy.
Equestrian professions, Horse Trainers and Keepers and all those involved in Equine jobs or sports; Horse Racing Enthusiasts/Gamblers; All types of Healing Professions (in the present day and age — Physicians, Therapists, Chemists, Counsellors, Physiotherapists, Druggists and Surgeons); Marriage Counsellors and Childbirth Specialists; Those involved in Promotional and Motivational jobs and campaigns; Physical Arts like Dancing; Those involved in the Transportation Industry; Athletes and all Sport related jobs; Herbologists; Gardeners; Teachers and Educators for Beginners; All those involved in Racing Professions like Motor Sports; Adventure Sports; Explorers; Stunt Men; Researchers and Pioneers; Concretors and all those involved in laying foundations in the building industry; People in Law; Enforcement Agencies; Soldiers; Generals; Mechanical Engineers and those involved in Engineering Professions in general; Jewellers especially Goldsmiths; Small business owners and Shopkeepers in general.
All places related to Equine professions — Grazing Lands, Stables, Horse Tracks etc.; Hospitals and Places associated with the Medical Profession; Places where Herbs grow; Botanical Gardens; Sporting Grounds; Race Tracks of all kinds; Roads, Railway Tracks and all other types of Paths meant for Transportation; Military Bases; Research Centres; Technological and Industrial Centres; Health Clubs and Gymnasiums; All places where Initiations and Beginnings are done; Kindergartens and Primary Schools.
This is a Sattwic nakshatra. It's Sattwic quality relates to the purity and innocence attached with all types of beginnings, including the creation of our universe. What ancient Vedic seers are saying through this is that — «In the beginning only Sattwa exists, and Rajas and Tamas manifest themselves afterwards.»
It belongs to the Earth element. All beginnings including the beginning of our universe have one and only one objective — material manifestation.
It is considered a godly or Deva nakshatra. This comes as no surprise as all of its presiding deities are predominantly godly in nature.
It is a Level nakshatra. Level nakshatras are useful for levelling things. This applies almost literally to this asterism, as it is associated with all kinds of levelling activities such as laying foundations for houses, buildings etc. We can see that the levelling aspect is very important in Ashvini when it comes to places like racetracks, roads etc.
It is a Moveable or Ephemeral nakshatra. This means that it relates to travelling and change in all its forms. One doesn't have to think twice before assigning a moveable disposition to this nakshatra. This is the most restless among all the nakshatras and is happy only in movement. This movement normally expresses itself through the mental and physical planes.
It relates to the first half of the lunar month of Ashvfn. This usually relates to the month of September or October in the solar calendar.
Ashvini is also related to the Pratftma (1st tithi or day) of the waxing phase of the Moon's monthly cycle.
Good for all types of beginnings and initiations, especially those involving learning new things; Laying foundation stones; Taking medicines; Good for all healing, rejuvenation and exercise; Good for improving physical appearance, self improvement on other levels, and age prevention techniques; Good for all activities requiring quickness of thought and action; Equine related activities; Favourable for buying or selling; Travelling; Repairing vehicles or machinery of any kind; Putting on clothes and jewellery; Planting seeds; Learning astrology and other spiritual, occult sciences; Especially good for installing sacred items such as altars, statues, temples etc.; Legal activities; Favourable for taking up a new name.
Unfavourable for marriage; All kinds of endings; All kinds of activities requiring patience and perseverence; Sexual activity; Not good for activities which are heavy on the emotional plane; Intoxication; Not good for completions of any kind.
The planetary ruler of this nakshatra is Ketu. Ketu as we know relates to all types of beginnings and thus is directly related to the initiatory impulse inherent in this nakshatra. Among the planets, Ketu is the only one which represents the power of the past, which can be utilised to heal the person in the present. Ketu's power of rejuvenation and regeneration is akin to the phoenix rising from the ashes, and as mentioned earlier, this nakshatra's ruling deities can even bring the dead back to life.
The creativity of this nakshatra corresponds to Ketu's primordial creative potential arising from the will aspect of nature. However this creative force can sometimes be so strong and overwhelming that it becomes difficult to control or channel. This is where things go wrong with this nakshatra. Its downfall usually comes through attempting close to impossible feats without proper consideration. However when it succeeds, it gets the pioneer label. This nakshatra has a strong faith in magic and the dictum — «anything is possible».
Mars connects to this nakshatra, being the planetary ruler of the sign Aries. Mars as we know is the planet of energy, and energy is a must for any kind of initiatory impulse. Without energy there can be no movement. In a way it can be said that Mars is the engine which drives Ashvini's car.
This nakshatra also has a close relationship with Sun, since Sun reaches maximum exaltation here. In numerology Sun is related to the number 4, and since this is the first nakshatra, it is also directly connected with the number 4. This nakshatra has an independent spirit in much the same way as Sun. It is interesting to note that Sun is also a continuously moving entity, which is supposed to ride on a chariot of seven horses. The readers can also recall that the two Ashvini Kumaras are the sons of our Sun.
Sun, Ketu and Mars express themselves strongly when placed in Ashvini. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Rahu are good here as long as Ketu is well placed. Conjunctions of Sun/Ketu; Sun/Mars and Mars/Ketu carry energies similar to Ashvini.
The first pada or quarter of this asterism corresponds to «Chu» as in Chuck or Church.
The second pada or quarter of this asterism corresponds to «Che» as in Cherry.
The third pada or quarter of this asteris corresponds to «Cho» as in Chocolate.
The fourth pada or quarter of this asterism corresponds to «La» as in Larry or Las Vegas.
In the Sanskrit alphabet Ashvini corresponds to «Am», «Aam» and «Im», consequently its mantras are «Om Am», «Om Aam» and «Om Im».
Its sexual animal is a Horse. Horses are sensitive and passionate creatures and these qualities find expression in Ashvini's sexuality. The natural grace of horses gives Ashvini natives appeal and sexiness. Ashvini is most compatible with other horse nakshatras like Shatabishak.
Ashvini represents the primordial, initiatory urge which created both the manifest and unmanifest universes. Being the beginning of all things, it has the power to set anything right. This is why in later times, the physicians of the gods, the Ashvini Kumaras, were entertwined with the energies of this nakshatra. In almost all ancient cultures, the roots of which «of course are the same, one can find the 'divine physician' archetype. Astoundingly, all these divine physician archetypes are very similar to the Ashvini Kumaras in the sense that — they are always riding horses, they are mostly twins, they are born out of a water goddess or a water source of some sort. The Ashvini Kumaras are very learned in Ayurveda, the original healing system. They revived the sage Dadhichi. Indra warned Dadhichi not to teach the Kumaras Brahma-Vidya (knowledge of creation) since their occupation placed them outside that realm. He promised to cut off Dadhichi's head should he not heed the warning. Dadhici relayed this to the Kumaras. With their great medical abilities however they removed Dadhici's head and replaced it with a horse head. Dadhichi then spoke to them through the horses mouth. They were then able to replace the original human head of Dadhici after Indra cut off the horse head.
The Ashvini Kumaras restoring the youth of Cyavana Muni. Through this service to a powerful Muni, the twins were granted the right to drink Soma Rasa, an immortalizing drink, with the other demigods. In Mahabharata, Nakul and Sahadeva the youngest amongst the 5 Pandava brothers were sons of Ashvini Kumaras.
An ancient Welsh legend, which still holds relevance today in the minds of the Welsh people, illustrates this fact. According to this legend, three sons were born from a lady which had emerged from a lake called Lannefann. These semi — divine beings, known as the «Physicians of Myddfai», were known to be able to cure every disease and were even able to slow down the ageing process. The lake can still be visited today. This story definitely supports the assumption, which is gaining ground now, that the ancient Celtic religion was (he same as the ancient Vedic religion. It corrobrates well with the puranic story of the birth of Ashvini Kumaras. Vivasvan's (the Solar Diety) wife Samjna once ran away from her husband and in order to hide from him took the body of a mare while she performed austerities on Earth, vlvasvan, who was seraching for her, finally found her by the side of a lake and turned himself into a horse and out of their union these twin sons, the Ashvini Kumaras, were born.
Whilst discussing the asterism Shatabishak, we came across the fact that oceans are known to carry enough herbs to cure every known disease, besides carrying other types of magical herbs. In the ancient Vedic legend concerning the «Churning of the Ocean», the Ashvini Kumaras were born out of this churning of the ocean. We can see that the Ashvini Kumaras and Shatabhishak have a strong connection due to the correlation between their ruling deities. It is said that diseases which are caused under the influence of Shatabhishak can only be cured under the influence of Ashvini. Since every beginning is a kind of rejuvenation, Ashvini has the power to overcome any affliction on the physical, mental, emotional and higher planes.
In the universal scheme of things, Ashvini relates to «shidravyapani shakti» or the power to quickly attain one's objective. It is clear from the above that Ashvini is representative of the universal energy which assists everyone in need without hesitation or delay.
This nakshatra is related to the Sage Marichi, one of the seven celestial sages looking after the affairs of our galaxy. The name of this sage translates into «light». This comes as no surprise as Ashvini is the lightest and swiftest amongst the 27 nakshatras.
For those suffering from bad effects resulting from afflictions to this nakshatra, the best remedial measure is worship of «Lord Ganesha».
Repetition of the root mantra of this nakshatra — «Om Am» and «Om Im» 108 times when Moon transits this nakshatra and in its corresponding lunar month, is sure to reduce suffering and bring enlightenment into a person's life.
Persons who are benefiting from the positive energy of this nakshatra can also increase the good effects through the above mentioned ways. It is helpful for them to wear various shades of red and bright variegated colours. They should use Ashvini's directions, lunar month and the days when Moon transits Ashvini to undertake all important actions.
Source: «The Book of Nakshatras» by Prash Trivedi
Source: «The Book of Nakshatras» by Prash Trivedi