The name syllables of the four padas of Ashwini are Chu (चू) for the first pada, Che (चे) for the second, Cho (चो) for the third and La (ला) for the fourth. All four padas are in Aries (Mesha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Aries (Mesha) as its name rashi. Ashwini spans 0° to 13°20′ Mesha in the zodiac; in the Vimshottari order its graha is Ketu, and its deities are the Ashvini Kumaras.
The 4 padas (charan) of Ashwini: name letters and rashi
| Pada | Name letter | Rashi | Degrees in the rashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | चूChu | Aries (Mesha) | 0°–3°20′ |
| 2 | चेChe | Aries (Mesha) | 3°20′–6°40′ |
| 3 | चोCho | Aries (Mesha) | 6°40′–10° |
| 4 | लाLa | Aries (Mesha) | 10°–13°20′ |
Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ and each of its four padas 3°20′. To find the rashi of any name from its first letter: Rashi by name
Previous nakshatra: RevatiNext nakshatra: BharaniAll 27 nakshatras
- Order
- 1st of 27
- In the zodiac
- 0° to 13°20′ Mesha0°–13°20′ from the start of Mesha
- Rashi
- Aries (Mesha): all four padas
- Deity
- the Ashvini Kumaras
- Gand mool
- One of the six gand mool nakshatras (the Revati-Ashwini junction)When gand mool falls: dates and times
When the Moon is next in Ashwini
- from Sunday, 25 October 2026, 7:23 PM to Monday, 26 October 2026, 5:42 PM
- from Sunday, 22 November 2026, 5:55 AM to Monday, 23 November 2026, 4:16 AM
- from Saturday, 19 December 2026, 3:59 PM to Sunday, 20 December 2026, 2:56 PM
- from Friday, 15 January 2027, 11:52 PM to Saturday, 16 January 2027, 11:39 PM
- from Friday, 12 February 2027, 5:43 AM to Saturday, 13 February 2027, 5:57 AM
- from Thursday, 11 March 2027, 11:20 AM to Friday, 12 March 2027, 11:23 AM
Times are Indian Standard Time; the Moon enters and leaves a nakshatra at the same moment all over India. They agree with Drik Panchang within 2 minutes. Today’s panchang
Where the lists differ
- Books and lists write the vowel of some syllables long or short (वू/वु, चू/चु). The Avakahada chakra counts अ-आ, इ-ई, उ-ऊ, ए-ऐ and ओ-औ as one, so the pada stays the same.
Ashwini Nakshatra: questions and answers
Which letter should a name begin with in Ashwini Nakshatra?
By tradition the syllable of the pada of Ashwini that the Moon is in at birth begins the name: Chu (चू) in the first pada, Che (चे) in the second, Cho (चो) in the third and La (ला) in the fourth. The pada follows from the date, time and place of birth; SanatanBodh’s birth panchang works it out.
What are the 4 padas (charan) of Ashwini Nakshatra?
The four padas of Ashwini span 3°20′ each: the 1st from 0° to 3°20′ in Aries (Mesha), syllable Chu (चू); the 2nd from 3°20′ to 6°40′ in Aries (Mesha), syllable Che (चे); the 3rd from 6°40′ to 10° in Aries (Mesha), syllable Cho (चो); the 4th from 10° to 13°20′ in Aries (Mesha), syllable La (ला).
Which nakshatra comes after Ashwini?
In the order of the 27 nakshatras Bharani (2) comes after Ashwini (1), and Revati (27), at the end of the order, comes before it. The Moon passes the nakshatras in this order, one after another.
Which rashi is Ashwini Nakshatra in?
Ashwini spans 0° to 13°20′ Mesha in the zodiac (0°–13°20′ counted from the start of Mesha). All four padas are in Aries (Mesha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Aries (Mesha) as its name rashi. Each rashi holds nine nakshatra padas: the 108 padas of the 27 nakshatras in 12 rashis.
What are the graha and the deity of Ashwini Nakshatra?
In the Vimshottari order the graha of Ashwini is Ketu, which is also the graha of Magha and Mula (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46). In the Brihat Samhita (chapter 98) the deities of Ashwini are the Ashvini Kumaras.
How long is the Moon in Ashwini?
About a day. The Moon’s speed varies, so it takes about 21 to 27 hours to cross the 13°20′, and it comes back to Ashwini about 27 days later (our calculation, 2026–27). The moments are the same all over India.
Sources
- Name syllables: Brihad Avakahada Chakram, Nakshatra Prakarana, Shatapada Chakra verses 9–15 (archive.org); Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), pp. 22–24; Drik Panchang, nakshatra pada swar siddhanta
- Nine nakshatra padas to a rashi: Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), p. 26; the span of each nakshatra: Drik Panchang’s nakshatra pages (drikpanchang.com/tutorials/nakshatra/)
- Graha: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46, verses 12–14 (counted from Krittika: Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus), R. Santhanam’s English translation, vol. 2, pp. 507–508; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra and navagraha pages
- Deity: Varahamihira, Brihat Samhita, chapter 98, verses 4–5, English translation by V. Subrahmanya Sastri and M. Ramakrishna Bhat (Bangalore, 1946), p. 742; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra lists (Swami) and nakshatra pages
- The Moon entering and leaving each nakshatra: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha); compared with Drik Panchang’s 2026 and 2027 nakshatra lists (New Delhi), every time within 2 minutes (4 October 2026)
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