ASLESHA
Aslesha Nakshatra: Spread from 16°-40' to 30° Karkata. Chandra is the lord. It is the birth star of Ketu. Symbol—coiled up snake. It is the nature of a snake to hide himself, to encircle and entwine, to creep on the chest, to embrace, and to enjoy or unite surreptitiously. All this is an attribute of Aslesha also. The cunningness of the serpent, its devious nature, the burning sensation of poison and pain along with all consequences that poison connotes are to be read in the constitution of Aslesha. The virtues and vices of the serpent are all in it. The Moon in Aslesha sicklied over with various faults in great intensity. Whoever would have his or her Karmapathi ( Lord of the 10th house ) or bhagyapathi (Lord of the 9th .house) in this star would run the risk of having all his or her principal acts in life handicapped, jeopardised or spoiled by many kinds of danger and obstruction. If the lagna is in this star, the native would possibly be of wily disposition. Such people would like to work in secret and their words would carry the sting of poison.
Devanaagari: Aslesha. Symbol — Coiled snake. Devataa — Ahi (snake). The force of Aslesha can be understood by its name Naga. Naga and Ahi are same. In Naga, 'ga' stands for gati or gamana or go in English. 'a-ga' means that which has no go. 'Na-a-ga' or Naga means to say that it can go where one cannot go. Indeed, snakes possess such power. The creature can remain coiled in such small holes or cracks where it seems impossible for the creature to go. Mind (Candra is the symbolical expression of mind and the ruling Graha of Karkata) has similar capabilities. It has power to secretly travel or penetrate into a place where ordinarily it is impossible to go. Such power is depicted by the name Candra-Ketu — another name of Siva — the lord of wisdom. Candra-Ketu is, therefore, represented by the symbol of Siva in yoga with Candra (as Candra or moon appears in Krshnaacaturdashii, XIV phase in the period of New Moon) on his forehead and a snake coiling round his neck. The symbolical idea of such Candra means to say that total extinction of mind is not possible, a part of the mind and the senses remain to function 'yoga' (union or communion) while the rest is under control or in Samadhi. The idea of Aslesha is thus associated with the ideas of Ketu. In mythology the fight between Ahivrtta and Indra is interpreted as the fight between the senses and the nervous system.
The idea of the snake is associated with hiding, coiling fear, nervousness (or nerves). It can hurt, wound, pain with extreme consequences. It likes to work secretly. It creates various hindrances in worldly activities.
Ideas:
Connection, junction, union, sexual union, intimate, contact, embracing, clasping,
entwining, joining the limbs closely.
To adhere, to attach to, to cling to, to stick on, to twist, to surround,
to encircle.
Creeping, crawling, stealing along, to slip into, move cautiously, go tortuously.
Snake, poison, torment, burning, pain.
Portion of the human body — Nails, joints.