Krishna & the lunacy of devotion (Rohini nakshatra)

Krishna, the form of the Godhead who appeared under a Rohini Moon and ascendant, is the perfect embodiment of Rohini’s qualities. Among all divine incarnations, He is the sweetest and most enchanting. Even His name Krishna means “all-attractive” and Rohini is that all-attractiveness (out of all the wives of the Moon she is the most attractive, charming & the most beloved of the Moon). Most importantly, Krishna is the deity of bhakti. Vrajasundara Krishna can only be attained by pure, unalloyed devotion. Other deities may be pleased by jñana (knowledge) or tapas (austerity), but Krishna is satisfied only by the love of His devotees. This is what makes Him unique. He is also eternally youthful, which reflects Rohini’s rulership over youth, especially the tender threshold between childhood and puberty, when innocence, play, and the first stirrings of romantic feeling awaken. Krishna is so sweet and personal with His devotees that even exalted beings like Brahma and Indra have doubted His divinity, unable to comprehend how the Supreme could behave so casually and human-like (Rohini is a manushya or human nakshatra).

Krishna is often depicted among the gopis, His moonlike face glowing with a gentle smile, adorned with jewels & flute in hand. This image of Krishna standing in the center of these beautiful girls (who are His shaktis) who are enamoured with Him is a beautiful picture that can help us understand the energy of Rohini nakshatra, how it attracts others to them and its fixation on romance, flirtation and love play. Another interesting feature of Krishna is His tribhanga form: He is bent in three places, indicating the lack of straightforwardness and predictability which is part of His play and that is experienced on the path of bhakti. The Moon represents emotion and because of its lack of logic and its unpredictability, she also rules madness or lunacy. It is the karaka of the psyche, so terms like psychic, psychopathy, psychology etc. all relate to the Moon. This is crucial for understanding Rohini, because real devotion breaks boundaries, it goes beyond intellect and challenges rational comprehension. When such devotion is directed toward the Divine, one becomes intoxicated with love of God, appearing mad to the world yet attaining the highest goal of union with the Divine.

Bhakti is considered the highest form of sadhana because it grants the fruits of all other paths (jñāna, yoga, and karma) while offering something incomparable: an intimate relationship with God in one of the five rasas (moods). This is the secret of Rohini, the reason she is the Moon’s favorite star and why the Moon is exalted here. The Moon, which represents the mind, finds its greatest joy when immersed in Rohini’s sweetness and devotion. Naturally, Krishna chose this exalted Rohini Moon for His appearance, as the deity who enchants all and drives devotees mad with love. Not only that, Krishna appeared in the lunar dynasty, and He played in the waters of Yamuna Devi, who is an external manifestation of the Ida or Chandra nadi, the subtle lunar channel within the body which is connected to bhakti. The Moon itself is an aṃśa incarnation of Krishna, just as Surya, the Sun, is an aṃśa incarnation of Lord Rama. All these lunar themes (the devotional, mad, illogical, and intoxicating qualities of Chandra) manifest purely in Krishna and His līlās (pastimes). Therefore, the star under which He appeared blesses its natives with an extraordinary capacity for deep bhakti. To become mad for God, intoxicated by His love is truly Rohini’s highest expression.

May my mind float along in the flood of bliss emanating from Kṛṣṇa's moonlike face, made charming by a very mild smile. Kṛṣṇa has the appearance of a young boy, and, beautified by the waves of His passionate ecstasy breaking in the ocean of sweetness, He soothes all distress.

— Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura

Krishna has many names that are reflective of Rohini qualities & I am going to share just a few here:

Madana: God of love

Madana-Mohana: the Enchanter of Cupid

Banke Bihari: the Playful One

Leeladhar: The Divine Lover

Lohitaksha: Red-eyed (red is the colour of Rohini & indicates Krishna is always intoxicated with love for Radharani)

Parthasarathi: Charioteer of Partha (a chariot is the symbol of Rohini)

Rasika: Connoisseur of Aesthetic Pleasure

Rasaraja: King of Divine Emotions

Rasavilasi: One who delights in Divine Play/Dance

Radhavallabh: Beloved of Radha

Vrajachandra: Moon of Vrindavan

Mirabai, a great saint and devotee of Krishna who wrote a lot of songs and poems dedicated to Him

Rohini qualities & nativity

Emotions behave like tides, and just as the Moon stirs the ocean waves, it also governs human emotions. In Jyotish, the Moon is of utmost importance, and its phases strongly influence the mind: a full moon heightens emotions, while a new moon brings more clarity by placing emotions under control. The Moon rules the water element and intoxication and the most famous intoxicant, which is taken by the devas, is soma rasa (literally “moon juice”). Rohini natives can be prone to indulgence and intoxication, similar to other watery nakshatras like Shatabhishak. But intoxication doesn't only manifest physically, as love itself can be greatly intoxicating. A Rohini native can easily become overwhelmed by the soma rasa of their own emotions. And because soma rasa helps the devas prolong life, rejuvenation is also a Rohini theme. This nakshatra keeps its natives youthful; some maintain a playful, youthful energy well into later life (e.g., Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz), while others become “forever young” through early death (Marilyn Monroe). Rohini is rajasic and carries the power to create; fertility and procreation are among its qualities, as its deva ruler is Brahma, the god of creation. This creative impulse is strong in Rohini natives, who often express sensuality and artistic ability by channeling sexual energy — since creativity is essentially transformed sex energy. Rohini’s creativity is lunar and venusian so it is concerned with bringing forth something it can love & nurture and something that is pleasing to the senses, creating out of emotion and affection rather than practicality or ambition.

Rohini natives are a bit of a diva, they enjoy glamour, dressing up, cosmetics, fashion and evoking attraction. Despite their dramatic flair, Rohini is a very sweet nakshatra: loving, devoted, and easy to relate to and connect with. With its jala lagna falling in Leo, Rohini feels most secure when it can express itself playfully, romantically, and affectionately; they want life to feel light and joyful. This nakshatra is naturally flirtatious and often gives its natives (especially women) a plump, sensual beauty with soft, curvy features reflecting the combined influence of the Moon and Venus as you can see from the image below (Moon enhances the water element in the body creating fuller features, this also happens when it is connected to the ascendant). The Moon expresses love in a motherly way while Venus expresses conjugal affection, and together they produce individuals who enjoy pampering and nurturing their partners. Male Rohini natives tend to be fashion-conscious as well.

Many famous performers, artists, and musicians fall under Rohini because of their natural charisma and magnetism. Taurus rules the senses & the objects through which we experience pleasure. This is why Rohini tends to focus on enjoyment by drawing the senses outward, giving its natives an innate appreciation for aesthetics, art, culture, and romance. Her guna is rajas, since creativity and growth are rajasic and require movement. She is also called the Red One (the colour of rajas & which evokes a blushing maiden), as well as the Red Cow or wish-fulfilling cow, which reflects her capacity to nourish others both physically and emotionally. She carries the shakti of growth, fertility, and expansion, and like Aditi (Punarvasu), Rohini seeks shelter and stability. The Taurus influence also roots her deeply in heritage, and natives often feel a strong pull to preserve culture, tradition, and the family line. Rohini may also grow attached to comfort, luxury, and routine, resisting change and avoiding anything that pulls them out of their comfort zone. Their strong desire for reciprocal love and devotion can easily cause lovesickness, emotional vulnerability and confusion around rejection. If afflicted, the emotional intensity that can lead to liberation through bhakti sadhana can turn into neediness, obsession, clinginess, or unhealthy fixation when directed toward non-divine objects. In its distorted form, Rohini’s love-intoxication can even make natives prone to stalking or harassing a love interest (there are many striking examples that are beautifully explored in this YouTube video).

Natives born under Rohini may have many attractions and can even be drawn to secret attractions, reflecting Krishna's relationship with the gopis, which from a material point of view is controversial. The parakiya bhava (paramour love) which is the highest type of love in the spiritual realm becomes a cause of destruction in this world. A Rohini native can easily get into trouble by directing their loving attention toward an unavailable object, as its opposite sign, Scorpio, is the sign of secrecy. This is something the Rohini native has to be particularly aware of (famous controversial affairs involving Rohini natives include Marilyn Monroe & John F. Kennedy and Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt). This doesn't mean all Rohini native are prone to have affairs or disrupt relationships but it simply reflects the huge amount of water (emotion) this nakshatra carries and wants to distribute, so if the Rohini natives become fixated with an "unattainable" object, they will have the shakti to attain that object by channeling the magnetic & charming qualities of Moon & Venus.

Individuals with main Rohini placements

Rose Mcgowan, Mick jagger, Maria de Medeiros, Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, Amy Winehouse, Angelina Jolie, Lenny Kravitz, Lily-Rose Depp, Priyanka Chopra, Miles Davis, Robert Plant, Brigitte Bardot & Stevie Nicks