Pūrvāshādhā: cosmic waters, invincible sea

Pūrvāṣāḍhā ascendant Catherine Deneuve in Peau d'Âne

Ruled by Apah, the deity of cosmic waters, and located in Sagittarius, Pūrvāṣāḍhā is naturally expansive. Just as the unfathomable ocean, Pūrvāṣāḍhā likes to overcome limitations by submerging obstacles; it does not hold back and its expansive nature allows it to have a wider perspective on things. Sagittarius is naturally confrontational and challenging and Pūrvāṣāḍhā is a war nakshatra, which can make its natives proud and argumentative; however, this fiery and feisty nature can also be channeled into their spiritual quest and the pursuit of truth and dharma. When a planet is in Pūrvāṣāḍhā, it becomes very personal for the native who dismantles the myths surrounding the planet’s significations, which may make others develop resentment toward the Pūrvāṣāḍhā native. For instance, Venus in this nakshatra can challenge idealistic views on love and marriage; Mars can be very blunt regarding topics of health & body image; Jupiter can challenge beliefs surrounding guru or religion. In this way, the water goddess gives Pūrvāṣāḍhā the ability to wash away falsehoods and cleanse impurities. This ability is further emphasised by one of its symbols, the winnowing basket, used for separating the grain from the husk leaving only what is pure and valuable.

Sagittarius is the sign of spiritual and religious rituals and as a result, a planet placed in Pūrvāṣāḍhā will express itself in a ritualistic, devotional, and sacred way. For a Pūrvāṣāḍhā native, breaking away from their ritualistic ways or seeing their belief system collapse is particularly damaging and can lead to deep emotional discomfort (not necessarily referring to religious rituals as we can also have a ritualistic approach and structured belief systems in non-spiritual contexts). Ruled by the two gurus, Venus and Jupiter, Pūrvāṣāḍhā acts as a conduit for divine energy and Deities also speak through this nakshatra, making it especially significant in the charts of saints.

Sagittarius is the entrance into higher realms of awareness after the shedding of material identification in Scorpio. When one reaches this next realm in Sagittarius and starts inquiring about higher truths & practicing spirituality, this can be seen as the beginning of victory as it is the first step towards liberation  (which culminates in Pisces). Thus, Pūrvāṣāḍhā represents the start of victory and its shakti is to invigorate, as it needs that initial impulse and energy to set things in motion. As a result, this nakshatra can bless us with a lot of passion and drive toward the significations of the planet that occupies it (e.g., Jupiter here fuels academic and spiritual pursuits). 

Christina Ricci, Pūrvāṣāḍhā moon, in Buffalo 66

When the Moon is in Pūrvāṣāḍhā it can liberate one from emotional entanglement by damaging the emotional body. This emotional unraveling stems from an unconscious need for relentless purification— often paradoxically achieved through material indulgence due to Venus’s pleasure seeking nature. The influence of Venus & the water element make Pūrvāṣāḍhā natives highly sensual beings, and the fulfillment of desires is sometimes necessary for them to become disillusioned with mundane gratification and develop a longing for something higher (something spiritual). Even when it develops this longing, Pūrvāṣāḍhā natives are great at channeling sensuality and creativity as tools for spiritual evolution. They make excellent artists and musicians and bring a lot of depth and mysticism in their creative pursuits. 

āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvas tā na ūrje dadhātana | mahe raṇāya cakṣase || 

Since, waters, you are the sources of happiness, grant to us to enjoy abundance, and great and delightful perception.

Rig Veda 10.9.1

A Moon in Pūrvāṣāḍhā shows an expansive & intuitive mind, great beauty, and a fertile and lustful nature. Venus & the water element rule reproductive fluids and reproductive organs, and in Pūrvāṣāḍhā they are influenced by an expansive sign which is interested in conquering. This makes Pūrvāṣāḍhā not only highly lustful but also very fertile and sexually competitive. Pūrvāṣāḍhā’s powerful reproductive energy manifests in a deep urge to unite physically and emotionally with others, seeking connections like water desiring to merge with the ocean. Like the other Venusian nakshatras, Pūrvāṣāḍhā is in a fire sign. Venus is visual and very perceptive —Venus rules the eyes, it is sensitive to beauty and aesthetics— while fiery Sagittarius lends an urgency to pursue and fight for truth. This fusion of water and fire creates a dynamic polarity—sensual, emotional, creative, yet also aggressive and impulsive, which are strong traits of the Pūrvāṣāḍhā native. The result is a nakshatra that is sexually invigorated, creatively potent, and spiritually driven.

Birth of Venus by Alexandre Cabanel, 1863