Purva Ashadha nakshatra
Purva Ashadha is the 20th nakshatra, spanning 13°20′–26°40′ of sidereal Sagittarius. Ruled by Venus with Apas, the waters, as its deity, its symbol is a winnowing fan: a star of conviction and renewal.
Also known as: Purvashadha, Poorvashada, Pooradam, Purva Shada, Purvasadha
Purva Ashadha, ‘the former invincible one’, sits in the bow of Sagittarius around the stars Kaus Media and Kaus Australis. Its symbol is a fan or winnowing basket, also given as an elephant tusk, and its deity is Apas, the cosmic waters that cleanse and renew.
Classical texts place Purva Ashadha among the five fierce (ugra) nakshatras, so it is not chosen for weddings or griha pravesh; muhurat lists keep it for bold, competitive or decisive work and, as a downward-facing star, for buying land. It is linked with conviction, persuasion and an unbeaten spirit. Ruled by Venus, it begins life in Venus’s 20-year dasha.
Its padas give the name syllables Bhu, Dha, Pha and Dha. With Uttara Ashadha it gives the month of Ashadha its name. As with every ‘fierce’ star, the label describes its use in timing; it is not a comment on the people born under it.