Ardra / Thiruvathira

Ardra (6.40-20.00 Gemini) is the seed of the Rahu’s energy and contains a single bright star in the Orion constellation. It has a visual magnitude of 0.57 and appears as a red giant, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Ardra nakshatra comes under the domain of planet Mercury and ruled by Rahu. Ardra is ruled by Rudra, the fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva, who emblematizes thunder. This nakshatra is translated as ‘green’, ‘moist’, or ‘fresh’. Moisture is the aspect that endows the earth with life.

Ardra is a very transformative Nakshatra as shown by Rudra and Shiva energy. It transforms, changes and destroys that which is not in accordance with the Dharma, righteousness, and truth. This is the continuation of the story of Prajapati who wanted to procreate with his daughter in order to populate and create a universe. She flees and Prajapati pursues in Mrigashira, then in Ardra, all of the demigods put together their most fierce qualities and created one tough deity called Rudra. Rudra would be strong enough to bring down Prajapati and stop him from committing his sin as they saw it. That is what happens in Ardra. Lord Rudra draws his bow and shoots Brahma and brings Brahma down in the form of the deer. It is the nakshatra in which Lord Siva born when Lord Brahma, Vishnu were fighting for superiority. Siva appeared as a huge fiery pillar which keeps on increasing to infinity length.