Ardra Nakshatra

Ardra "the moist one" 6.40 to 20.00 Gemini

Symbol - Teardrop, diamond, a human head

Deity - Rudra the storm god, "the howler" and god of destruction, another form of Shiva.

Stars - Betelgeuse is situated on the shoulder of Orion. A star of power, it gives an active mind, with ups and downs in career, and marital wealth and honors. 

Mythology - Rudra the destroyer is a form of Shiva who brought down Prajapati (Orion) to save Rohini from the sexual violation of the daughter. This destroyed the unity of the cosmos.

Indications - There is sadness as the symbol of the teardrop suggests. There is a very destructive quality here, but the destruction is necessary to save grace for the future. They create destruction and havoc wherever they go, sometimes even destroying themselves. This is the place of the dark night of the soul, for there is a new dawn or new beginning after the seeming tragedy. After the worse storms comes the beautiful sunny day, for the following nakshatra (Purnarvasu) means "return of the light." The rain the storm clouds produce brings growth and fertileness. These individuals are good at creating things out of destruction. They like to renovate old discarded things. This can refer to fixing up old houses or cars. They do have a lust for power and material things, and can appear cold and calculating. Their violent temperament causes many tears and depression, which can lead to their early destruction and death. They need to develop a sense of gratitude and appreciation for this will heal many wounds. Their real satisfaction comes as they overcome their hardships, and the truth and realization that comes through their suffering.