Beyond Star Signs: Nakshatras — #2 Bharani
An Astrology Series
Let’s continue our journey through the Nakshatras!
If you have not yet read my first two posts on the topic, I recommend that you do so before you continue with this post.
In this post, we continue our exploration by focusing on Bharani, the second Nakshatra.
The Basics
Bharani lies entirely within the sidereal sign of Aries, spanning 13°20′ to 26°40′. Because it occupies the heart of Aries, Bharani carries the energetic imprint of Mars, the planetary ruler of Aries. However, Bharani also has a specific Nakshatra ruler: Venus. This dual influence shapes Bharani’s core nature.
The Myth
As we established in a previous post, understanding the myth associated with each Nakshatra is essential to knowing what each Nakshatra means. The myth for Bharani picks up where the Ashwini myth left off.
Remember the story of Surya (the Sun), his wife Sanjana, and the shadow wife Chaya? Here’s how it continues:
Yama, the god of death, is born to Surya and Sanjana. Unable to endure the Sun’s heat, Sanjana creates Chaya—her own shadow—to take her place and then flees. Surya, unaware that he’s living with a shadow, has three children with Chaya.
Naturally, Chaya loves her own children but does not show the same affection for Yama. This disparity causes a dispute between Yama and Chaya and ultimately leads Surya to discover that he has been living with a shadow wife. He then departs to search for the real Sanjana.
Yama, now on earth, becomes the first mortal to die and is eventually granted the role of god of death.
Yama, the god of death is associated with the Bharani Nakshatra and is regarded as the deity personifying its energy.
Keep that in mind—we’ll return to it later!
Symbolism
Bharani is symbolized by the Yoni (the vulva), representing the feminine creative principle—birth, sexuality, nourishment, and transformation. Its association with Yama adds the complementary theme of death. Together, birth and death form a cycle of continual rebirth and profound transformation. This Nakshatra’s essential nature is understood to be about balancing creation and dissolution, birth and death.
Rulerships
So far we have looked at the myth and symbolisms associated with Bharani. Before we start to put these together to see what Bharani reveals, let’s take a moment to discuss rulerships.
To understand Bharani’s layers, consider both its Nakshatra ruler (Venus) and its sign ruler (Mars):
Venus (Nakshatra Ruler): Typically symbolizes material wealth, beauty, sensuality, creativity, fertility, and spirituality.
Mars (Sign Ruler, since Bharani lies in Aries): Implies courage, action, passion, aggression, and raw energy.
Putting it All Together
We know that Bharani is,
#1 — associated with Yama, the god of death — signifying death and transformation.
#2 — associated with Yoni (Vulva) — birth, life, sexuality, and creativity.
#3 — associated with Venus — wealth, prosperity, sexuality, potency, pleasure, beauty, luxury and spirituality.
#4 — associated with Mars — courage, aggression, bravery, action, energy
So what could it look like when you have your Moon placed in Bharani Nakshatra?
We established that the moon signifies your mind and emotions — your inner world. This is how you perceive the world from within.
What’s notable about Bharani from what we have discussed so far is that it signifies death and life at the same time. It’s a Nakshatra of transformation. If you have your Moon in Bharani, you would likely be someone who would have had many death-like situations throughout life. This doesn’t mean it’s literal near-death — but rather, significant endings and beginnings that lead towards transformation.
If we are to imagine a formula that could illustrate what the moon in Bharani could manifest, we get something like this:
Moon, your inner self, merges the passion and drive of Mars with the sensuality, beauty, and creativity of Venus. Whenever Mars and Venus come together, they ignite a special ‘spark’—in relationships, we call this ‘chemistry.’ If you have Bharani in your natal Moon, that spark arises within you!
Under this combined influence, you’re likely to be sensual, creative, and drawn to sexuality and luxury. Though Bharani Moon natives may desire wealth, they often seek it to share with or uplift others. Depending on which house hosts your Moon, these themes may surface more intensely in different areas of your life.
Think back to the symbolism we explored: the Vulva (life) and Yama (death). Alongside the Mars–Venus blend, this can stir powerful sexual desires that, for various reasons, you may feel compelled to suppress or renounce. In certain situations, this ‘death’ or rejection of desire spurs a more ascetic outlook in life.
Because Bharani weaves both masculine (Mars) and feminine (Venus) energies into one, it holds immense creative potential for those born under its influence.
A Quick Example
This is an example of a chart that shows the Moon placed in Aries, in Bharani Nakshatra, in the 3rd house.
The general profile of this person would indicate that they are:
sensual, creative, courageous, attractive, and charismatic
since the Moon is placed in the 3rd House of Communication, their focus in life would likely be around things of communication and media. This could mean that they are a writer, a poet, a lyricist, etc.
Since the ruler of Aries is Mars, and Mars is placed in the 11th House of Community and Social Networks and rules over the 10th House of Public Life, this person will likely be a public figure. Given the presence of Uranus in the 10 House very close to Venus, it could also indicate they would likely have risen to fame suddenly.
Considering the placements that we just looked at, along with the connection to Mars and Venus, and their connections to the 10th House here, this person would likely be a media figure — likely a singer/dancer.
Conclusion
Bharani encapsulates the mysteries of life and death, uniting sensual Venusian influences with Martian vigor. If your Moon is in Bharani, you may find yourself repeatedly recreating and reinventing your life, often through experiences that challenge your comfort zone.
Embrace: Creativity, sensuality, and a capacity to transform difficulties into personal evolution.
Be Wary Of: Overindulgence, impulsivity, or a tendency to repress powerful emotions only to have them resurface.
Use astrology as a tool to illuminate your unconscious patterns rather than as a rigid map of destiny.
Resources:
The Nakshatras: The Stars Beyond the Zodiac by Komilla Sutton
The Nakshatras by Dennis Harness
The Essentials of Vedic Astrology by Komilla Sutton
Nakshatra — The Authentic Heart of Vedic Astrology by Vic DiCara
27 Stars, 27 Gods: The Astrological Mythology of Ancient India by Vic DiCara