Beyond Star Signs: Nakshatras — #4 Rohini
An Astrology Series
Before we dive back into the series, I encourage you to revisit my first two articles on Nakshatras. They provide essential insights into my approach, helping you better understand the perspective I bring to this exploration.
Let’s begin talking about Rohini.
The Basics
Rohini nakshatra lies entirely within Taurus. To be specific 10°40’ — 23°20’ Taurus (sidereal).
The Myth
The myth of Rohini is deeply intertwined with the creation of the 27 Nakshatras and their shadow side. The story goes like this:
Brahma, the creator, brought forth ten divine beings to assist in shaping the universe. One of them, Daksha, fathered 60 daughters, 27 of whom became the Nakshatras. As a gesture of divine order, these Nakshatras were given as consorts to the Moon-god.
The Moon was meant to spend one day with each of his celestial wives, moving through them in a rhythmic cycle. But among them all, Rohini captivated him the most—with her beauty, charm, and grace. Enchanted, he lingered in her presence far longer than with the others. What was supposed to be an equal division of time became an imbalanced devotion, as the Moon repeatedly favored Rohini over the rest.
Jealousy brewed among the other 26 Nakshatras. Feeling neglected, they turned to Brahma and Daksha, pleading for justice. In response, a curse was placed upon the Moon—forcing him to wax and wane, fading and growing, as he moved through each Nakshatra in turn.
If you haven’t already guessed, this myth is an elegant allegory for the lunar cycle over the course of a month.
Symbolism
Rohini translates to ‘the red one,’ ‘blushing bride,’ or ‘the arouser,’ all evoking themes of sensuality, fertility, and passion. No matter how it's interpreted, the essence of Rohini remains deeply tied to procreation, attraction, and creative energy.
Its ruling deity, Brahma, the Creator, further reinforces its connection to creativity, manifestation, and the generative forces of life.
From the myth we explored earlier, Rohini carries these distinct associations:
The Moon’s favoritism toward Rohini - Symbolizing charm, beauty, and irresistible attraction
The jealousy of the other Nakshatras - Highlighting Rohini’s ability to provoke desire and envy
Rohini's energy is one of magnetism, creation, and deep emotional currents, making it one of the most alluring and dynamic Nakshatras in the zodiac.
Rulerships
Now that we’ve explored the symbols and myths of Rohini, let’s take a closer look at its rulership.
As always, we can break it down into two key layers:
Nakshatra Rulership – Rohini is ruled by the Moon, which governs emotions, home, belonging, motherhood, and family. This gives Rohini a deeply nurturing, sentimental, and emotionally rich quality.
Zodiac Rulership – Rohini is placed entirely within Taurus, a sign ruled by Venus. Venus represents material wealth, prosperity, sensuality, pleasure, creativity, beauty, and luxury. This reinforces Rohini’s connection to comfort, desire, and the ability to attract abundance.
With the Moon’s emotional depth blending with Venusian indulgence and magnetism, Rohini emerges as a nakshatra that embodies both nurturing and sensuality, creativity and material fulfillment.
Putting it All Together
Now that we've explored Rohini’s key meanings, let’s bring it all together:
From the name ‘Rohini’ - Represents procreation, fertility, sensuality, and passion
From its deity, Brahma - Signifies creativity and the power of manifestation
From the myth - Embodies charm, beauty, and the ability to provoke jealousy
From its planetary ruler, the Moon - Governs emotions, home, belonging, motherhood, and family
From its zodiac ruler, Venus - Reflects material wealth, prosperity, sexuality, potency, pleasure, creativity, beauty, and luxury
Rohini is the perfect fusion of emotional depth, sensual magnetism, and creative abundance, making it one of the most captivating and desirable nakshatras.
What does it mean to have your Moon placed in Rohini Nakshatra?
Moon in Rohini often brings a strong creative streak, with a natural inclination toward the arts, beauty, and self-expression from an early age. These individuals are effortlessly sensual, drawn to luxury, comfort, and the finer things in life. Their charm is innate—they attract others without even realizing it.
Emotionally, they crave a deep sense of belonging, making family, home, and stability especially important to them. They likely dream of creating a nurturing space of their own, where they feel truly at home.
However, their magnetism and creative gifts can unintentionally stir jealousy in others. A Rohini Moon individual may find that even from childhood, they’ve been the target of envy—simply for being who they are.
If we are to illustrate the manifestation of Rohini with a formula, it could look something like this:
The Moon’s deep longing for belonging and nurturing merges with Venus’s beauty, sensuality, and creativity in Rohini. Since this nakshatra is closely tied to fertility and procreation, Venus’s creative energy can manifest as a strong urge to create—whether through building a family and finding a sense of home or through expressing oneself in the creative arts.
A Quick Example
This is an example of a chart that shows the Moon placed in Taurus, in Rohini Nakshatra, in the 10th house.
roadly speaking, this chart suggests a person who is creative, sensual, passionate, and deeply desires belonging.
With the Moon placed in the 10th house of public life, they are likely to be a public figure in some capacity. However, the conjunction of Rahu with the Moon intensifies Rohini’s influence, making its manifestation tumultuous and complex—often with darker undertones. If they are an artist, they may be drawn to art that explores suffering. If they are an actor, they may frequently be cast in roles that depict intense, unstable, or psychologically complex characters. Yet, they will excel in such portrayals, as Rahu amplifies the creative energy of Rohini, giving them a powerful artistic edge.
Since the ruler of the 10th house, Venus, is placed in the 11th house conjunct Mercury in Gemini, this person will have a natural talent for wit, provocation, and sarcasm. The creative genius of Rohini fuses with Mercury’s intellect and sharp humor, allowing them to be brilliantly expressive and provocative in their craft. Given the strong link between the 10th and 11th houses, their creativity and communication skills will likely play a significant role in shaping their public career and influence.
Conclusion
That concludes our exploration of Rohini Nakshatra.
Remember, astrology is a tool for awareness, not a blueprint for fate—use it to illuminate the unconscious, not to limit your possibilities
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