Shravana

Shravana is the star of listening — of learning, wisdom and the connecting power of the heard word. Ruled by the Moon and presided over by Vishnu, the preserver, it grants a gift for knowledge, communication and the patient gathering of understanding.

01The essentials

Shravana — "the hearing, that which listens" — is the twenty-second of the twenty-seven nakshatras, spanning Capricorn 10°–23°20′. It is ruled by Moon, which means a Moon placed here opens the life with a Moon dasha period of 10 years.

02Character and meaning

Shravana natives are listeners and learners. They absorb — knowledge, tradition, the words and needs of others — and have a gift for connecting people and preserving what is worth keeping. Often scholarly, wise and gentle, they are the ones who remember, who counsel, who carry the thread of a tradition forward.

Vishnu, who preserves the order of the cosmos, gives Shravana its role as keeper and transmitter of wisdom. Many are teachers, counsellors, writers and bridge-builders, valued for their depth of knowledge and their ability to truly hear. The shadow is over-attachment to others' opinions, or learning that never becomes action.

03The symbol and the deity

The ear is the organ of the Vedas, which were heard before they were written — shruti, 'that which is heard.' Vishnu's three footprints, which spanned the worlds, mark the star's reach. Shravana is wisdom gathered through devoted listening.

04Strengths and growth

Shravana can become too dependent on others' words and opinions, or accumulate knowledge without ever acting on it. Its lesson is to let deep listening lead to its own voice and its own deeds.

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05Frequently asked questions