Purva Bhadrapada

Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra connects the sidereal sign of Aquarius (collective consciousness) with the sign of Pisces (super consciousness) – it elevates us from worldly consciousness to Divine consciousness. Therefore its name means “first auspicious step” reaching beyond the material world. Its very shakti is called yajamana udyamana shakti – “the power to spiritually elevate the aspirant”. The symbol is a mystical pillar of light, the axis mundi, which represents the singular (ekapada) and unborn (aja) spiritual principle, which is the foundation and spiritual core of this manifested universe. In the microcosm of our energy body the same pillar of light is found in our spinal column and known as sushumna (“the most subtle”) energy channel, which represents the pathways of our consciousness from muladhara (root) chakra towards the union with the Divine in sahasrara (crown) chakra.

Aja Ekapada is one of the 11 Rudras, fierce forms of Lord Shiva, which push us towards spiritual progress and destroy all our illusions. Aja Ekapada destroys the hypocrisy of our mind. Purva Bhadrapada is also one of the most intense and fierce (ugra) nakshatras. Animal connected to it is a male lion, which, in connection with “pillar of light” as its symbol, makes us think about Lord Narasimha, who manifested himself out of the pillar to destroy the duality (Lord Vishnu manifested in this form during the junction of day and night) of our mind and worldly-mindedness, represented by Hiranyakashipu. Lord Vishnu in this form proved God’s omnipresence and omnipotence. Similarly Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra inspires us, often through intense life events, to notice this Divine unity, this single Divine Consciousness manifesting itself through various life events.