Swatiस्वाती

Swati is the fifteenth nakshatra, lying inside Libra. Its single bright star is Arcturus, and the nakshatra is pictured as a young shoot swaying in the wind or as a coral. The name is sometimes explained as a self-going one, which fits the idea of something that moves of its own accord and bends without breaking.

Vayu, the wind and breath of the cosmos, is its deity. Hanuman is called the son of Vayu, so devotees of Hanuman tend to treat this as a nakshatra of particular affection. Another tradition connects Swati with the Narasimha avatar, and some Vaishnava temples hold special worship on Swati days. Rahu is the planetary lord and the gana is Deva. A beautiful old poetic motif says a raindrop falling on Swati becomes a pearl in an oyster, an image of the right moment finding the right vessel.

In the muhurat scheme Swati belongs to the chara or movable group with Punarvasu, Shravana, Dhanishta and Shatabhisha. Tradition holds that this group suits travel, purchase of vehicles and ventures with motion. Syllables commonly listed for naming are Ru, Re, Ro and Ta. As with other nakshatras, the exact syllables vary by region, so the family priest should have the final say.