Shatabishak Nakshatra: “The Veiling Star”

Beyond Addiction: The Real Story of Shatabishak, the “One Hundred Healers”

by Katya Faris, MA, MA

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In the celestial tapestry of Jyotish, the 27 nakshatras are the moon’s mansions, each a unique archetype shaping human destiny. The twenty-fourth of these is Shatabishak, known as “The Veil Star.” Ruled by the mysterious Rahu and the cosmic judge Varuna, Shatabishak occupies a space between the known and the unknown. Its symbolism—an empty circle, a thousand stars, a healer’s herbs—hints at its complex nature: it is the nakshatra of hidden illnesses, profound healing, psychic sensitivity, and the quest for cosmic truth. This is not a simple asterism; it is the realm of the wounded healer, the medical mystery, and the astrologer gazing at the unfathomable sky.

Astrological Attributes of Shatabishak

• Rashi (Zodiac Sign): Aquarius (6°40′ to 20°00′)
• Ruling Planet: Rahu (North Node of the Moon)
• Deity: Varuna, the God of Cosmic Waters, Sky, and Cosmic Law
• Symbol: An empty or incomplete circle; also, a thousand flowers or stars.
• Fixed Star Association: Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini), one of the four “Royal Stars” of Persia.
• Color: Deep Blue-Black, like the night sky or the depths of the ocean.
• Animal Symbol: The Female Horse, representing freedom, stamina, and a connection to the ethereal.
• Guna (Quality): Tamasic (inertia, obscurity, potential for transformation)
• Key Themes: Healing, concealment & revelation, isolation, addiction, rare diseases, psychic ability, astrology/astronomy, the occult, unconventional knowledge.

The Guiding Star: Fomalhaut

Shatabishak is intimately linked with the brilliant fixed star Fomalhaut, the “Mouth of the Fish.” Fomalhaut is revered as one of the four Archangel stars, specifically associated with the Angel Gabriel and holding the mystical role of a watcher at the southern gate, guiding initiates through veils of spiritual and psychic revelation. In ancient lore, Fomalhaut was considered a harbinger of mystical insight and hidden knowledge, but also of potential misfortune that must be overcome. This duality perfectly mirrors Shatabishak’s nature: the promise of profound healing wisdom is earned only by navigating deep waters of challenge, illness, or isolation. Fomalhaut’s influence amplifies the nakshatra’s connection to fame that arises from unique, often hidden, talents and its link to themes of sacrifice and spiritual victory.

The Color of the Depths

The color of Shatabishak is a deep blue-black. This is not merely a shade; it is an experience. It is the color of the midnight sky, holding a thousand unseen stars (reflecting its “thousand healers” name). It is the color of the fathomless ocean depths over which Varuna presides—holding both life-giving potential and terrifying mystery. It represents the veil itself, that which conceals secrets, diseases, and occult truths until the proper moment of revelation. Wearing or meditating on this color can help natives connect with their inner resilience and hidden intuitive faculties.

The Myth of Varuna: Once Upon a Time…

The Lord of Cosmic Order
Once upon a time, before time was measured as we know it, there existed Varuna. He was not merely a god of waters, but the sovereign of the cosmic sky and the upholder of Rta—the divine order of the universe. From his celestial abode, he observed every action, every thought, every hidden truth within the hearts of mortals and gods alike. Bound by the cords of his cosmic law, none could escape his gaze.

The Healer and the Judge
Varuna possessed the knowledge of all herbs, of all remedies. He was the divine physician who could cure any ailment, for he understood the imbalance between the individual and the cosmic whole. Illness, in his view, was often a symptom of a broken oath, a hidden sin, or a karmic debt. To be healed by Varuna, one had to first be judged. One had to confess, to reveal what was concealed, to undergo the purifying ordeal of truth.

The Veil and the Revelation
Shatabishak embodies this myth. The “Veil” is that which is hidden—the disease with no name, the addictive pattern with a deep root cause, the psychic impression unseen by others. The journey of this nakshatra is the journey to Varuna’s court: a difficult, often isolating diagnostic odyssey to uncover the root. The healing (the “thousand cures”) comes only after the revelation. The empty circle symbolizes both the need for completion (a cure, an answer) and the all-encompassing, often isolating, sky of Varuna’s domain.

Shatabishak in the Real World: Beyond the Stereotype

In chart interpretation, Shatabishak is often hastily labeled as the “addiction nakshatra.” While substance abuse can be a manifestation, this is a profound oversimplification. The core theme is “hard-to-cure” conditions. This can manifest as rare diseases, complex hidden or “veiled” genetic disorders (like Elvis’s vEDS), autoimmune conditions, or deep-seated mental health challenges. Crucially, the incomplete circle symbol often shows the condition may not belong to the native alone; it can indicate a genetic inheritance (like the Moon-Saturn conjunction pointing to a mother’s illness) or a close relationship with someone bearing the affliction.

Varuna’s dual domain—waters and sky—shows in the native’s interests. There is a powerful draw to the occult, astrology, astronomy, and metaphysical realms, including topics like UFOs and consciousness studies. These individuals seek to understand the hidden laws of the universe.

The name “hundred healers” or “thousand cures” plays out literally in life: the diagnosis journey. Natives often face a marathon of doctor visits, misdiagnoses, and dead ends before finding the correct answer. This arduous path is their initiation. Those who navigate it often emerge as exceptional “wounded healers,” possessing unparalleled empathy and insight in therapeutic, medical, or spiritual fields.

Client Vignettes: Moons in Shatabishak

Client 1 (Moon conjunct Ketu, 8th House): With the Moon in its Marana Karaka Sthana (death-inflicting place), her life is a testament to Shatabishak’s hidden realms. Extremely psychic, she literally “sees” psychic attacks as waves of water, leading to hyper-vigilance. This sensitivity is a direct inheritance; her mother suffered severe mental illness and later physical paralysis, a classic Shatabishak legacy of “hard-to-cure” disease passed through the lunar line.

Client 2 (Moon in 2nd House, opposition to 8th House stellium): Here, Shatabishak’s gift for penetrating hidden minds shines. Her Moon’s lord, Saturn conjunct Rahu in the 3rd, gave her a genius for media manipulation and understanding the subconscious of consumers, leading to a stellar international marketing career. The wealth (2nd house) came from mastering communication (3rd) about hidden desires (8th house opposition). In retirement, she has a secure financial future (2^nd/8^th house axis), and pursues occult studies—Varuna’s sky-domain calling.

Famous People with Moon in Shatabishak

1. Herb Alpert (legendary trumpeter, co-founder of A&M Records): His 7th house Moon conjunct Mercury and Saturn (Moolitrikona) in Shatabishak reflects the disciplined, structured (Saturn) artistry and communication (Mercury) that defined his sound. The opposition to Neptune Rx in Leo reveals how his music created a dreamy, cinematic veil, projecting a larger-than-life persona. Shatabishak’s link to unique healing is seen in his philanthropic work and the pure, emotive “healing” quality of his trumpet melodies. The 7th house placement highlights partnerships that shaped his career, while the nakshatra’s occult connection may speak to the almost magical, timeless appeal of his recordings.
2. Kofi Burbridge (late multi-instrumentalist for The Tedeschi Trucks Band): His 7th house Moon conjunct Ketu shows a soul deeply connected to musical mysticism and past-life artistry, with Ketu intensifying Shatabishak’s otherworldly, dissolving qualities. The opposition to a Rahu-led Leo stellium (Venus, Uranus, Pluto) created a powerful public persona of explosive, transformative (Pluto) and unconventional (Uranus) musical performance. This axis speaks to a life balancing hidden, spiritual depth (Moon/Ketu) with a destined, revolutionary public expression. His prolonged and private health struggles before his passing mirror the nakshatra’s theme of “hard-to-cure” conditions faced with dignity.
3. Steve Carell (actor, comedian, known for The Office and dramatic roles): His 6th house Moon conjunct Jupiter Rx highlights the “healing through humor” archetype, using comedy to diagnose the ailments of daily life and office culture. The opposition to Mercury, Uranus, and Pluto in Leo fuels his genius for portraying characters whose hidden anxieties (Shatabishak) explode into outrageous, transformative (Pluto), and uniquely original (Uranus) comedic moments. This placement suggests his work is a service (6th house) that reveals the absurdity in human suffering. His ability to shift seamlessly into profound dramatic roles shows Shatabishak’s capacity to remove the veil and reveal raw, hidden truth.
4. Coco Chanel (iconic fashion designer who revolutionized women’s clothing): Her 3rd house Moon opposing a Leo stellium (Sun, Mercury, Uranus) empowered her to communicate (3rd house) a revolutionary (Uranus) and regal (Leo) new identity for women. Shatabishak’s symbols—the empty circle and veil—manifested in her signature aesthetic of chic simplicity, removing ornamentation to reveal liberated form. The nakshatra’s themes of isolation and rising from obscurity mirror her orphaned upbringing and self-made empire. Her work permanently altered the social fabric, showing Shatabishak’s power to heal societal constrictions through design.
5. Cindy Crawford (supermodel and businesswoman): Her 9th house Moon conjunct a powerhouse stellium (Sun, Mercury, Mars, Saturn-Moolitrikona) in Shatabishak points to a global (9th house) persona built on disciplined (Saturn), energetic (Mars), and intelligent (Mercury) ambition. The opposition to Uranus Rx and Pluto Rx in Leo allowed her to transform (Pluto) and revolutionize (Uranus) the image of the modeling industry itself, moving from a pretty face to a powerful business brand. This Shatabishak Moon suggests her journey involved navigating hidden facets of fame and media to create a lasting, philosophical (9th house) legacy beyond the camera’s flash.
6. Laura Dern (Oscar-winning actress known for intense, nuanced roles): With her 1st house Moon conjunct Mercury and Venus in Shatabishak, her very identity is infused with a perceptive (Mercury), charming yet unconventional (Venus in Aquarius) emotional sensitivity. The opposition to Pluto Rx in Leo gives her the power to portray characters undergoing profound psychological transformations and to reveal hidden, often dark, family and relational dynamics. Her career is built on lifting the veil on complex female experiences, from trauma to resilience. This placement makes her a natural healer through storytelling, embodying raw truth.
7. Isaac Eady (drummer and percussionist for the Tedeschi Trucks Band): His 4th house Moon conjunct Saturn Rx (Mooltrikona) in Shatabishak grounds his emotional and artistic foundation in disciplined (Saturn), deeply rhythmic, and often complex structures. This placement suggests a private, serious core that finds emotional security in the bedrock of groove and timekeeping. The opposition to Venus in Leo ignites a powerful creative expression, blending Shatabishak’s intricate, layered percussive textures with the warm, soulful, and radiant (Leo/Venus) sound of the band. His playing style—supportive yet brilliantly detailed—reflects the nakshatra’s theme of being one essential part of a thousand-starred whole. The Saturnine influence speaks to a mastery earned through dedicated practice and perhaps overcoming significant personal or professional obstacles to claim his place in a major musical lineage.
8. Allen Ginsberg (poet of the Beat Generation, spiritual seeker): His Moon conjunct Mars and Jupiter in the 12th house of Shatabishak is a powerhouse of prophetic, expansive (Jupiter), and aggressively passionate (Mars) psychic and subconscious expression. This placement fueled his taboo-breaking poetry that sought to reveal society’s hidden wounds and hypocrisies. He was a lifelong explorer of mysticism, chanting, and altered states, directly engaging with Varuna’s sky-domain of occult knowledge. His work served as a healing, if shocking, diagnosis of 20th-century America, making him a quintessential Shatabishak wounded healer through verse.
9. Audrey Hepburn (iconic actress and humanitarian): Her 1st house Moon in Shatabishak gave her an ethereal, almost otherworldly beauty and a deeply private emotional core that felt both present and veiled. The opposition to Neptune Rx in Leo in the 7th created her legendary on-screen and philanthropic persona—a Neptunian blend of compassion, glamour, and illusion. Her profound UNICEF work channeled Shatabishak’s “thousand healers” archetype, bringing solace to suffering children. Her own childhood trauma during WWII and subsequent health struggles align with the nakshatra’s theme of enduring and alchemizing deep wounds into grace.
10. Jennifer Hudson (Academy Award-winning singer and actress): Her 1st house Moon in opposition to the Sun in Leo creates a powerful dynamic between her private, sensitive Shatabishak self and her radiant, commanding star power. This axis fuels her ability to convey deep, veiled emotion in performance before exploding into powerful, solar vocals. Her journey—from personal tragedy to professional triumph—mirrors the Shatabishak path of healing profound wounds in the public eye. Her role as a weight loss ambassador also touches on the nakshatra’s themes of physical transformation and public health inspiration.
11. Paul Newman (legendary actor, philanthropist, racing driver): His 3rd house Moon conjunct Uranus in Shatabishak speaks to a brilliantly unconventional (Uranus) mind and a unique, detached style of communication and acting. This placement fueled his love for the mental and physical skill of car racing, a Shatabishak link to technology and precision. His famously private nature yet sharp wit reflect the veiled yet perceptive Moon. His monumental philanthropic work, funneling food profits to charity, shows the “thousand healers” impulse, using business to cure social ills in a systematic, Aquarian way.
12. Robert Plant (legendary lead singer of Led Zeppelin): His 4th house Moon opposing a 10th house Leo stellium (Sun, Mercury, Saturn) reveals the core tension between a private, roots-oriented emotional world (4th) and a colossal, disciplined (Saturn) rock god persona. Shatabishak’s mystical and occult themes fueled his lyricism steeped in mythology and Celtic folklore. His artistic evolution after Zeppelin into world music and esoteric folk shows the nakshatra’s drive to explore hidden, ancient healing musical forms, continually reinventing himself beyond the public veil.
13. Edgar Allan Poe (master of macabre literature and poetry): His 5th house Moon conjunct Venus, Jupiter, and Pluto in Shatabishak is the archetypal placement for a genius exploring the hidden (Shatabishak), transformative (Pluto), and expansive (Jupiter) realms of creativity (5th) and romance (Venus). His work relentlessly lifted the veil on horror, grief, and madness, diagnosing the human psyche’s darkest corners. The Shatabishak link to addiction and rare, misunderstood conditions tragically mirrored his own life struggles. He became the ultimate wounded healer, using art to give form to universal fears.
14. Elvis Presley (the “King of Rock and Roll”): His 4th house Moon conjunct Saturn (Moolitrikona) is the quintessential Shatabishak inheritance signature. The recent medical confirmation that he had Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder from his mother (who died from it), is the “hard-to-cure” disease archetype. His addiction was self-medication for excruciating, undiagnosed pain. The opposition to Neptune Rx in Leo in the 10th shows how his immense, Neptunian fame veiled his private suffering, creating a mythological persona that eclipsed the fragile man.
15. Judge Reinhold (actor known for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Beverly Hills Cop): His 5th house Moon opposing Jupiter and Pluto in Leo grants a creative persona with a talent for comedic roles that have a transformative (Pluto) and larger-than-life (Jupiter) impact on pop culture. Shatabishak’s offbeat, quirky qualities allowed him to excel in playing memorable, eccentric characters who often revealed hidden truths or social absurdities. This placement suggests a career navigating the veiled mechanics of Hollywood, with his performances providing a kind of comic relief that is both specific and healing in its relatability.
16. Winona Ryder (actress known for Gothic and quirky roles): Her 4th house Moon conjunct Mars in Shatabishak indicates a powerful, sometimes restless emotional drive (Mars) connected to her roots and family narrative. This placement fuels her affinity for portraying ethereal, outsider characters who often harbor hidden strengths or dark secrets. Her well-documented personal and career challenges in the public eye mirror Shatabishak’s themes of sudden veiling and revelation. Her career resurgence embodies the nakshatra’s resilient, phoenix-like capacity for healing and return.
17. Frank Sinatra (“Ol’ Blue Eyes,” iconic singer and actor): His 5th house Moon conjunct Jupiter in Shatabishak contributed to the expansive, emotionally generous, and virtuosic quality of his musical phrasing and creative expression. The opposition to Mars in Leo fueled his legendary charismatic bravado, temper, and forceful stage presence. The Shatabishak influence adds a layer of depth, loneliness, and existential night-blue to his ballads, lifting the veil on masculine vulnerability. His life was a tapestry of both immense healing joy through music and very public, hard-to-cure personal tumult.
18. Sissy Spacek (Oscar-winning actress known for Carrie and Coal Miner’s Daughter): Her 6th house Moon opposing Saturn in Leo speaks to a career built on service (6th) to her craft, with a disciplined (Saturn) and regal (Leo) commitment to authentic, often physically demanding roles. Shatabishak’s link to the uncanny allowed her to masterfully portray characters with psychic abilities or profound inner turmoil. She often plays women facing immense hardship or rare circumstances, embodying the wounded healer who endures and transcends. Her performances feel like intimate diagnoses of the human spirit.
19. Alex Trebek (legendary host of Jeopardy! for 37 years): His 6th house Moon in Shatabishak perfectly served his role as the impartial, diagnostic arbiter of knowledge, a daily healer of intellectual curiosity. The 6th house governs routine, service, and health, aligning with his dignified, public battle with pancreatic cancer—a “hard-to-cure” Shatabishak illness he faced with stoic grace. His persona was that of a wise, slightly detached authority figure (Varuna as judge) who upheld the cosmic order of trivia, providing comfort and routine to millions.
20. The USA (Sibley Chart, July 4, 1776): With its Moon in the 3rd house in Shatabishak, the nation’s emotional core and public consciousness are tied to communication (3rd), innovation, and the ideal of revealing hidden truths (free press, “transparency”). This placement fuels its genius for invention, technology (Aquarius), and a collective fascination with the unconventional, extraterrestrial, and occult. However, it also points to a national struggle with “hard-to-cure” societal diseases—addictions, mental health crises, and rare genetic conditions—that require a long, complex diagnosis and healing journey, often amid a veil of ideological conflict.

Remedies for Shatabishak

• Honor Varuna: Practice truthfulness (Satya) and integrity. Keeping promises is crucial.
• Work with Water: Ritual bathing, spending time near oceans or lakes, drinking pure water consciously.
• Wear the Color: Incorporate deep blue-black colors in clothing or meditation spaces.
• Mantra & Gemstone: Chant the Varuna mantra “Om Varunaya Namah” or the Beej mantra for Rahu. Hessonite Garnet (Gomed) may be recommended by a qualified astrologer after chart analysis.
• Service: Volunteering in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or as a support to those with chronic illnesses can balance the nakshatra’s karma.
• Embrace the Wounded Healer: If you have undergone a health journey, use that wisdom to guide others. Study healing arts, astrology, or counseling.

Conclusion

Shatabishak, the Veil Star, is a profound and complex nakshatra that defies simplistic judgment. It is a spiritual contract to move from obscurity to revelation, from illness to healing, and from isolation to cosmic connection. Its natives are often the diagnosticians of our age—whether in medicine, psychology, or spirituality—because they have walked the difficult path to the root of the mystery themselves. They remind us that the deepest healing begins not with a pill, but with the courage to lift the veil and see the truth, no matter how hidden, under the vast sky of Varuna’s law.