About this pada
Pada 1 of Ashwini runs from Mesha 0°00′ to Mesha 3°20′ (3°20′ in all). This pada lies in Mesha; its navamsa is Mesha, ruled by Mars. The nakshatra's lord is Ketu, so a birth in this pada begins with the Ketu mahadasha. In the avakahada chakra (tradition), the name syllable of this pada is 'चू' (Chu). Here the sign and the navamsa are the same (Mesha); this is called vargottama.
What tradition holds
Tradition holds that Ashwini has a quick, direct temperament: starting what is in front of you instead of putting it off. Through its navamsa, tradition also sees these qualities here: courage, a habit of taking the initiative, frank speech, and stepping forward to take responsibility when things get hard. These are tendencies tradition describes, not a label on anyone; the real picture comes from the whole chart.