The name syllables of the four padas of Ardra are Ku (कू) for the first pada, Gha (घ) for the second, Nga (ङ) for the third and Chha (छ) for the fourth. All four padas are in Gemini (Mithuna), so a name beginning with these syllables has Gemini (Mithuna) as its name rashi. Ardra spans 6°40′ to 20° Mithuna in the zodiac; in the Vimshottari order its graha is Rahu, and its deity is Rudra.
The 4 padas (charan) of Ardra: name letters and rashi
| Pada | Name letter | Rashi | Degrees in the rashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | कूKu | Gemini (Mithuna) | 6°40′–10° |
| 2 | घGha | Gemini (Mithuna) | 10°–13°20′ |
| 3 | ङNga | Gemini (Mithuna) | 13°20′–16°40′ |
| 4 | छChha | Gemini (Mithuna) | 16°40′–20° |
Each nakshatra spans 13°20′ and each of its four padas 3°20′. To find the rashi of any name from its first letter: Rashi by name
Previous nakshatra: MrigashiraNext nakshatra: PunarvasuAll 27 nakshatras
- Order
- 6th of 27
- In the zodiac
- 6°40′ to 20° Mithuna66°40′–80° from the start of Mesha
- Rashi
- Gemini (Mithuna): all four padas
- Graha (Vimshottari)
- RahuNakshatras of the same graha: Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha
- Deity
- Rudra
When the Moon is next in Ardra
- from Friday, 30 October 2026, 9:05 AM to Saturday, 31 October 2026, 7:13 AM
- from Thursday, 26 November 2026, 5:48 PM to Friday, 27 November 2026, 3:09 PM
- from Thursday, 24 December 2026, 4:54 AM to Friday, 25 December 2026, 1:48 AM
- from Wednesday, 20 January 2027, 4:18 PM to Thursday, 21 January 2027, 1:24 PM
- from Wednesday, 17 February 2027, 1:38 AM to Wednesday, 17 February 2027, 11:30 PM
- from Tuesday, 16 March 2027, 8:13 AM to Wednesday, 17 March 2027, 6:46 AM
Times are Indian Standard Time; the Moon enters and leaves a nakshatra at the same moment all over India. They agree with Drik Panchang within 2 minutes. Today’s panchang
Where the lists differ
- The syllable of the 3rd pada is ङ, but no names begin with ङ. The gloss of the Brihad Avakahada Chakram says to give a name in ग (Ga) for this pada; Pt. Sitarama Sharma (Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram, p. 24) calls that a misreading, since ग is the syllable of another pada, and says to keep the ङ birth name and give another name for calling.
- Books and lists write the vowel of some syllables long or short (वू/वु, चू/चु). The Avakahada chakra counts अ-आ, इ-ई, उ-ऊ, ए-ऐ and ओ-औ as one, so the pada stays the same.
Ardra Nakshatra: questions and answers
Which letter should a name begin with in Ardra Nakshatra?
By tradition the syllable of the pada of Ardra that the Moon is in at birth begins the name: Ku (कू) in the first pada, Gha (घ) in the second, Nga (ङ) in the third and Chha (छ) in the fourth. No names begin with ङ; many families take ग (Ga) instead, which some books call a misreading. The pada follows from the date, time and place of birth; SanatanBodh’s birth panchang works it out.
What are the 4 padas (charan) of Ardra Nakshatra?
The four padas of Ardra span 3°20′ each: the 1st from 6°40′ to 10° in Gemini (Mithuna), syllable Ku (कू); the 2nd from 10° to 13°20′ in Gemini (Mithuna), syllable Gha (घ); the 3rd from 13°20′ to 16°40′ in Gemini (Mithuna), syllable Nga (ङ); the 4th from 16°40′ to 20° in Gemini (Mithuna), syllable Chha (छ).
Which nakshatra comes after Ardra?
In the order of the 27 nakshatras Punarvasu (7) comes after Ardra (6), and Mrigashira (5) comes before it. The Moon passes the nakshatras in this order, one after another.
Which rashi is Ardra Nakshatra in?
Ardra spans 6°40′ to 20° Mithuna in the zodiac (66°40′–80° counted from the start of Mesha). All four padas are in Gemini (Mithuna), so a name beginning with these syllables has Gemini (Mithuna) as its name rashi. Each rashi holds nine nakshatra padas: the 108 padas of the 27 nakshatras in 12 rashis.
What are the graha and the deity of Ardra Nakshatra?
In the Vimshottari order the graha of Ardra is Rahu, which is also the graha of Swati and Shatabhisha (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46). In the Brihat Samhita (chapter 98) the deity of Ardra is Rudra.
How long is the Moon in Ardra?
About a day. The Moon’s speed varies, so it takes about 21 to 27 hours to cross the 13°20′, and it comes back to Ardra about 27 days later (our calculation, 2026–27). The moments are the same all over India.
Sources
- Name syllables: Brihad Avakahada Chakram, Nakshatra Prakarana, Shatapada Chakra verses 9–15 (archive.org); Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), pp. 22–24; Drik Panchang, nakshatra pada swar siddhanta
- Nine nakshatra padas to a rashi: Pt. Sitarama Sharma, Ati Brihat Avakahada Chakram (1932), p. 26; the span of each nakshatra: Drik Panchang’s nakshatra pages (drikpanchang.com/tutorials/nakshatra/)
- Graha: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46, verses 12–14 (counted from Krittika: Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Ketu, Venus), R. Santhanam’s English translation, vol. 2, pp. 507–508; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra and navagraha pages
- Deity: Varahamihira, Brihat Samhita, chapter 98, verses 4–5, English translation by V. Subrahmanya Sastri and M. Ramakrishna Bhat (Bangalore, 1946), p. 742; Drik Panchang’s nakshatra lists (Swami) and nakshatra pages
- The Moon entering and leaving each nakshatra: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha); compared with Drik Panchang’s 2026 and 2027 nakshatra lists (New Delhi), every time within 2 minutes (4 October 2026)
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