The name syllables of the four padas of Purva Ashadha are Bhu (भू) for the first pada, Dha (धा) for the second, Pha (फा) for the third and Ḍha (ढा) for the fourth. All four padas are in Sagittarius (Dhanu), so a name beginning with these syllables has Sagittarius (Dhanu) as its name rashi. Purva Ashadha spans 13°20′ to 26°40′ Dhanu in the zodiac; in the Vimshottari order its graha is Venus (Shukra), and its deity is Apah (the waters).
The 4 padas (charan) of Purva Ashadha: name letters and rashi
| Pada | Name letter | Rashi | Degrees in the rashi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | भूBhu | Sagittarius (Dhanu) | 13°20′–16°40′ |
| 2 | धाDha | Sagittarius (Dhanu) | 16°40′–20° |
| 3 | फाPha | Sagittarius (Dhanu) | 20°–23°20′ |
| 4 | ढाḌha | Sagittarius (Dhanu) | 23°20′–26°40′ |
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: MulaNext nakshatra: Uttara AshadhaAll 27 nakshatras
- Order
- 20th of 27
- In the zodiac
- 13°20′ to 26°40′ Dhanu253°20′–266°40′ from the start of Mesha
- Rashi
- Sagittarius (Dhanu): all four padas
- Graha (Vimshottari)
- Venus (Shukra)Nakshatras of the same graha: Bharani, Purva Phalguni, Purva Ashadha
- Deity
- Apah (the waters)
When the Moon is next in Purva Ashadha
- from Saturday, 17 October 2026, 9:48 AM to Sunday, 18 October 2026, 12:50 PM
- from Friday, 13 November 2026, 5:18 PM to Saturday, 14 November 2026, 8:25 PM
- from Thursday, 10 December 2026, 11:59 PM to Saturday, 12 December 2026, 3:05 AM
- from Thursday, 7 January 2027, 6:09 AM to Friday, 8 January 2027, 9:14 AM
- from Wednesday, 3 February 2027, 12:27 PM to Thursday, 4 February 2027, 3:33 PM
- from Tuesday, 2 March 2027, 7:28 PM to Wednesday, 3 March 2027, 10:35 PM
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
- 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.
Purva Ashadha Nakshatra: questions and answers
Which letter should a name begin with in Purva Ashadha Nakshatra?
By tradition the syllable of the pada of Purva Ashadha that the Moon is in at birth begins the name: Bhu (भू) in the first pada, Dha (धा) in the second, Pha (फा) in the third and Ḍha (ढा) in the fourth. 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 Purva Ashadha Nakshatra?
The four padas of Purva Ashadha span 3°20′ each: the 1st from 13°20′ to 16°40′ in Sagittarius (Dhanu), syllable Bhu (भू); the 2nd from 16°40′ to 20° in Sagittarius (Dhanu), syllable Dha (धा); the 3rd from 20° to 23°20′ in Sagittarius (Dhanu), syllable Pha (फा); the 4th from 23°20′ to 26°40′ in Sagittarius (Dhanu), syllable Ḍha (ढा).
Which nakshatra comes after Purva Ashadha?
In the order of the 27 nakshatras Uttara Ashadha (21) comes after Purva Ashadha (20), and Mula (19) comes before it. The Moon passes the nakshatras in this order, one after another.
Which rashi is Purva Ashadha Nakshatra in?
Purva Ashadha spans 13°20′ to 26°40′ Dhanu in the zodiac (253°20′–266°40′ counted from the start of Mesha). All four padas are in Sagittarius (Dhanu), so a name beginning with these syllables has Sagittarius (Dhanu) 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 Purva Ashadha Nakshatra?
In the Vimshottari order the graha of Purva Ashadha is Venus (Shukra), which is also the graha of Bharani and Purva Phalguni (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46). In the Brihat Samhita (chapter 98) the deity of Purva Ashadha is Apah (the waters).
How long is the Moon in Purva Ashadha?
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 Purva Ashadha 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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