Shatabhisha Nakshatra: the 4 padas (charan), name letters and rashi

Shatabhisha is the 24th of the 27 nakshatras. The syllables of its four padas, the rashi of each pada, its graha and deity, and when the Moon is next in it.

In short

The name syllables of the four padas of Shatabhisha are Go (गो) for the first pada, Sa (सा) for the second, Si (सी) for the third and Su (सू) for the fourth. All four padas are in Aquarius (Kumbha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Aquarius (Kumbha) as its name rashi. Shatabhisha spans 6°40′ to 20° Kumbha in the zodiac; in the Vimshottari order its graha is Rahu, and its deity is Varuna.

The 4 padas (charan) of Shatabhisha: name letters and rashi

PadaName letterRashiDegrees in the rashi
1गोGoAquarius (Kumbha)6°40′–10°
2साSaAquarius (Kumbha)10°–13°20′
3सीSiAquarius (Kumbha)13°20′–16°40′
4सूSuAquarius (Kumbha)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: DhanishtaNext nakshatra: Purva BhadrapadaAll 27 nakshatras

Order
24th of 27
In the zodiac
6°40′ to 20° Kumbha306°40′–320° from the start of Mesha
Rashi
Aquarius (Kumbha): all four padas
Graha (Vimshottari)
RahuNakshatras of the same graha: Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha
Deity
Varuna

When the Moon is next in Shatabhisha

  • from Wednesday, 21 October 2026, 7:49 PM to Thursday, 22 October 2026, 8:50 PM
  • from Wednesday, 18 November 2026, 4:35 AM to Thursday, 19 November 2026, 6:11 AM
  • from Tuesday, 15 December 2026, 11:54 AM to Wednesday, 16 December 2026, 2:03 PM
  • from Monday, 11 January 2027, 5:54 PM to Tuesday, 12 January 2027, 8:14 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.
Edited by the SanatanBodh editorial teamLast updated: 5 sourcesDrafted with AI, checked against sourcesReport a mistake

Shatabhisha Nakshatra: questions and answers

Which letter should a name begin with in Shatabhisha Nakshatra?

By tradition the syllable of the pada of Shatabhisha that the Moon is in at birth begins the name: Go (गो) in the first pada, Sa (सा) in the second, Si (सी) in the third and Su (सू) 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 Shatabhisha Nakshatra?

The four padas of Shatabhisha span 3°20′ each: the 1st from 6°40′ to 10° in Aquarius (Kumbha), syllable Go (गो); the 2nd from 10° to 13°20′ in Aquarius (Kumbha), syllable Sa (सा); the 3rd from 13°20′ to 16°40′ in Aquarius (Kumbha), syllable Si (सी); the 4th from 16°40′ to 20° in Aquarius (Kumbha), syllable Su (सू).

Which nakshatra comes after Shatabhisha?

In the order of the 27 nakshatras Purva Bhadrapada (25) comes after Shatabhisha (24), and Dhanishta (23) comes before it. The Moon passes the nakshatras in this order, one after another.

Which rashi is Shatabhisha Nakshatra in?

Shatabhisha spans 6°40′ to 20° Kumbha in the zodiac (306°40′–320° counted from the start of Mesha). All four padas are in Aquarius (Kumbha), so a name beginning with these syllables has Aquarius (Kumbha) 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 Shatabhisha Nakshatra?

In the Vimshottari order the graha of Shatabhisha is Rahu, which is also the graha of Ardra and Swati (Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra, chapter 46). In the Brihat Samhita (chapter 98) the deity of Shatabhisha is Varuna.

How long is the Moon in Shatabhisha?

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 Shatabhisha about 27 days later (our calculation, 2026–27). The moments are the same all over India.

Sources

  1. 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
  2. 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/)
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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)

Something wrong? Report a mistake