Ardra nakshatra
Ardra is the 6th of the 27 nakshatras: the 6th 13°20′ segment of the sidereal zodiac, spanning Gemini 6°40′ – Gemini 20°00′.
Position
| Span (sidereal) | Gemini 6°40′ – Gemini 20°00′ |
| Absolute longitude | 66.67° – 80.00° |
| Sign(s) | Gemini |
| Vimshottari lord | Rahu (18-year mahadasha) |
Padas and Navamsa signs
Each pada is 3°20′, the same size as a Navamsa division, so each pada falls in one Navamsa (D9) sign. How the Navamsa is calculated.
| Pada | Span | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| Pada 1 | Gemini 6°40′ – Gemini 10°00′ | Sagittarius |
| Pada 2 | Gemini 10°00′ – Gemini 13°20′ | Capricorn |
| Pada 3 | Gemini 13°20′ – Gemini 16°40′ | Aquarius |
| Pada 4 | Gemini 16°40′ – Gemini 20°00′ | Pisces |
Traditional attributes
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Deity | Rudra, the storm |
| Symbol | a teardrop |
| Gana | Manushya (human) |
| Yoni (animal) | Dog |
| Nadi | Aadi (Vata) |
Traditional attributions, listed as reference data. Jyotishya does not interpret them.
Tara bala counted from Ardra
For a person whose Moon was in Ardra at birth, each day's tara comes from counting Ardra as 1 to the nakshatra the Moon is in that day: count = ((day − 5) mod 27) + 1, tara = count mod 9. Scores are those Jyotishya uses. The tara bala formula explained.
| count mod 9 | Tara | Day nakshatras (count) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Janma (lit. birth) | Ardra (1), Swati (10), Shatabhisha (19) | 0 |
| 2 | Sampat (lit. wealth) | Punarvasu (2), Vishakha (11), Purva Bhadrapada (20) | +1 |
| 3 | Vipat (lit. danger) | Pushya (3), Anuradha (12), Uttara Bhadrapada (21) | −1 |
| 4 | Kshema (lit. well-being) | Ashlesha (4), Jyeshtha (13), Revati (22) | +1 |
| 5 | Pratyak (lit. obstacle) | Magha (5), Mula (14), Ashwini (23) | −1 |
| 6 | Sadhana (lit. achievement) | Purva Phalguni (6), Purva Ashadha (15), Bharani (24) | +1 |
| 7 | Naidhana (lit. destruction) | Uttara Phalguni (7), Uttara Ashadha (16), Krittika (25) | −2 |
| 8 | Mitra (lit. friend) | Hasta (8), Shravana (17), Rohini (26) | +1 |
| 0 (9) | Parama Mitra (lit. best friend) | Chitra (9), Dhanishta (18), Mrigashira (27) | +1 |
Worked example: Moon in Shatabhisha → count 19; 19 mod 9 = 1 → Janma, score 0.
Vimshottari dasha starting point
With the Moon in Ardra at birth, the first mahadasha is Rahu. Balance at birth = (1 − fraction of Ardra already travelled by the Moon) × 18 years. Fraction travelled = (Moon longitude − 66.67°) ÷ 13.33°. The sequence then continues Jupiter → Saturn → Mercury → Ketu → Venus → Sun → Moon → Mars. How the dasha periods are calculated.