The 27 nakshatras
Ardra nakshatra आर्द्रा
Star 6 of 27, ruled by Rahu, watched over by Rudra, the storm. Its symbol is a teardrop.
The essentials
Ardra spans 6°40' Gemini to 20°00' Gemini. Dasha lord Rahu (18 years). Deity Rudra, the storm. Gana Manushya, yoni dog, nadi Adya (Vata). Naming syllables कू, घ, ङ, छ. A birth Moon here makes Ardra your janma nakshatra and opens your Vimshottari timeline in a Rahu period.
The four padas
| Pada | Span | Navāṁśa | Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pada 1 | 6°40' Gemini to 10°00' Gemini | Sagittarius navāṁśa | कू |
| Pada 2 | 10°00' Gemini to 13°20' Gemini | Capricorn navāṁśa | घ |
| Pada 3 | 13°20' Gemini to 16°40' Gemini | Aquarius navāṁśa | ङ |
| Pada 4 | 16°40' Gemini to 20°00' Gemini | Pisces navāṁśa | छ |
Each pada colours the star through its navāṁśa sign, which is why two people of the same nakshatra can wear it differently. The syllable of the birth pada is the one tradition offers at a naming ceremony.
The character of Ardra
Ardra is the storm that clears the air. Its people feel intensely, think sharply, and often grow through upheavals that would break a softer star. After their rains the ground is cleaner, and so are they.
Ardra in kundli matching
A Manushya gana star of the dog yoni, sharing its animal with Mula. In Ashtakoota matching, the gana enters the six point Gana test, the yoni its four point test of instinctive accord, and the nadi the heaviest test of all at eight points, where two identical nadis score nothing. None of these verdicts stands alone, and the full milan arithmetic weighs all eight kutas before anything is concluded.
Your dasha begins with Rahu
Born under Ardra, your Vimshottari sequence opens in a Rahu mahadasha, and the balance left at birth depends on the Moon's exact degree within the star. The dasha guide explains the whole 120 year wheel. A computed chart names your current period to the day.
Common questions
Where does Ardra fall?
6°40' Gemini to 20°00' Gemini, in four padas of 3°20' each. The table above names each pada's navāṁśa.
Which dasha starts for Ardra births?
Rahu's, up to 18 years, scaled by how far the Moon had walked through the star at birth.
What are the naming syllables?
कू, घ, ङ, छ, one for each pada.