Knowledge Base · Foundations

Pada

A pada is one of the four quarters of a nakṣatra. There are 108 padas across the 27 equal nakṣatras.

What the word means

Pāda means foot, step or quarter.

How it is calculated

Divide each 13°20′ nakṣatra into four parts of 3°20′. Each pada maps to one navāṃśa sign.

History

The 108 padas link the lunar mansions to the navāṃśa chart, one of the oldest divisional charts in use.

Energy

The four padas follow the four aims of life: dharma (purpose), artha (resources), kāma (desire) and mokṣa (release).

Physical description

A narrow slice of sky, about six and a half Moon-widths across.

Interpretation

Used to fine-tune a placement and to name the navāṃśa sign of any graha.

Vedaz's interpretation

The first pada is a phase of dharma: the energy is fresh, principled and pioneering. Each later pada shifts the motive, and the Vedaz library reads every graha by nakṣatra and pada.

This is a symbolic pattern, not a prediction. Nothing in a chart removes your agency. Vedaz content is reflective and is not medical, psychological, legal or financial advice.