Ardra Nakshatra
आर्द्रा · nakshatra 6 of 27
The nakshatra of Rudra, symbolised by a teardrop. Ardra carries the energy of storms that clear the air: effort, intensity and renewal after upheaval.
Born under this nakshatra
Your birth star Ardra, your core nature
Your janma (birth) nakshatra is Ardra, the lunar mansion your Moon occupied at birth. This is one of the deepest keys to your core nature, since the Moon governs your mind, emotions and instincts. Ardra is symbolised by a teardrop or diamond, presided over by Rudra (the storm god), and ruled by Rahu. What it says about you: at heart you tend to be intense, transformative and sharp. Your natural strengths include emotional depth, the power to break through and renew, strong intellect and resilience through storms, these qualities colour how you feel, react and move through life, often more truly than your outer personality. People born under Ardra are well suited to research, technology, crisis work, transformation or any field that turns difficulty into breakthrough. Like every placement, the full expression depends on how strong and well placed your Moon is, and on the rest of your chart and your dasha periods, so read this as your core temperament rather than a fixed script. Used well, your Ardra nature is a real foundation for your life. When you lean into its genuine strengths and live in tune with your inner temperament, this birth star becomes a steady source of self-understanding and direction.
- •Your Moon was in Ardra nakshatra at birth, a deep key to your core nature
- •Symbol: a teardrop or diamond; deity: Rudra (the storm god); ruling planet: Rahu
- •At heart you tend to be intense, transformative and sharp
- •Natural strengths: emotional depth and more
- •Well suited to research, technology, crisis work, transformation
This reading is the same authored text the LifeAstroAPI narrative endpoints return for a Moon in this nakshatra.
Attributes
| Ruling planet | Rahu |
|---|---|
| Vimshottari dasha | 18 years of Rahu mahadasha for a Moon born here |
| Deity | Rudra |
| Symbol | teardrop / diamond |
| Span | 66.67° – 80° sidereal |
| Rashi | Mithuna (Gemini) |
| Gana | Manushya |
| Nadi | Aadi |
| Yoni | Shvan |
| Tattva | Prithvi |
| Rajju | Siro |
| Nakshatra shool | No direction restricted |
The four padas
Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20′, and each pada falls in one navamsa (D9) sign. The pada of your Moon refines the reading of the nakshatra.
Pada 1 — pada 1
Navamsa: Dhanu (Sagittarius)Your Moon is in the 1st pada (quarter) of Ardra nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ardra nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 1st pada brings a fiery, initiating quality to your Ardra temperament. It tends to emphasise drive, leadership and a bold, pioneering edge, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ardra character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ardra into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ardra nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ardra pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ardra core and this 1st-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 2 — pada 2
Navamsa: Makara (Capricorn)Your Moon is in the 2nd pada (quarter) of Ardra nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ardra nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 2nd pada brings an earthy, practical quality to your Ardra temperament. It tends to emphasise steadiness, material focus and the ability to build something lasting, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ardra character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ardra into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ardra nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ardra pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ardra core and this 2nd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 3 — pada 3
Navamsa: Kumbha (Aquarius)Your Moon is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Ardra nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ardra nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 3rd pada brings an airy, communicative quality to your Ardra temperament. It tends to emphasise intellect, communication, sociability and adaptability, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ardra character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ardra into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ardra nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ardra pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ardra core and this 3rd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 4 — pada 4
Navamsa: Meena (Pisces)Your Moon is in the 4th pada (quarter) of Ardra nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Ardra nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 4th pada brings a watery, emotional quality to your Ardra temperament. It tends to emphasise sensitivity, intuition, depth of feeling and care for others, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Ardra character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Ardra into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Ardra nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Ardra pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Ardra core and this 4th-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Other nakshatras ruled by Rahu
Frequently asked questions
Who is the lord of Ardra nakshatra?
Ardra is ruled by Rahu. A person whose Moon is in Ardra begins life in the Rahu mahadasha of the Vimshottari system, which lasts 18 years in full.
What is the gana and nadi of Ardra?
Ardra belongs to the Manushya gana and the Aadi nadi. Both are used in Ashtakoota matchmaking: Gana koota carries 6 points and Nadi koota 8 points.
Which rashi is Ardra nakshatra in?
Ardra spans 66.67° to 80° of the sidereal zodiac, which lies in Mithuna (Gemini).
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Use nakshatra data in your app
Find when the Moon is in Ardra for any city, or read a birth nakshatra with its pada and lord, in one call.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $LIFEASTRO_API_KEY" \
"https://api.lifeastroapi.com/v1/panchang/nakshatra?date=2027-01-15&time=06:00&tz=Asia/Kolkata&lat=28.6139&lon=77.209"