Uttara Bhadrapada Nakshatra — Meaning, Deity, Traits & Padas

Uttara Bhādrapadā means 'the latter auspicious feet'. It completes the pair with Purva Bhadrapada and suggests depth, stability and wisdom.

About Uttara Bhadrapada

Uttara Bhadrapada is the twenty-sixth nakshatra, spanning Meena 3°20′ to 16°40′ in Pisces. Its stars are Gamma Pegasi (Algenib) and Alpha Andromedae (Alpheratz), the other side of the Great Square. Saturn is its Vimshottari lord and Jupiter rules the sign, a pairing associated with patience, wisdom and renunciation.

Uttara Bhadrapada is a dhruva (fixed) nakshatra and one of the classical marriage stars, also recommended for laying foundations, house-warming and long-term commitments. It lies within the Panchaka period, which some practitioners consider for specific activities such as roofing. Its deity, the serpent of the depths, connects it with hidden wisdom.

Traditional characteristics

Uttara Bhadrapada natives are described as eloquent, happy, virtuous, charitable and victorious over enemies. They are said to be calm, wise, disciplined and able to control their emotions. Laziness or withdrawal is noted as a weakness. Counselling, charitable work, research and spiritual teaching are often associated with this star.

These descriptions reflect traditional beliefs recorded in Jyotisha literature. Astrologers read the birth nakshatra together with the whole horoscope, and these attributes are not scientific findings.

Deity and mythology

The deity is Ahir Budhnya, the 'serpent of the depths', a Vedic deity dwelling in the atmospheric ocean, often paired with Aja Ekapada. He represents the hidden, stabilising power at the bottom of creation. Later traditions associate him with Rudra and with kundalini, the coiled energy at the base of the spine.

The four padas of Uttara Bhadrapada

Each pada spans 3°20′ and corresponds to one navamsa (D9) sign. Uttara Bhadrapada holds padas 101 to 104 of the 108 in the zodiac.

1. Pada 1: Simha (Leo) navamsa — Meena 3°20′ – 6°40′; navamsa lord the Sun, emphasising confidence, leadership, generosity and a wish to be recognised. Name syllable: Du.
2. Pada 2: Kanya (Virgo) navamsa — Meena 6°40′ – 10°00′; navamsa lord Mercury, emphasising analysis, precision, service and practical problem-solving. Name syllable: Tha.
3. Pada 3: Tula (Libra) navamsa — Meena 10°00′ – 13°20′; navamsa lord Venus, emphasising diplomacy, fairness, partnership and refined aesthetic taste. Name syllable: Jha.
4. Pada 4: Vrishchika (Scorpio) navamsa — Meena 13°20′ – 16°40′; navamsa lord Mars, emphasising intensity, secrecy, research and transformative depth. Name syllable: Na.