Shravana Nakshatra: Capricorn Degrees, Four Padas, Vishnu Symbolism and Examples

Quick answer: where is Shravana located and how do its four padas work?

• All four padas lie within Saturn-ruled sidereal Capricorn (10°00′–23°20′ Capricorn, or 16,800′–17,600′ from 0° Aries).
• Its four 3°20′ padas restart the Navamsa wheel at Aries and map in order to Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer in the D9 chart.
• Vedic nakshatra lists assign Vishnu (Hari) as presiding deity, an ear or three footprints as emblems, and the Moon (10 years) as Vimshottari lord.

Degree span, sidereal coordinates and central placement inside Capricorn

In the equal 27-sector sidereal framework, each nakshatra spans 13°20′ (800 arcminutes) and each zodiac sign spans 30°00′ (1,800 arcminutes). The tenth sign, sidereal Capricorn (Makara), runs from 270°00′ (16,200 arcminutes) to 300°00′ (18,000 arcminutes). Its first 10°00′ (600 arcminutes) belongs to Padas 2, 3 and 4 of Uttara Ashadha (270°00′–280°00′). Immediately at 10°00′ Capricorn (280°00′ total longitude, or 16,800 arcminutes), Shravana opens and occupies the central 13°20′ heart of Capricorn up to 23°20′ Capricorn (293°20′ total longitude, or 17,600 arcminutes).

Because Shravana ends at 23°20′ Capricorn—leaving the final 6°40′ of Capricorn (23°20′–30°00′) for Padas 1 and 2 of Dhanishta—every degree of Shravana stays inside Saturn-ruled Capricorn. There is no Rashi boundary split inside this nakshatra. Whether a planet sits in Pada 1 or Pada 4 of Shravana, its primary D1 dispositor is always Saturn (Shani), an earthy movable sign lord associated with structure, public institutions, practical craft and time-tested discipline.

When checking charts near 10°00′ Capricorn (280°00′) or 23°20′ Capricorn (293°20′), apply the standard half-open interval rule [start, end) and record the ayanamsa. A Moon at 9°59′59″ Capricorn remains in Uttara Ashadha Pada 4 under the Sun’s 6-year dasha; at 10°00′00″ Capricorn it enters Shravana Pada 1 under the Moon’s 10-year dasha; and at 23°20′00″ Capricorn it enters Dhanishta Pada 1 under Mars’s 7-year dasha.

Four padas, Aries–Cancer Navamsas and Lunar dignity in Padas 2 and 4

Because 21 complete nakshatras (84 padas) precede Shravana, and 84 is an exact multiple of 12 (84 = 7 × 12), the seventh full revolution of the Navamsa wheel ends at 280°00′ (the close of Uttara Ashadha Pada 4 in Pisces Navamsa). Shravana’s first pada (the 85th pada of the zodiac) therefore restarts the eighth Navamsa cycle at Aries. Its four 3°20′ quarters map in clean cardinal-to-water order to Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer.

Since the D1 sign is Capricorn throughout while the D9 signs cover Aries through Cancer, none of Shravana’s padas are Vargottama. Instead, Padas 2 and 4 provide exceptional support for Shravana’s Vimshottari lord, the Moon. In Pada 2 (13°20′–16°40′ Capricorn), the Navamsa sign is Taurus—the Moon’s exaltation sign and a Pushkara Navamsa inside an earth sign. In Pada 4 (20°00′–23°20′ Capricorn), the Navamsa sign is Cancer—the Moon’s own sign (swakshetra D9) directly opposite Capricorn D1.

Traditional naming tables assign the syllables Khi, Khu, Khe and Kho (खी, खू, खे, खो)—or in some regional lists Ju, Je, Jo, Gha—to the four padas. Read each pada by blending Saturn’s structured Capricorn foundation with the Moon’s receptive nakshatra lordship and the Navamsa ruler (Mars, Venus, Mercury or Moon).

Worked calculation: Capricorn Moon longitude and 10-year Moon dasha balance

To verify how a Capricorn Moon in Shravana maps to its exact pada and 10-year Moon Mahadasha balance, work through two examples under the same sidereal ayanamsa. In Case A, an ephemeris places the Moon at 284°40′ total sidereal longitude. Convert degrees to arcminutes: 284 × 60 + 40 = 17,080′. Subtracting the start of Capricorn (270°00′ = 16,200′) gives the sign-local position: 17,080′ − 16,200′ = 880′ = 14°40′ Capricorn (ruled by Saturn). Next, subtract Shravana’s opening coordinate of 16,800′ (280°00′): 17,080′ − 16,800′ = 280′ (4°40′ into Shravana). Dividing 280′ by 200′ per pada shows 1 full pada completed and 80′ elapsed in Pada 2 (Taurus Navamsa).

In Case B, the ephemeris lists the Moon at 291°20′ total sidereal longitude. Converting to arcminutes gives 291 × 60 + 20 = 17,480′. Subtracting 16,200′ yields 1,280′ = 21°20′ Capricorn. Subtracting Shravana’s start (16,800′) gives 17,480′ − 16,800′ = 680′ (11°20′ into Shravana). Dividing 680′ by 200′ per pada shows 3 full padas (600′) completed and 80′ elapsed in Pada 4 (Cancer Navamsa).

In the 120-year Vimshottari system, the Moon rules a 10-year Mahadasha. Using the standard formula Remaining Arc ÷ 800′ × 10 years, Case A has 800′ − 280′ = 520′ remaining (65.0% of the sector), giving (520 ÷ 800) × 10 = 6.5 years (6 years, 6 months, 0 days) of Moon Mahadasha at birth. Case B has 800′ − 680′ = 120′ remaining (15.0% of the sector), giving (120 ÷ 800) × 10 = 1.5 years (1 year, 6 months, 0 days) of Moon Mahadasha before Mars’s 7-year Mahadasha opens.

Vishnu, the three footprints and the oral tradition of Shruti

The Sanskrit noun Shravana (श्रवण, Vedic Shrona) derives from the verbal root shru (“to hear, listen, attend, or learn by oral transmission”), the same root that gives Indian philosophy the term Shruti (“that which is heard”). In the Vedic nakshatra lists of the Taittiriya Samhita (4.4.10) and Taittiriya Brahmana (1.5.1), Shravana is presided over by Vishnu (Hari)—celebrated in the Rigveda (1.22.17–21, 1.154) for his three cosmic strides (trini pada) that measure out the earthly, atmospheric and celestial realms. Astronomically, Shravana is marked by the striking trio of stars in Aquila centered on bright Altair (Alpha Aquilae) flanked by Beta and Gamma Aquilae (Alshain and Tarazed).

That three-star alignment directly informs Shravana’s two classical emblems: an ear (karna) and three uneven footprints in a row (the three steps of Vamana Trivikrama). The ear points to receptive attention—pausing one’s own noise long enough to hear instructions, testimony, language nuances and musical pitch accurately. The three footprints link attentive listening to orderly action: only after hearing the measure of a situation clearly can one take three well-placed steps across complex terrain.

In Muhurta and cultural calendars, Shravana gives its name to the lunar month of Shravana (when the full Moon aligns near this asterism) and is classified as a Chara (movable/active) nakshatra suited for education, language study, travel, counseling and organizational coordination.

Reading Shravana in a birth chart: Saturn sign lord and Moon nakshatra lord

Every planet placed in Shravana brings together two contrasting planetary archetypes: Saturn as the D1 sign ruler (Capricorn) and the Moon as the Vimshottari nakshatra ruler. In isolation, Saturn–Moon contacts can feel solemn, cautious or duty-bound, because Saturn demands realism and accountability while the Moon seeks emotional responsiveness and care. Inside Shravana, however, Vishnu’s preservative symbolism channels this Saturn–Moon pairing into structured empathy: turning perceptive listening into reliable public service, historical or scientific documentation, administration, teaching, acoustics or advisory work.

When the Moon itself occupies Shravana, the Moon sits in its own nakshatra inside Saturn’s sign. Evaluate both Saturn’s dignity and house placement and whether the Moon falls in Taurus D9 (Pada 2) or Cancer D9 (Pada 4), where its Navamsa strength is high. Also observe the dasha progression: after the Moon’s 10-year Mahadasha concludes, Mars (7 years, exalted in Capricorn) and Rahu (18 years) follow.

To follow the full sequence across sidereal Capricorn, compare Shravana with its predecessor Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra (26°40′ Sagittarius to 10°00′ Capricorn) and its successor Dhanishta Nakshatra (23°20′ Capricorn to 6°40′ Aquarius). For the general formula behind the 10-year Moon balance worked out above, consult Vimshottari dasha balance calculation, and to see how a Capricorn Moon sign interacts with the ascendant and Sun sign, read the difference between Lagna, Moon sign and Sun sign.

Strengths, growth edges and practical study habits

Used as a practical study prompt, Shravana’s themes of the ear and the three ordered strides translate into high-value everyday skills: active listening without interrupting, taking accurate notes before offering an opinion, preserving institutional knowledge, and connecting people or ideas across generations.

Under stress or insecurity, the Saturn–Moon combination in Capricorn can tilt toward over-sensitivity to public reputation, rumor or criticism—listening too anxiously to what others might say—or emotional reserve that hides personal fatigue behind professional duty. Cultivating selective attention, verifying information at its primary source, and setting clear boundaries between work obligations and personal rest keep Shravana’s receptivity healthy.

For a study exercise, compare a chart with a planet in Shravana Pada 1 or 3 (Aries or Gemini D9) against one in Pada 2 or 4 (Taurus or Cancer D9). Note how Saturn’s condition and the Navamsa dispositor shape the native’s communication and listening style.

Responsible meaning and verification checklist

Treat Shravana as a traditional sidereal coordinate sector and reflective study framework rather than a deterministic guarantee of scholarly fame, institutional rank, or emotional austerity. A Saturn–Moon signature in Capricorn describes a style of attention and responsibility; how it unfolds depends on the full chart, dasha timing, environment and personal choices.

Before finalizing any Shravana reading, verify three technical points: confirm the sidereal ayanamsa used, verify that the planet’s longitude falls within [280°00′, 293°20′) (10°00′–23°20′ Capricorn), and check whether birth-time uncertainty near a 3°20′ pada boundary changes the Navamsa sign between Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. Always give priority to clear communication, mutual consent, financial planning and qualified professional advice.

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to common reader questions using the 27-sector sidereal grid and half-open boundary convention.