What it means
Each of the 27 nakshatras divides into four padas, so the zodiac holds 108 of them — the same 108 that recurs throughout Indian tradition. Each pada maps onto a navamsa sign, which is how the D9 chart is derived, and each carries a traditional syllable.
How it is read
The naming syllable is the pada's most visible use. A child born in the second pada of Ashwini is traditionally named from a syllable assigned to that quarter, which is why Indian naming lists are organised by nakshatra and pada rather than by month or sign.
What to watch for
Precision matters more here than almost anywhere else in a chart. A pada is a quarter of a division the Moon crosses in a day, so the Moon can change pada in roughly six hours — a birth time off by an afternoon can hand you the wrong syllable and the wrong navamsa placement at once.