पद [ pada ] [ padá ] n. (rarely m.) a step , pace , stride

  a footstep , trace , vestige , mark , the foot itself , Lit. RV. ( [ padena ] , on foot ; [ pade pade ] , at every step , everywhere , on every occasion ; [ trīṇi padāni viṣṇoḥ ] , the three steps or footprints of Vishṇu ( i.e. the earth , the air , and the sky ; cf. Lit. RV. i , 154 , 5 Lit. Vikr. i , 19 ) , also N. of a constellation or according to some " the space between the eyebrows " ; sg. [ viṣṇoḥ padam ] N. of a locality ; [ padaṃ-√ dā ] , [ padāt padaṃ-√ gam ] or √ [ cal ] , to make a step , move on ; [ padaṃ-√ kṛ ] , with loc. to set foot in or on , to enter ; with [ mūrdhni ] , to set the foot upon the head of ( gen. ) i.e. overcome ; with [ citte ] or [ hṛdaye ] , to take possession of any one's heart or mind ; with loc. or [ prati ] , to have dealings with [ padaṃ ni-√ dhā ] with loc. , to set foot in = to make impression upon ; with [ padavyām ] , to set the foot on a person's ( gen. or ibc. ) track , to emulate or equal ; [ padam ni-√ bandh ] with loc. , to enter or engage in)

  a sign , token , characteristic Lit. MBh. Lit. Kathās. Lit. Pur.

  a footing , standpoint

  position , rank , station , site , abode , home Lit. RV. ( [ padam ā-√ tan ] , to spread or extend one's position ; [ padāt padam bhrāmayitvā ] , having caused to wander from place to place)

  a business affair , matter , object or cause of (gen. or comp.) Lit. Kāv. Lit. Pañc.

  a pretext Lit. L.

  a part , portion , division ( cf. [ dvi- ] , [ tri- ] )

  a square on a chess-board Lit. R.

  a plot of ground Lit. Inscr.

  the foot as a measure of length (= 12 or 15 fingers' breadth , or 1/2 or 1/3 or 3/7 of a Prakrama) Lit. KātyŚr.

  a ray of light (m. Lit. L.)

  a portion of a verse , quarter or line of a stanza Lit. RV.

  a word or an inflected word or the stem of a noun in the middle cases and before some Taddhitas Lit. Pāṇ. 1-4 , 14

  = [ pada-pāṭha ] Lit. Prāt.

  common N. of the P. and Ā. Lit. Cat.

  any one in a set of numbers the sum of which is required

  a period in an arithmetical progression Lit. Col.

  a square root Lit. Sūryas.

  a quadrant Lit. ib.

  protection Lit. L. ( cf. Gk. 1 ; Lat. (peda) ; (op-pidum) for (op-pedum) . )