Nakshatras · 3 of 27
Krittika nakshatra
The 3rd lunar mansion, 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus, ruled by Sun.
- Span
- 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus
- Ruling planet
- Sun (Vimshottari dasha of 6 years)
- Deity
- Agni
- Symbol
- A razor or flame
- Nature
- Mishra (mixed)
- Gana
- Rakshasa (fierce)
- Yoni (animal)
- Sheep
- Nadi
- Antya (Kapha)
The meaning of Krittika
Krittika (कृत्तिका) is the 3rd of the 27 nakshatras. Its presiding deity is Agni, the god of fire, who purifies and carries offerings to the gods, and its symbol is a razor or flame. In Jyotish the deity of a nakshatra is the key to its nature: what the deity does, the nakshatra does.
It is ruled by Sun, so a person whose Moon is in Krittika begins life in the Sun dasha. The other two nakshatras ruled by Sun are Uttara Phalguni and Uttara Ashadha; together they share something of Sun’s character.
Good for: Mishra work
In the muhurta texts Krittika is a mishra (mixed) nakshatra, favoured for ordinary daily work, and rituals with fire. When the Moon passes through Krittika (about once every 27⅓ days) it is a good day for those kinds of beginnings.
The four padas
Each nakshatra divides into four padas of 3°20′. Each pada falls in a navamsa sign, and each has the traditional first syllable used for naming a child born in it.
| Pada | Sign | Navamsa | Naming syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aries | Sagittarius | A |
| 2 | Taurus | Capricorn | I |
| 3 | Taurus | Aquarius | U |
| 4 | Taurus | Pisces | E |
In marriage matching
In guna milan, Krittika is of Rakshasa gana, sheep yoni and Antya nadi. Two partners with the same nadi lose all eight points of nadi koota. Match two charts.
Find your birth nakshatra · Aries (Mesha) · Chapter 5: the 27 nakshatras
Sources: Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra and Phaladeepika for the signs, planets and houses; Muhurta Chintamani for the nakshatra classes and the guna milan attributes. Wording is our own.