Nakshatra 3 of 27 · Aries 26°40′ - Taurus 10°00′
Krittika nakshatra कृत्तिका
Krittika is the third nakshatra, running from 26 degrees 40 minutes of Aries to 10 degrees of Taurus and corresponding to the Pleiades. The Sun rules it and Agni, the god of fire, presides. Its symbol is a razor or sharp blade. Krittika stands for purification through heat and cutting: discrimination, protection and the removal of what does not belong.
- Meaning
- the cutters; those who cut
- Sidereal span
- Aries 26°40′ - Taurus 10°00′
- Ruling planet
- Sun
- Deity
- Agni
- Symbol
- razor / flame
- Gana
- Rakshasa
- Yoni
- Goat (female)
- Nadi
- Antya
- Varna
- Vaishya
- Guna
- Rajas
- Tattva
- Earth
- Rashi
- Aries / Taurus
Symbol and deity
Krittika's symbol is a razor, sometimes an axe or a flame. The blade separates: it cuts away the excess, the diseased or the false so that what remains is clean. Agni, the presiding deity, is the sacrificial fire that carries offerings to the gods and burns away impurity. In myth the six Krittikas are the star-mothers who nursed Kartikeya, the warrior son of Shiva, which gives the nakshatra a protective, fostering quality alongside its sharpness. The Sun as ruler adds authority, clarity and a public dimension. The whole image is of fire used with purpose: a forge, a kitchen hearth, a surgeon's instrument. Krittika signifies critical judgment, purification, courage, and the responsibility that comes with the power to cut.
Personality of Krittika natives
The Moon in Krittika is traditionally described as giving a sharp, perceptive mind and a strong sense of right and wrong. Brihat Samhita says these natives are bright and have a large appetite, while Hora Sara notes their fame and firm resolve. They see flaws quickly, in themselves and others, and say so. Beneath the sharp surface is the nursing instinct of the Krittikas: they protect and provide for those in their care with real dedication, and are often the household cook or the person who feeds everyone. Krittika natives are ambitious, dignified and dislike dishonesty. Their temper flares hot and passes quickly. The difficulty is that criticism can outrun kindness, and their standards may isolate them. Because the span begins in Aries and mostly sits in Taurus, the first quarter is more fiery and combative, the rest more grounded and steady. In both, the underlying trait is a refusal to tolerate impurity.
Strengths
- Sharp, discriminating judgment
- Fierce protection of dependents
- Dignity and public credibility
- Ability to purify and simplify
Challenges
- Criticism that wounds
- Quick, hot temper
- Difficulty accepting imperfection
- Stubborn attachment to own standards
Career
Krittika is associated with fire and cutting professions: cooking and the food trade, metalwork, engineering, surgery, barbering, tailoring, and the military. The Sun's rulership points to government, administration, leadership and roles with public visibility. The critical faculty suits editing, auditing, quality control, law and criticism of every kind. The nursing myth adds teaching and care of the young. Krittika natives work with focus and high standards, and are respected more than they are liked in the workplace. They need authority proportional to their competence and chafe when they do not have it.
Relationships and matching
Krittika is Rakshasa gana with the female Goat (Sheep) yoni. Its natural yoni partner is Pushya, the male goat, and the hostile yoni is the Monkey of Purva Ashadha and Shravana. Rakshasa gana matches well with other Rakshasa nakshatras, tolerably with Manushya, and poorly with Deva in the traditional scheme. In relationships Krittika natives are loyal, protective and demanding. They show love through provision and correction rather than soft words, which partners must learn to read. Friendships are few, long and tested. Marriage works best with someone who is neither intimidated by their honesty nor wounded by it.
In Ashtakoot matching, Krittika counts as Rakshasa gana, Goat yoni and Antya nadi. Those three drive gana, yoni and nadi koota, 18 of the 36 points.
Body and constitution
Classical texts place Krittika over the hips, loins and waist, and describe its constitution as kapha, the steady, substantial temperament, which softens the fiery symbolism of Agni. The traditional picture is of a strong appetite and a robust frame. This is a correspondence from the texts, not a medical claim.
The four padas
Every nakshatra divides into four quarters of 3°20′. The pada tells which navamsa sign the Moon occupies and colours how the star expresses itself.
| Pada | Span | Navamsa | Traditional reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pada 1 | Aries 26°40′ - Taurus 0°00′ | Sagittarius | Pada 1, Sagittarius navamsa, is the only quarter in Aries. Tradition reads it as the most combative and idealistic: Jupiter's ethics with Mars's fire, giving strong convictions and a warrior streak. |
| Pada 2 | Taurus 0°00′ - Taurus 3°20′ | Capricorn | Pada 2, Capricorn navamsa, opens the Taurus portion. Tradition considers it the most disciplined and materially focused quarter, patient, structured and inclined to build authority slowly through work. |
| Pada 3 | Taurus 3°20′ - Taurus 6°40′ | Aquarius | Pada 3, Aquarius navamsa, is described as humanitarian and unconventional. Tradition links it with scientific thought, service to groups, and the use of sharp judgment for social rather than personal ends. |
| Pada 4 | Taurus 6°40′ - Taurus 10°00′ | Pisces | Pada 4, Pisces navamsa, is the gentlest quarter, ruled by Jupiter. Tradition colours it with compassion, imagination and a nurturing quality, closest to the star-mothers of the Krittika myth. |
In the Vimshottari system
Krittika's lord is Sun, so a person born with the Moon here begins life in a Sun mahadasha. How far the Moon has travelled through Krittika sets how much of that first period remains at birth; the free kundli works the whole timeline out from the birth details.
Krittika nakshatra questions
Is Krittika nakshatra good or bad?
Krittika is classified as a mixed (mishra) nakshatra in muhurta, suited to fire-related and decisive activities but not to gentle beginnings. For a birth placement it gives clarity, courage and protectiveness alongside a sharp tongue. It is not inherently good or bad; the Sun's and Moon's condition in the full chart decides how it works.
Which rashi is Krittika nakshatra?
Krittika spans two signs. Its first pada, 26 degrees 40 minutes to 30 degrees, is in Aries (Mesha), while padas 2 to 4, from 0 to 10 degrees, are in Taurus (Vrishabha). Most Krittika Moons are therefore Taurus Moons. The nakshatra's ruler is the Sun regardless of which sign the Moon occupies.
Who should Krittika nakshatra natives marry?
Krittika has the female Goat yoni and Rakshasa gana. Its closest yoni match is Pushya (male goat), and it pairs comfortably with other Rakshasa nakshatras such as Ashlesha, Magha, Chitra, Vishakha and Jyeshtha. Purva Ashadha and Shravana carry the hostile Monkey yoni. Nadi (Krittika is Antya) and the remaining kutas should also be checked.
What is the lucky day or number for Krittika?
Popular tradition assigns Sunday, the day of the Sun, and the number 1 to Krittika. Some almanacs also favour the Sun's hora. These are conventions derived from the ruling planet rather than classical doctrine, and the Sun's dasha, transits and dignity in the chart matter far more in practice.