Nakshatra 3 of 27 · Aries to Taurus (Mesha to Vrishabha) · Lord Sun
Krittika
The sharp flame that cuts through illusion.
At a glance
Ruling planet
Sun (Surya)
Deity
Agni
Symbol
A knife or razor
Gana
Rakshasa
Krittika is the third nakshatra, straddling the end of Aries and the start of Taurus (26°40' Aries to 10°00' Taurus). It is ruled by the Sun, presided over by Agni (fire), and symbolised by a blade or flame.
Personality
Krittika personality
Krittika is sharp, purifying and direct. People with a strong Krittika Moon have a cutting clarity that sees through pretence and a fiery drive to burn away what is false. They can be fierce critics and fierce protectors, with ambition fuelled by the Sun and an edge given by Agni.
Strengths
- ·Sharp, clear judgement
- ·Courageous and protective
- ·Ambitious and determined
- ·Cuts through confusion to the truth
Challenges
- ·Can be cutting or critical
- ·Quick temper under the fiery rulership
- ·Impatient with weakness
- ·Burns bridges when provoked
Career
Krittika career and work
The blade and fire themes suit Krittika to anything that demands precision, courage or refining: surgery, the military, cooking, criticism and editing, leadership, and craft that turns raw material into something finished.
Professions often linked to Krittika: Fire services, cooking, leadership, finance and accountancy, and metal trades.
Love
Krittika in love and relationships
In love Krittika is honest to the point of bluntness and intensely loyal once committed. They protect their people fiercely but need to watch a tendency to scorch with words when angered.
The data
Krittika nakshatra facts
Position
3 of 27
Sidereal span
26°40' Aries to 10°00' Taurus
Rashi (sign)
Aries to Taurus (Mesha to Vrishabha)
Ruling planet (dasha lord)
Sun (Surya)
Deity
Agni (the fire god)
Symbol
A knife or razor (also a flame)
Gana
Rakshasa
Yoni (compatibility)
Sheep (female)
Naming syllables
A, Ee, U, E
Pada navamsa signs
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces
Associated star
The Pleiades (Alcyone region, in Taurus)
The four padas
The four padas of Krittika
Every nakshatra splits into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. Each pada maps to a navamsa sign, which adds a finer layer of meaning to a Moon or planet sitting here. Krittika’s four padas land in these navamsa signs, in order:
Pada 1
Sagittarius navamsa
Syllable: A
Pada 2
Capricorn navamsa
Syllable: Ee
Pada 3
Aquarius navamsa
Syllable: U
Pada 4
Pisces navamsa
Syllable: E
In the Hindu naming tradition (namakaran), a child born under Krittika is often given a name starting with one of these syllables (A, Ee, U, E), picked by the pada the Moon falls in.
Which pada your Moon lands in comes down to its exact degree, and that needs your real birth time. A full reading pins down your Moon nakshatra and pada from your birth details.
Remedy
Krittika remedy and deity
Its deity is Agni; fire offerings (homa) and the chant "Om Agnaye Namah" are traditionally used for purification and courage.
These are traditional devotional practices, not guaranteed outcomes.
Find yours
What is your Moon nakshatra?
Your birth, or janma, nakshatra is the one your Moon was in when you were born. It’s one of the most personal points in a Vedic chart, shaping your mind, your instincts and your dasha timeline. Destivio works out your exact Moon nakshatra and pada from your birth date, time and place, then reads it back to you in plain language.
Find your Moon nakshatra, freeFAQ
Krittika nakshatra FAQ
What planet rules Krittika nakshatra?
The Sun (Surya) is the dasha lord of Krittika, which adds ambition, authority and a refining heat to its fiery, blade-like nature.
Why does Krittika span two rashis?
Because nakshatras (13°20' each) and signs (30° each) do not divide evenly, several nakshatras straddle a sign boundary. Krittika runs from 26°40' Aries into 10°00' Taurus.
What is the connection to the Pleiades?
Krittika is identified with the Pleiades star cluster (the Krittikas, the six or seven mothers who nursed the war god Kartikeya), which sits in the Taurus portion of the nakshatra.