Short answer: Krittika Nakshatra is the third birth star, running from 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus. The Sun is its lord, Agni the fire god is its deity, and its symbol is a razor or a flame. It is a rakshasa gana star. Krittika natives are sharp, proud, honest to a fault and good at cutting away what does not work.
Updated 8 November 2026
What is special about Krittika Nakshatra?
Krittika is the star cluster the West calls the Pleiades, the small bright group you can see on winter evenings. In the Puranas, the six Krittika sisters raised the infant commander of the gods, and he took his name, Kartikeya, from them. So the star carries two pictures at once: the fierce warrior and the foster mother who feeds him.
Fire is the theme that ties them together. Agni cooks, purifies and burns. A Krittika native usually has a bit of each: they nourish the people they care for, they cannot stand anything impure or fake, and when they are angry the heat is real. The razor symbol is about the same quality. It separates, it trims, it makes a clean edge.
The other thing that makes Krittika unusual is that it sits across two signs. One pada falls in Aries and three in Taurus, and those two groups behave quite differently. The full layout of the 27 is on my nakshatra guide if you want to see the star in context.
Krittika Nakshatra facts: lord, deity, symbol and gana
| Feature | Krittika |
|---|---|
| Number | 3 of 27 |
| Span | 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus |
| Lord | Sun (Surya) |
| Deity | Agni |
| Symbol | Razor, knife or flame |
| Gana | Rakshasa |
| Yoni (animal) | Sheep or goat, female |
| Nadi | Antya |
| Sign lords | Mars for pada 1, Venus for padas 2 to 4 |
Krittika in Aries versus Krittika in Taurus
This is the first thing I check for any Krittika Moon, because it changes how I read everything else.
| Pada | Sign and degrees | Navamsa | Letter | How it tends to show |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aries 26°40′ to 30°00′ | Sagittarius | A (अ) | Fiery, idealistic, outspoken, quick to lead |
| 2 | Taurus 0°00′ to 3°20′ | Capricorn | I (इ) | Practical, ambitious, careful with money |
| 3 | Taurus 3°20′ to 6°40′ | Aquarius | U (उ) | Principled, a little detached, drawn to groups and causes |
| 4 | Taurus 6°40′ to 10°00′ | Pisces | E (ए) | Gentle on top, devoted, artistic, the softest of the four |
Pada 1 is all fire: a Sun star in a Mars sign with a Jupiter navamsa. It gives the most open temper and the most courage. The Taurus padas are steadier. Venus owns that sign, so the Sun’s heat comes out as persistence and pride in good work rather than sudden flare-ups.
There is one more detail I never skip. The Moon is exalted at 3° Taurus, which sits inside Krittika’s second pada. A Moon born there is classically strong, and in my experience these people are emotionally steadier than the star’s fierce reputation suggests.
The Krittika temperament
- High standards. They notice the flaw in a plan, a dish or an argument at once, and they say so.
- Protective. Like the sisters who raised Kartikeya, they look after people quietly and fiercely.
- Proud and self-reliant. Asking for help feels like losing.
- Short temper, short memory. The anger burns hot, and in most Krittika natives it is gone the next day.
- Direct speech. Diplomacy is a skill they learn, not one they are born with.
The rakshasa label simply means a strong, independent will. It is not a moral judgement, and I tell every worried parent so.
What careers suit Krittika natives?
Fire and blades give a clear list. I often see Krittika people in kitchens and food businesses, metal and manufacturing, surgery and dentistry, defence and police, and fire safety. The razor also explains why so many are good editors, auditors, critics and quality inspectors; they enjoy finding the part that should be cut.
The Sun as lord adds authority. Government service, administration and any role where you sign off on other people’s work suit them well. The Taurus padas lean more towards finance, food, cosmetics and property, all Venus trades handled with the Sun’s discipline.
What does not suit them is work where they must keep quiet about something they think is wrong. They will either speak up or burn out.
The Sun mahadasha at birth, and what follows
Krittika is a Sun star, so every Krittika native begins life in Sun mahadasha. It is the shortest of the nine periods at six years, so the balance at birth is often small: from almost six years for a Moon at 26°40′ Aries down to a few weeks for one near 10° Taurus. Then the Moon’s ten years begin, followed by seven of Mars and eighteen of Rahu.
In practice this means the Moon period covers most of a Krittika child’s early schooling, and Rahu often arrives in the late teens or early twenties. That Rahu stretch, coming early, is one of the reasons I see so many Krittika natives change course sharply in their twenties. How the Sun period itself plays out for adults whose cycle comes round again is on my Sun mahadasha page.
Krittika Nakshatra in marriage and kundli matching
A Krittika spouse is loyal, dependable and frank. They show love by doing things, cooking, fixing, protecting, more than by talking. The difficulty is the sharp tongue; a partner who is easily hurt by blunt words will need the Krittika native to learn some gentleness, and many do.
The star contributes the following to a match:
- Gana: rakshasa. Another rakshasa star, such as Magha, Chitra or Vishakha, scores well; deva stars score lowest.
- Yoni: the sheep’s enemy is the monkey, so pairing with Purva Ashadha or Shravana loses yoni points.
- Nadi: Antya. Rohini, Ashlesha, Magha, Swati and Revati share this nadi, which counts as nadi dosha.
- Best yoni match: Pushya, the male goat, though the gana score there is low.
As you can see, the kootas pull in different directions, which is why I never decide a match from a score. My page on kundli matching beyond the score explains what I read once the points are counted.
Health tendencies for a Krittika Moon
The Aries pada is linked with the head and the Taurus padas with the face, throat and neck. Krittika natives are traditionally said to run warm: acidity, skin heat, eye strain and a sore throat after too much talking. Treat these as things to keep an eye on, not predictions. If something persists, see a doctor.
Remedies I suggest to Krittika natives
- Offer water to the rising Sun, or simply spend the first ten minutes of daylight outdoors.
- Light a lamp at home in the evening. Agni is the star’s deity, and the habit itself calms the house.
- Before a hard conversation, wait one night. The fire cools, and the point still stands.
- Cook for someone now and then. Krittika natives feel steadier when they are feeding others.
I do not recommend ruby simply because the Sun rules the star. Whether a ruby helps depends on which houses the Sun owns for your ascendant, and for some charts it does more harm than good.
Having your Krittika chart read
When we speak, I first settle which side of the Aries and Taurus line your Moon falls on, then read the Sun and Venus or Mars as your chart demands, and map the Sun, Moon, Mars and Rahu periods you have already lived. That gives your current question a proper frame. The session is 45 minutes by video or phone; you can reserve your time here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Krittika Nakshatra in Aries or Taurus?
Both. The first pada is in Aries and the other three are in Taurus. Your Moon’s degree decides which, and the two groups read quite differently.
What are the Krittika Nakshatra name letters?
A, I, U and E for padas one to four. These are vowel sounds, so names such as Ankit, Ishita, Uma or Esha follow this custom.
Is the Moon strong in Krittika Nakshatra?
In the second pada, around 3° Taurus, the Moon is at its exact point of exaltation, which is classically strong. In the other padas its strength depends on the rest of the chart.
Which Krittika Nakshatra pada is best?
None is best for everyone. Pada 1 gives courage and leadership, pada 2 practical ambition, pada 3 principle, and pada 4 gentleness. Each suits a different kind of life.
Why is Krittika Nakshatra called a rakshasa star?
Gana describes temperament. Rakshasa means intense and independent, not evil. In matching it is one koota worth six points, nothing more.