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Vedic (Jyotisha) · Nakshatra 3

Krittika

Razor, flame

Krittika, nakshatra 3 of 27 (26°40′ Mesha – 10°00′ Vrishabha), ruled by Sun, presided over by Agni; symbol: razor, flame.

Krittika is the 3rd of the twenty-seven nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astrology, spanning 26°40′ Mesha – 10°00′ Vrishabha of the sidereal zodiac. Its presiding deity is Agni, and its traditional symbol is the razor, flame. In the Vimshottari system its ruling planet is Sun, so a person whose moon falls in Krittika begins life in the Sun period (dasha).

Each nakshatra is classified by gana, or temperament — divine (deva), human (manushya) or demonic (rakshasa) — and Krittika is counted rakshasa. Astrologers use the nakshatra of the moon at birth for naming (each pada has its own syllable), for matching horoscopes before marriage and for choosing auspicious times (muhurta). The descriptions of each nakshatra in Sanskrit texts such as the Brihat Samhita and in modern handbooks vary, and are best read as traditional associations of its deity and symbol.

Personality

sharp · courageous · purifying · ambitious · proud · direct

In Vedic astrology a person whose moon falls in Krittika is described as fiery, sharp and courageous, cutting through confusion like the razor or flame that symbolises the nakshatra. Its deity is Agni, the sacrificial fire, and its stars are the Pleiades, the six nurses who in Hindu myth raised the war god Kartikeya, so it joins purifying severity with a protective, nurturing side.

Traditional descriptions credit Krittika natives with determination, ambition, honesty and a strong sense of dignity, along with the capacity to lead and to defend what they love. They are said to have a discerning, critical intelligence that separates the true from the false. Their weaknesses are said to be a sharp tongue, pride, stubbornness, a quick temper and difficulty forgiving.

In relationships Krittika is portrayed as loyal and protective but exacting, expecting the same honesty it offers. In work it is linked with leadership, the military, cooking and work with fire, metals, surgery, criticism and teaching. Counted among the rakshasa temperaments, its Vimshottari lord is the Sun, whose Navaratna stone is the ruby; as with every nakshatra, the whole chart qualifies these traits.

Stone: Ruby

Sources and further reading