Nakshatra 3 of 27
Krittika Nakshatra (कृत्तिका)
Krittika nakshatra: ruled by Sun, deity Agni, in sidereal Aries and Taurus. See its four padas with navamsa signs, matching attributes, and what Moon in Krittika means for your Vimshottari dasha.
Direct answer
Krittika (कृत्तिका) is the 3rd of the 27 nakshatras, spanning 26°40′ Aries to 10°00′ Taurus in sidereal Aries and Taurus. Its ruling planet is Sun, its presiding deity is Agni, and its symbol is the razor / flame. A person born with the Moon in Krittika starts life in a Sun mahadasha (6 years full length).
The four padas of Krittika
Each nakshatra divides into four padas of 3°20′. The pada decides the navamsa (D9) sign — the chart traditionally read for marriage and inner life. If your Moon or lagna degree falls in Krittika, this table shows its navamsa sign.
| Pada | Degrees | Navamsa sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26°40′ Aries – 0°00′ Taurus | Sagittarius |
| 2 | 0°00′ Taurus – 3°20′ Taurus | Capricorn |
| 3 | 3°20′ Taurus – 6°40′ Taurus | Aquarius |
| 4 | 6°40′ Taurus – 10°00′ Taurus | Pisces |
Moon in Krittika and your Vimshottari dasha
In Vimshottari dasha, the nakshatra of your birth Moon sets the starting mahadasha. A Moon in Krittika begins life in a Sun mahadasha, whose full length is 6years — shortened at birth by however far the Moon has already travelled through the nakshatra's 13°20′ span. The rest of the 120-year cycle follows in fixed order.
What a Sun period brings depends on what Sun controls in your specific chart — house ownership, placement, and strength — not on the nakshatra alone. That is why this site checks dasha timing against your real past before making forward claims.
Matching attributes (Ashtakoot)
In Guna Milan, nakshatras are compared through classical categories. Krittikais classified as Rakshasa (fierce) gana (temperament group), Antya (Kapha) nadi (constitution group), Brahmin varna, and the Sheep (female) yoni. Two charts with the same nadi traditionally raise Nadi dosha — the heaviest single factor in the 36-guna score — which is why matching reports here flag it for expert review rather than auto-failing the match.
Frequently asked questions
Which planet rules Krittika nakshatra?
Krittika is ruled by Sun. In Vimshottari dasha, a birth Moon in Krittika begins the cycle with a Sun mahadasha of up to 6 years (shortened by how far the Moon has already travelled through the nakshatra at birth).
Which rashi (Moon sign) is Krittika in?
Krittika straddles sidereal Aries and Taurus. Which rashi your Moon falls in depends on the exact degree — the pada table on this page shows the boundary.
What are the matching attributes of Krittika?
For Ashtakoot matching, Krittika is classified as Rakshasa (fierce) gana, Antya (Kapha) nadi, Brahmin varna, with the Sheep (female) yoni. Nadi and gana carry the most weight in the 36-guna score; same-nadi matches are traditionally flagged for closer review.
How do I know if my Moon is in Krittika?
You need your birth date, time, and place — the Moon moves through one nakshatra in roughly a day, so the time matters. The free chart and dasha calculators on this site compute it with the Lahiri ayanamsa.