Krittika Nakshatra
कृत्तिका · nakshatra 3 of 27
The nakshatra of Agni, symbolised by a razor or flame. It is linked with purification, sharp intellect and courage, and spans the boundary between Mesha and Vrishabha.
Born under this nakshatra
Your birth star Krittika, your core nature
Your janma (birth) nakshatra is Krittika, the lunar mansion your Moon occupied at birth. This is one of the deepest keys to your core nature, since the Moon governs your mind, emotions and instincts. Krittika is symbolised by a razor or flame, presided over by Agni (the fire god), and ruled by Sun. What it says about you: at heart you tend to be sharp, purposeful and strong. Your natural strengths include a cutting clarity, courage, leadership and the power to burn away what is impure, these qualities colour how you feel, react and move through life, often more truly than your outer personality. People born under Krittika are well suited to leadership, the military, fire-related or cutting-edge fields, criticism, cooking or anything needing sharp focus. Like every placement, the full expression depends on how strong and well placed your Moon is, and on the rest of your chart and your dasha periods, so read this as your core temperament rather than a fixed script. Used well, your Krittika nature is a real foundation for your life. When you lean into its genuine strengths and live in tune with your inner temperament, this birth star becomes a steady source of self-understanding and direction.
- •Your Moon was in Krittika nakshatra at birth, a deep key to your core nature
- •Symbol: a razor or flame; deity: Agni (the fire god); ruling planet: Sun
- •At heart you tend to be sharp, purposeful and strong
- •Natural strengths: a cutting clarity and more
- •Well suited to leadership, the military, fire-related
This reading is the same authored text the LifeAstroAPI narrative endpoints return for a Moon in this nakshatra.
Attributes
| Ruling planet | Surya (Sun) |
|---|---|
| Vimshottari dasha | 6 years of Surya (Sun) mahadasha for a Moon born here |
| Deity | Agni |
| Symbol | razor / flame |
| Span | 26.67° – 40° sidereal |
| Rashi | Mesha (Aries) and Vrishabha (Taurus) |
| Gana | Rakshasa |
| Nadi | Antya |
| Yoni | Mesha |
| Tattva | Jal |
| Rajju | Nabhi |
| Nakshatra shool | Travel toward the west is avoided |
The four padas
Each nakshatra has four padas of 3°20′, and each pada falls in one navamsa (D9) sign. The pada of your Moon refines the reading of the nakshatra.
Pada 1 — pada 1
Navamsa: Dhanu (Sagittarius)Your Moon is in the 1st pada (quarter) of Krittika nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Krittika nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 1st pada brings a fiery, initiating quality to your Krittika temperament. It tends to emphasise drive, leadership and a bold, pioneering edge, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Krittika character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Krittika into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Krittika nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Krittika pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Krittika core and this 1st-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 2 — pada 2
Navamsa: Makara (Capricorn)Your Moon is in the 2nd pada (quarter) of Krittika nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Krittika nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 2nd pada brings an earthy, practical quality to your Krittika temperament. It tends to emphasise steadiness, material focus and the ability to build something lasting, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Krittika character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Krittika into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Krittika nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Krittika pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Krittika core and this 2nd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 3 — pada 3
Navamsa: Kumbha (Aquarius)Your Moon is in the 3rd pada (quarter) of Krittika nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Krittika nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 3rd pada brings an airy, communicative quality to your Krittika temperament. It tends to emphasise intellect, communication, sociability and adaptability, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Krittika character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Krittika into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Krittika nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Krittika pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Krittika core and this 3rd-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Pada 4 — pada 4
Navamsa: Meena (Pisces)Your Moon is in the 4th pada (quarter) of Krittika nakshatra. Each nakshatra has four padas, and the pada refines your core Krittika nature with a more specific flavour. What this pada adds: the 4th pada brings a watery, emotional quality to your Krittika temperament. It tends to emphasise sensitivity, intuition, depth of feeling and care for others, giving your nature a particular slant within the broader Krittika character. This is the finest layer of your janma-nakshatra reading, sharpening the general traits of Krittika into something more precisely yours. As always, read this together with your full Krittika nature, the strength of your Moon and the rest of your chart, so the pada refines rather than replaces the bigger picture. Used well, your Krittika pada gives you a clearer sense of your exact temperament. When you understand both your Krittika core and this 4th-pada flavour, you gain a precise, useful map of your inner nature.
Other nakshatras ruled by Surya (Sun)
Frequently asked questions
Who is the lord of Krittika nakshatra?
Krittika is ruled by Sun. A person whose Moon is in Krittika begins life in the Sun mahadasha of the Vimshottari system, which lasts 6 years in full.
What is the gana and nadi of Krittika?
Krittika belongs to the Rakshasa gana and the Antya nadi. Both are used in Ashtakoota matchmaking: Gana koota carries 6 points and Nadi koota 8 points.
Which rashi is Krittika nakshatra in?
Krittika spans 26.67° to 40° of the sidereal zodiac, which lies in Mesha (Aries) and Vrishabha (Taurus).
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Use nakshatra data in your app
Find when the Moon is in Krittika for any city, or read a birth nakshatra with its pada and lord, in one call.
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $LIFEASTRO_API_KEY" \
"https://api.lifeastroapi.com/v1/panchang/nakshatra?date=2027-01-15&time=06:00&tz=Asia/Kolkata&lat=28.6139&lon=77.209"