The Moon's 27 mansions
Nakshatras
The zodiac divided into 27 spans of 13°20' each, one for every day of the Moon's circuit.
Krittika
26°40'00" – 40°00'00" · lord Sun
- Symbol
- Razor
- Deity
- Agni
- Lord
- Sun
- Gana
- Rakshasa (fierce — forceful, self-willed)
- Yoni
- Sheep
- Nadi
- Antya (kapha)
- Varna
- Brahmin
- Element
- Earth
Krittika is the cutting nakshatra — its symbol is a razor and its deity is Agni, fire. It burns away what is false, in oneself as much as in others, and gives a sharpness of perception that can be uncomfortable to be near. The Sun rules it, so there is real authority here, and the criticism that comes with it is usually accurate, which is exactly why it stings.
Strengths
Clarity, honesty, courage in speech, and the ability to see through pretence instantly.
Needs watching
A tongue that cuts more than intended, and impatience with people who are slower or vaguer.
Suited work: Surgery, the military, cooking and fire trades, editing and criticism, teaching, metallurgy.
Gana, yoni and nadi are the three attributes used in marriage matching; the varna and tattva describe temperament and element. The reading below describes the nakshatra itself, not the whole chart — the Moon's nakshatra is the strongest single indicator of temperament, but it is one factor among many.