Krittika is the 3rd of the 27 nakshatras, the lunar mansions of Indian astronomy. It spans 26°40′ Mesha to 10°00′ Vrishabha of the sidereal zodiac. Its name means "the cutters", its presiding deity is Agni, the god of fire and the sacrificial flame, and its planetary lord in the Vimśottarī system is Sun.

The span is calculated with the Lahiri ayanamsa. The name, deity, lord and junction star are traditional and cited below; they describe a cultural system, not a measured influence.

Nakshatra 3 of 27 · Mesha (Aries) / Vrishabha (Taurus)

Krittika कृत्तिका

The cutters

Presided over by Agni, the god of fire and the sacrificial flame, and ruled by Sun.

At a glance

TRADITION
Position
3rd of 27
Sidereal span
26°40′ Mesha – 10°00′ Vrishabha
Sign
Mesha (Aries) → Vrishabha (Taurus)
Planetary lord
Sun
Presiding deity
Agni
Junction star
The Pleiades (η Tauri)

When the Moon is next in Krittika

Times in UTC · Lahiri ayanamsa · to the nearest minute

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The four padas

Each pada is a quarter of 3°20′. The 108 padas of the zodiac cycle through the twelve signs in order, giving each pada its navamsa (D9) sign.

Pada 1

26°40′ Mesha – 30°00′ Mesha

Navamsa: Dhanus

Pada 2

0°00′ Vrishabha – 3°20′ Vrishabha

Navamsa: Makara

Pada 3

3°20′ Vrishabha – 6°40′ Vrishabha

Navamsa: Kumbha

Pada 4

6°40′ Vrishabha – 10°00′ Vrishabha

Navamsa: Meena

The other Sun mansions

The nine lords repeat three times around the zodiac, so each lord rules three mansions, 120° apart.

Sources

  • Taittirīya Saṃhitā 4.4.10 — the Vedic list of nakshatras with their presiding deities. Keith, A. B. (Trans.). (1914). The Veda of the Black Yajus School entitled Taittiriya Sanhita (Part 2). Harvard University Press. Read the translation
  • Sūrya Siddhānta, chapter 8 — the asterisms and their junction stars. Burgess, E. (Trans.). (1858–1860). Translation of the Sûrya-Siddhânta, a text-book of Hindu astronomy. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 6. Read the translation
  • Bṛhat Parāśara Horā Śāstra, Vimśottarī daśā chapter — the nine planetary lords in nakshatra order. Santhanam, R. (Trans.). (1984). Brihat Parasara Hora Sastra (Vol. 2). Ranjan Publications.

Junction-star identifications differ between texts and commentators. English meanings are approximate renderings of the Sanskrit name.