Birth star 3 of 27
Krittika
कृत्तिका
26°40′–40°00′ sidereal longitude
Ruled by Sun · 3 of 27
The sharp cutter: honest, driven, burns away what is false.
The tradition links Krittika with fire and the blade. People born under it are often described as direct, ambitious and quick to spot what does not ring true. It is a star of clearing and purifying.
Strengths the tradition names
- Speaks plainly
- Ambitious focus
- Spots the false quickly
Worth watching
- Blunt words that sting
- Impatience with slower people
In love
Described as devoted but exacting. They may expect honesty and high standards from a partner, and offer the same.
At work
Often suited to roles that need sharp judgment, editing, standards or leadership, where cutting to the point is valued.
Why a sheep and Agni?
Its deity, Agni, is the fire that purifies offerings. The animal, Sheep, is a softer contrast, and the figure, razor; some: flame, shows the cutting and burning side.
If you know Western astrology
It spans the end of sidereal Aries and the start of Taurus, so it blends Aries fire with Taurus steadiness.
These readings are Vediq's plain-English take on the tradition. The facts below them come from named sources.
Krittika
कृत्तिका
- Real stars you can see
- the Pleiades
- Agni
- Sheep
- Rakshasa
Where these facts come from
- Surya Siddhanta ch. 8 (E. Burgess, 1860)
- Muhurta Chintamani 6.25-30 (Khemraj, 1879)
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Find it in the sky
Real stars
the Pleiades
Atlas or Merope (not Alcyone)
When to look
Look up in Nov–Feb evenings. This is an approximate season for mid-northern latitudes; local visibility varies.
Its god, animal and temperament
Agni
Vedic name
Krttika
Classical figure
razor; some: flame
: sheep
Stars that share the sheep:
: Rakshasa
The tradition sorts the 27 stars into three temperaments. Others with this one:
Sources for this page
- Surya Siddhanta ch. 8 (E. Burgess, 1860)
- observational astronomy
- Taittiriya Samhita 4.4.10 (A. B. Keith, 1914)
- Muhurta Chintamani 6.25-30 (Khemraj, 1879)