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Krittika nakshatra
The third of the 27 lunar mansions of Vedic astrology. Its name means the cutters.
| Number | 3 of 27 |
|---|---|
| Meaning of the name | The cutters |
| Span | Mesha 26°40′ to Vrishabha 10°00′ (sidereal) |
| Moon sign (rashi) | Mesha and Vrishabha |
| Ruling planet | Sun |
| Deity | Agni |
| Symbol | A razor or flame |
| Main stars | the Pleiades |
Padas and name letters
Each nakshatra has four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. A child born with the Moon in a pada is traditionally given a name starting with that pada's syllable.
| Pada | Syllable | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Mesha from 26°40′ |
| 2 | I | Vrishabha from 0°00′ |
| 3 | U | Vrishabha from 3°20′ |
| 4 | E | Vrishabha from 6°40′ |
Spellings and a few syllables vary between regional traditions; a family priest may use a slightly different list.
When the Moon is in Krittika
The Moon passes through Krittika about once every 27.3 days and stays about a day. Times are IST, to the minute; almanacs can differ by one.
2026
| Moon enters Krittika | Moon leaves |
|---|---|
| Wed 31 Dec, 3:58 am | Thu 1 Jan, 1:30 am |
| Tue 27 Jan, 11:08 am | Wed 28 Jan, 9:26 am |
| Mon 23 Feb, 4:33 pm | Tue 24 Feb, 3:07 pm |
| Sun 22 Mar, 10:42 pm | Mon 23 Mar, 8:49 pm |
| Sun 19 Apr, 7:10 am | Mon 20 Apr, 4:35 am |
| Sat 16 May, 5:30 pm | Sun 17 May, 2:32 pm |
| Sat 13 Jun, 4:05 am | Sun 14 Jun, 1:16 am |
| Fri 10 Jul, 1:15 pm | Sat 11 Jul, 11:03 am |
| Thu 6 Aug, 8:13 pm | Fri 7 Aug, 6:43 pm |
| Thu 3 Sep, 1:42 am | Fri 4 Sep, 12:29 am |
| Wed 30 Sep, 7:36 am | Thu 1 Oct, 6:02 am |
| Tue 27 Oct, 3:39 pm | Wed 28 Oct, 1:26 pm |
| Tue 24 Nov, 2:02 am | Tue 24 Nov, 11:25 pm |
| Mon 21 Dec, 1:08 pm | Tue 22 Dec, 10:45 am |
2027
| Moon enters Krittika | Moon leaves |
|---|---|
| Sun 17 Jan, 10:42 pm | Mon 18 Jan, 9:05 pm |
| Sun 14 Feb, 5:37 am | Mon 15 Feb, 4:46 am |
| Sat 13 Mar, 11:02 am | Sun 14 Mar, 10:23 am |
| Fri 9 Apr, 5:11 pm | Sat 10 Apr, 4:07 pm |
| Fri 7 May, 1:17 am | Fri 7 May, 11:42 pm |
| Thu 3 Jun, 11:01 am | Fri 4 Jun, 9:13 am |
| Wed 30 Jun, 9:01 pm | Thu 1 Jul, 7:31 pm |
| Wed 28 Jul, 5:47 am | Thu 29 Jul, 4:57 am |
| Tue 24 Aug, 12:37 pm | Wed 25 Aug, 12:27 pm |
| Mon 20 Sep, 6:08 pm | Tue 21 Sep, 6:12 pm |
| Mon 18 Oct, 12:03 am | Mon 18 Oct, 11:47 pm |
| Sun 14 Nov, 7:51 am | Mon 15 Nov, 7:05 am |
| Sat 11 Dec, 5:37 pm | Sun 12 Dec, 4:41 pm |
Is Krittika your birth nakshatra?
Your janma nakshatra is the one the Moon was in when you were born. Find yours with the Moon sign calculator, or see which nakshatra the Moon is in today.