Nakshatra 3 of 27 · कृत्तिका
Krittika nakshatra
Krittika (कृत्तिका) is the 3rd of the 27 nakshatras, spanning 26°40′–30°00′ Mesha and 0°00′–10°00′ Vrishabha. Ruled by Sun with agni (the fire god) as presiding deity, it is a Mixed (Mishra) mansion — classically suited to routine and mixed works.
Krittika at a glance
| Sanskrit name | Krittika (कृत्तिका) |
|---|---|
| Presiding deity | Agni (the fire god) |
| Symbol | A razor / flame |
| Vimshottari lord | Sun (Surya) |
| Gana | Rakshasa gana |
| Saptadha class | Mixed (Mishra) |
| Moon-sign rashi | Mesha (Aries) 26°40′–30°00′ MeshaVrishabha (Taurus) 0°00′–10°00′ Vrishabha |
| Naming syllables | A, Ee, U, E — one per pada, for the namakarana (naming) rite |
The character of Krittika
The six Krittikas are the Pleiades, the star-mothers who nursed Kartikeya; Agni presides. A Mishra (mixed) mansion, Krittika suits fire's honest works — cooking, smithing, purification — and everyday routine. Its razor symbol cuts both ways: sharp for ritual, warm for the hearth.
The four padas of Krittika
Each nakshatra divides into four padas (quarters) of 3°20′. The pada fixes the navamsa rashi — the finer layer a birth chart reads — and the traditional naming syllable for a child born under it.
| Pada | Navamsa rashi | Naming syllable |
|---|---|---|
| Pada 1 | Dhanu (Sagittarius) | A |
| Pada 2 | Makara (Capricorn) | Ee |
| Pada 3 | Kumbha (Aquarius) | U |
| Pada 4 | Meena (Pisces) | E |
What Krittika is classically suited for
In the seven-fold (Saptadha) classification, Krittika is a Mixed (Mishra) mansion. The muhurta classics assign it:
routine and mixed works — repairs, fire crafts (cooking, welding), everyday trade.
This class is the first screen Bela applies to every muhurat date: the day's nakshatra must suit the activity before the finer rules (tithi, yoga, choghadiya, Rahu Kaal) are even checked. See it working on the muhurat date lists, where every date shows its nakshatra-suitability rule.
Krittika days — August–September 2026
Days in the current Delhi panchang window whose sunrise nakshatra is Krittika:
- 7 August 2026
- 3 September 2026
Sunrise nakshatra is the classical day convention; exact end times are on the Delhi panchang. Tara Bala — whether Krittika supports your birth star — is computed per profile in the Bela app.