Karka कर्क Cancer, the crab
The 4th sign, 90° to 120° of the sidereal zodiac.
Caring, emotional and protective; attached to home and family, with changing moods and a strong memory.
- LordChandra
- ElementJala
- QualityChara
- SymbolCrab
Classical nature
- Element (tattva)
- Jala (water)
- Quality
- Chara (movable)
- Gender and nature
- Female, saumya (even sign)
- Direction
- North
- Rising
- Prishthodaya (rises hind first)
- Strong
- By night
- Varna
- Brahmin
- Dosha
- Kapha
- Kind
- Watery (jalachara)
- Body (Kalapurusha)
- Heart and chest
Dignities
- Lord
- Chandra (Moon)
- Exalted here
- Guru, deepest at 5°
- Debilitated here
- Mangal, deepest at 28°
Nakshatras and padas in this sign
- Punarvasu pada 4
- Pushya padas 1, 2, 3, 4
- Ashlesha padas 1, 2, 3, 4
Nine padas in all. Their navamshas, in order: Karka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrishchika, Dhanu, Makara, Kumbha, Meena.
In a chart
As the Lagna or the Moon sign, Karka gives the nature described above, coloured by the strength and placement of its lord Chandra. Karka is also the 4th house of the natural zodiac (Kalapurusha), so it carries the themes of that house: home and happiness.