Karkataka Rashi, also written and pronounced as Karkatakam, Karka or Kark Rashi, is the fourth Zodiac sign in Hindu astrology. It is known as Cancer in English. The longitude of Karka Rashi is 30 degrees and it extends from 90 degrees from the vernal equinox to 120 degrees.
The birth stars or nakshatras that constitutes this sign are:
- The last quarter of Punarvasu or punirtham nakshatra
- All four quarters of Pushya or Poosam or Pooyam nakshatra
- All four quarters of Aslesha or Ayiliyam nakshatra
Karka is a northern sign of the zodiac and its influential direction is north.
Symbol of Karka Rashi is crab and it represents the arms of Kalapurusha (eternal time). The symbol crab has nothing to do with the characteristics of people born in the Rashi.
The ruler of the Rashi is Moon or Chandra.
Guru (Brihaspati) or Jupiter is exalted and Angarak or Mangal (Mars is debilitated) in the Rashi.
As moon is the ruler of the Rashi, it has not hostile to any of grahas. The Rashi is friendly with Surya and Budh. It is neutral with Mangal, Guru, Shukra and Shani.
The sun enters Karka Rashi mid of July and stays there till mid August. When sun enters Karka Rashi, punarvasu fourth quarter will be the ruling nakshatra.
The entry of sun into Karka Rashi is known as Dakshinayana Punyakala and is auspicious for worship, pujas and prayers. It is meritorious to worship in temples and sacred places, bath in sacred rivers, ponds, lakes and seas, to perform charity and to perform shradh and tarpan to ancestors.
People born in the rashi have luck on their side and they are responsible in life. They are intelligent, learned, leave good impression, studious, will know many languages and will be interested in rituals and astrology.
People born in the rashi will face problems from wind and fire.
They will perform well in life if they stay near to water, plants and shrubs. They should live in a house which has a well or pond. Living near a river, sea, lake or pond is beneficial.
For success, they should be surrounded by greenery in the form of trees, shrubs, plants or paddy.