KRITTIKA
Krittika Nakshatra; This is the birth star of Chandra. Many constellations gather at the tail end of Krittika group. It extends from Mesa 26°40'.The residual 10° fall in Vrshabha. The devata is Agni. Lord (Adhipati) is Mangal and Sukra. Agni is the great purifier, the great consumer and the giver of light, heat and brightness. Agni causes the fire of life and the drive. It is also the spark of life. Without fire creation would not exist. Agni is at the base of creation and the continuation of existence. It consumes everything. The fire of digestion in the human system and the external fire of cooking are only different manifestations of the same principle which is Agni.
Agni is the symbol of brightness and brilliance and all weapons with fire-power. And other things of this same category come within the range of Krittika group. The fire is considered as purifier for it burns away all that is sordid, dark and dull, also all that is low and sinful and inauspicious in the world. The dross thus blazed away, only effulgence and light remain. Fire gives the earth its activity and dynamic and revives it after spells of cold that periodically inflict comatose condition on the earth.
It is easy enough to deduce from fire the causal effect of the Krittika group. Mangal is the lord of that part of Krittika which is in Mesa Rasi and Mangal is like a mass of lightning in shining splendor. So the Krittika in Mesha is devastatingly brilliant, the effulgence being closely associated with an incendiary character.
The Krittika of Vrshabha Rasi is brilliant but unlike the Krittika of Mesa, is not incendiary. The lord of Vrshabha Rasi is Sukra and Sukra stands for worship of beauty and for poetry and imagination. He is radiantly white like Snow, the ‘Kunda’ flower and the 'Utpal’. He is also the encyclopedic expounder of all branches of learning. It follows that the Krittika of Vrshabha Rasi is brilliant but the brilliance does not burn. It is soft and sweet and benign. The Krittika of Mesha Rasi is doubtless brilliant, it has plenty of heat which burns. The Krittika of Vrshabha Rasi has on the contrary a softened radiance, a wave of brightness that does not hurt. In Western Astrology Krittika has been described as an incendiary star.
Devata Agni is the oldest of all gods and used to be worshipped all over the world. Old Romans addressed Him Vesta and worshipped Him without image.
“No image Vesta’s semblance can express
Fire is too subtle to admit of dress”
'Agni remains hidden in wood, plants and water [terrestrial
or aerial] Born in the sky it descends in form of lightning and the Sun and
is the source of energy. It is at the root of all creation and expression
of speech. In mythology it is ‘Master of the House, Domestic god and head
of the clan’. There are many names of Agni, each is used in inviting and worshipping
Agni for particular function and occasion.
Krittika, therefore, denotes capability to give a desired change in a form
by burning out all the impurities of life or the wrongs and give birth to
purity, morality and virtues.
Mythology describes Krittika as the foster mother of Kartik devata who is beautiful in appearance and an able commander in a battle. He is still worshipped in South India. The ideas of Krittika are related to the ideas of a commander, fighter, a foster mother, nurse or an adopted child;. Since the root power of every action is Agni, either action of the senses, or digestion, or the existence of life, it is first worshipped in all Pujas (divine service). For different actions (Karmas) the same Agni is worshipped by different names. Agni is conceived in three planes physical, mental and spiritual. Krittika in Mesa (Tamo Guna) represents physical creative force. Krittika in Vrshabha (Raja Guna) represents the function of Agni (creative faculty) in mental plane.
Krittika by name connotes Kirti — a great achievement, monumental deeds that are famous; Kartan — to cut, divide, to trim; also its instrument, viz., sword, knife, razor, etc.
In Krittika the portion that is in Mesa has ideas of burning sensations or feelings. It may be the fire of the stomach, body or mind. This is due to the characteristic of Mesa and Mangala. But Krittika in Vrshabha speaks for luster and glow of power, full of warmth and feelings. This is due to ideas of Vrshabha and Sukra.
Ideas:
A commander, protector.
War, battle.
Fame, famous, monumental deeds.
Fire, flame, inflammable, glow, appetite, digesting, cooking, bile, food.
Skin, hide, leather, parchment, paper, document, white spots on the skin,
bright.
Bestower of wealth, gold, cart, vehicle.
Ample, numerous, large, many, much.
Dark half of the month.
Brought up by a foster mother, nurse, adopted son.
South region.
Portion of the human body — Hip, loins.