Rashi 4 of 12 · Crab
Cancer (Karka) Rashi
The caring sign: home, mother, feelings and protection.
Karka is moving water ruled by the Moon, and Jupiter is exalted here. Natives are intuitive, nurturing and devoted to family and roots, with a strong memory and a protective shell around a soft heart.
- Lord
- Moon
- Element
- Water
- Quality
- Chara
- Sun here
- 16 Jul – 16 Aug
Today · 18 October 2026
A steady day: the Moon highlights work and competition
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What is your rashi?
Find your rashi and Lagna
Vedic astrology reads your Moon sign (rashi) for daily predictions and your Lagna for the birth chart. Both use the sidereal zodiac, so they often differ from your Western Sun sign.
At a glance
Cancer (Karka) rashi facts
| Sanskrit name | Karka (meaning: crab) |
|---|---|
| Span | 90° – 120° sidereal |
| Ruling planet | Moon (Chandra) |
| Element | Water |
| Quality | Chara (movable) |
| Gender | Feminine (even sign) |
| Exalted here | Jupiter (deepest at 5°) |
| Debilitated here | Mars |
| Moolatrikona here | None |
| Body (Kalapurusha) | Chest, heart and breasts |
| Direction | North |
| Sun in this sign | About 16 Jul – 16 Aug (sidereal) |
| Lucky colour | White, silver |
| Lucky day | Monday (Somvar) |
| Gemstone (of the lord) | Pearl (Moti). Choose only after studying the whole chart. |
Lunar mansions
Nakshatras in Cancer (Karka)
Personality
Cancer (Karka) traits
Strengths
- Caring and protective
- Intuitive and empathetic
- Loyal to family
- Good memory and imagination
Challenges
- Moody and easily hurt
- Clings to the past
- Can retreat into its shell
Cancer (Karka) as your Moon sign
Karka is the Moon's own sign: feelings run deep, intuition is strong and the mother and home are central. Moods follow the tides of life.
Cancer (Karka) as your Lagna
Karka rising gives a gentle, round face and a nurturing manner. The Moon as Lagna lord makes wellbeing depend on emotional peace; Mars is the yoga karaka.
Careers that suit Cancer (Karka)
Relationships
Cancer (Karka) in love and compatibility
Tender and devoted, Karka builds a home around love and needs emotional security in return. Reassurance and kindness bring it out of its shell.
Same element
Scorpio, Pisces
Shared water temperament
6th / 8th (shadashtaka)
Sagittarius, Aquarius
Traditionally the harder pairing in Bhakoot
Wellbeing
Health
Rules the chest and heart: digestion and mood are closely linked; emotional calm protects the body.
Traditional associations, not medical advice.
Common questions
Cancer (Karka) rashi FAQs
Who is the lord of Cancer (Karka) rashi?
Moon (Chandra) rules Cancer (Karka). The condition of Moon in your chart colours how Cancer (Karka) qualities express themselves.
Which nakshatras fall in Cancer (Karka)?
Punarvasu (pada 4), Pushya (padas 1, 2, 3, 4), Ashlesha (padas 1, 2, 3, 4). Every rashi holds nine padas, or two and a quarter nakshatras.
Is Cancer (Karka) my Sun sign or Moon sign?
In Vedic astrology "rashi" usually means your Moon sign: the sign the Moon occupied at birth. Your Sun is in sidereal Cancer roughly 16 Jul – 16 Aug, which differs from Western dates by about 24 days.
Which signs are compatible with Cancer (Karka)?
Signs of the same element (Scorpio and Pisces) usually understand Cancer (Karka) easily. Sagittarius and Aquarius sit 6th and 8th from it (shadashtaka), traditionally the harder pairing in Kundli matching. A full match uses both charts.
What is the lucky gemstone for Cancer (Karka)?
Pearl (Moti), the gem of its lord Moon. Gemstones should only be worn after studying the whole chart, not chosen from the sign alone.
