The Jewel-Crest of the Lunar Mansions

Detailed Description of the Qualities of the Krithika Mansion Krithika is the third lunar mansion, associated with the Pleiades star cluster and the element of fire.

Conception, wearing new clothes, initiation into the first rites, worship of the sacred fire, wearing ornaments prescribed by the Shaiva traditions and others, the preparation of mantras, medicines, elixirs, and alchemical tonics—all these should be performed. The digging of wells and works involving fire are also favored in this mansion of the Fire-God.

Attributes of Krithika:
The syllable is "E" original: "Ekara-aksharah". The color is red. The shape is like a razor. The deity is the Lord of Fire. The location is the void. The element is the Sphere of Fire. The sacred tree is the Cluster Fig original: "Audumbara". The bird is the western peacock. The gender is male. The temperament is of the Demon class original: "Rakshasa Gana". The animal type is the goat. The caste is Brahmin. The gaze is downward-facing. The eyes are beautiful. The duration of the poison-period term: vishanadi - an inauspicious time-segment within a star's duration is thirty ghatikas term: ghatika - a traditional unit of time equal to 24 minutes.

The Lord of Fire was born in this mansion. Travel should be avoided. However, if one eats curd-rice after twenty-eight ghatikas, travel toward the North-East is auspicious.

If a fever begins during this time, there is a fear of death; or otherwise, there will be great suffering for nine days. To pacify this, one should invoke an image of the Fire-God Agni, who is red-colored, four-armed, holding the gesture of granting boons, and riding a ram. One should perform the sixteen-fold worship Shodashopachara Puja with red cloth, red sandalwood paste, oleander flowers, incense of ghee and guggul resin, and an offering of ghee-soaked rice, using the mantra: "May the Krithikas and the Fire-God protect us."

By performing a fire sacrifice Homa one hundred and eight times with ghee and honey while reciting the Gayatri mantra, and by offering a sacrifice of sandalwood, garlands, and curd-rice in the South-East direction, one becomes healthy after nine days.

Results of the combinations of Lunar Days and Weekdays:

• Sunday: The Yoga of the Void Randhra Yoga - generally inauspicious
• Monday: The Yoga of Destruction
• Tuesday: The Yoga of the Thorn
• Wednesday: The Yoga of Nectar Amrita Yoga - highly auspicious
• Thursday: The Yoga of the Spear
• Friday: The Auspicious Yoga
• Saturday: The Yoga of Friendship

On the seventh lunar day Saptami, it results in the Yoga of Death. If cruel planets are situated in Shravana, it results in the Yoga of the Hundred-Headed Spear. The month of Kartika is considered "void" or empty. If omens of calamity appear during this time, there will be fear of famine and fire.

When the Sun enters this mansion, prices will be moderate. A girl who reaches puberty for the first time under the Krithika mansion will be poor. However, if it occurs in the first quarter Pada, it is auspicious. In the second quarter, it becomes auspicious only after feeding twenty-five Brahmins. In the latter half, one must perform pacification rituals Shanti.

Shaving should be avoided. This mansion is excellent for "cruel" or sharp activities: the use of poisons, alchemy, working with gold, wood, or metal, seizing the property of enemies, clearing debts, gathering grain, selling cattle, collecting collyrium (eye-salve), and planting thorny trees.

Qualities of a person born under Krithika:
Radiant, intelligent, marked with a fish-sign on the throat original: "matsyankitah", but prone to sinful thoughts.

• First Quarter (Jupiter/Wealth division): Skillful, majestic, and wealthy.
• Second Quarter (Saturn/Sinful division): Inclined toward sinful deeds, frequents the houses of prostitutes.
• Third Quarter (Saturn/Fierce division): Dull-witted, of bad character, and speaks with wicked friends.
• Fourth Quarter (Jupiter/Excellent division): Endowed with learning and humility...