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Rashi 4 of 12
Cancer (Karka) in Vedic Astrology
Karka is the Moon's own house — the tide pool of the zodiac. It rules home, mother, memory, and the instinct to shelter what is soft. The crab's shell is not armor against the world but a home carried through it.
| Sanskrit name | Karka |
|---|---|
| Element | Water |
| Quality | Movable (chara) |
| Ruler | Moon |
| Symbol | The crab |
| Nakshatras within | Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha |
| In a word | nurture, memory, home |
Moon in Cancer (chandra rashi)
A Karka Moon feels everything and forgets nothing — its moods move like tides, and its care, once given, is lifelong.
Sidereal, not tropical
Because the sidereal zodiac is anchored to the stars, its dates trail the Western calendar by about 24 degrees — many people born a "Cancer" in the West carry the previous rashi here. The only way to know is to cast the chart.
Reading for today? The Cancer daily horoscope counts every planet's house from a Cancer Moon, fresh each day.
Find your Vedic Moon sign — free birth chart →
Common questions
Is Cancer the same in Vedic and Western astrology?
Usually not. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which trails the Western (tropical) one by about 24 degrees, so many people born a "Cancer" in the West are actually the previous sign in Vedic. Only casting the chart settles it.
Which planet rules Cancer (Karka)?
Cancer is a water sign ruled by Moon, with the quality "Movable (chara)".
What does a Cancer Moon mean?
A Karka Moon feels everything and forgets nothing — its moods move like tides, and its care, once given, is lifelong.