Karka · कर्क · The Crab
Protective and deeply feeling — the sign that remembers everything and builds its life around people rather than plans.
Dates
21 June – 22 July
Element
Water
Quality
Cardinal
Ruling planet
Moon (Chandra)
Lucky day
Monday
Gemstone
Pearl (Moti)
The dates above are the common Western tropical ranges, which is how most people know their sign. Vedic astrology uses the sidereal zodiac, which runs roughly three weeks later — so if you were born near the edge of a range, your Vedic rashi may be the previous sign. A full kundali resolves it properly.
Strengths
Challenges
Cancer commits early and completely, and needs to be shown that it is safe to. It is not looking for excitement; it is looking for someone who will still be there. Directness helps it more than tact — it fills silence with the worst explanation.
Healthcare, hospitality, teaching, HR, food, family business, anything caring for people or a place. Struggles in cold, purely transactional environments.
Get a career timeline from your chartNumbers
2, 7
Colours
White, silver, sea green
Day
Monday
Gemstone
Pearl (Moti)
Nakshatras spanning Karka: Punarvasu (last quarter), Pushya, Ashlesha. A gemstone is traditionally prescribed from a full chart rather than the sign alone — treat the stone above as the classical association, not a recommendation to go and buy one.
Your sun sign is one placement out of a chart full of them. A kundali reads the whole thing — ascendant, houses, dashas and all.