Rashi 6 of 12
Kanya rashi (कन्या): Virgo
Kanya is the sixth sign of the Vedic zodiac, equivalent to Virgo. In Jyotish tradition it is a dual earth sign ruled by Mercury.
- Sanskrit name
- Kanya (कन्या)
- English
- Virgo
- Symbol
- A young woman (maiden)
- Element
- Earth (Prithvi)
- Modality
- Dual (Dvisvabhava)
- Ruling planet (traditional)
- Mercury (Budha)
- Classical gender
- Feminine (even sign)
- Exalted here (tradition)
- Mercury
- Debilitated here (tradition)
- Venus
- Sun in this sign
- Roughly mid-September to mid-October (sidereal)
How the tradition describes Kanya
Kanya is a dual earth sign ruled by Mercury, which is also said to be exalted here. Tradition associates it with careful analysis, attention to detail, practical skill and service to others.
Writing on Kanya often adds worry and self-criticism as the other side of that care. Venus is said to be debilitated in Kanya.
These are descriptions handed down in Jyotish writing, not measured personality traits. A full chart in the tradition weighs many factors, so no single sign is meant to describe a whole person.
Nakshatras in Kanya
Each rashi spans nine nakshatra padas (quarters of a lunar mansion). Kanya contains:
- Uttara Phalguni: padas 2–4
- Hasta: all four padas
- Chitra: padas 1–2
See the 27 nakshatras for their deities, ruling planets and traditional naming syllables.
Compatible signs in tradition
In Vedic matching, sign compatibility comes mainly from the Bhakoot koot of guna milan, which compares two people's moon signs. Moon signs that are 1/1, 3/11, 4/10 or 7/7 from each other receive the full 7 points. For Kanya those are Kanya itself and:
The other signs fall 2/12, 5/9 or 6/8 from Kanya and receive no Bhakoot points: Tula (Libra), Makara (Capricorn), Kumbha (Aquarius), Mesha (Aries), Vrishabha (Taurus), Simha (Leo). Some texts describe conditions that cancel this, for example when both signs share a ruling planet.
The Graha Maitri koot compares the signs' ruling planets. In the classical Parashari table, Mercury's natural friends are Sun, Venus.
Bhakoot is only 7 of 36 points, and the full method also uses both birth nakshatras. These rules are a cultural convention; they do not show whether two people will get along, and they should not decide a relationship.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kanya rashi in English?
Kanya (कन्या) is the Vedic name for Virgo, the sixth sign of the zodiac. In Vedic astrology it is measured in the sidereal zodiac, so it does not line up exactly with the Western Virgo.
Who is the ruling planet of Kanya rashi?
By Jyotish tradition, Kanya is ruled by Mercury (Budha). Vedic astrology uses only the classical planets as sign rulers.
Which nakshatras fall in Kanya rashi?
Each rashi covers nine nakshatra padas (quarters). Kanya contains Uttara Phalguni (padas 2–4), Hasta (all four padas), Chitra (padas 1–2).
Which rashis match Kanya in guna milan?
In the Bhakoot koot of guna milan, moon signs that are 1/1, 3/11, 4/10 or 7/7 from each other receive the full 7 points. For Kanya those are Kanya itself and Vrishchika (Scorpio), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Meena (Pisces), Mithuna (Gemini), Karka (Cancer). Bhakoot is only 7 of the 36 points; a full match also uses both birth nakshatras, and AstroConnect does not present any score as a prediction.