Meaning of Kanya Rashi
Kanya is the 6th Rashi of the Vedic zodiac, a dual earth sign ruled by Mercury. In the Kalapurusha, the cosmic body from which signs are assigned to parts of the body, it corresponds to the abdomen and intestines.
Traditional texts associate Kanya with analysis, precision, service, attention to health and practical skill. Mercury is both the ruler and the exalted planet here. Because Mercury rules the sign, the strength and placement of Mercury in a chart shape how planets in Kanya behave.
Nakshatras in Kanya
Kanya covers 30 degrees of the zodiac and contains parts of three Nakshatras. Each Nakshatra has four padas, and Kanya holds nine padas in total.
- Uttara Phalguni, padas 2 to 4
- Hasta, all four padas
- Chitra, padas 1 to 2
Exalted and Debilitated Planets in Kanya
Mercury is exalted in Kanya, at its strongest around 15°. Venus is debilitated in Kanya, at its weakest around 27°.
Exaltation and debilitation apply to the seven classical planets. Traditions differ on the signs of Rahu and Ketu.
Kanya Rashi in a Kundli
Your Rashi is Kanya if the Moon was in Kanya at your birth. This differs from having the Sun in Kanya, which gives a Kanya Sun sign, and from having Kanya rise on the eastern horizon, which makes it your Lagna. A Kundli reads all three, together with the house that Kanya occupies in your chart.
For the difference between a sign-based forecast and a personal chart, see Rashifal.