Cancer in Vedic astrology
Cancer, or Karka, is sign 4 in the sidereal zodiac. It spans 90° up to 120° longitude, with its own internal degrees running from 0° to just under 30°.
| Classification | Value |
|---|---|
| Sign ruler | Moon |
| Element | Water |
| Mode | Movable |
Care and responsiveness
Cancer is associated with care, attachment and sensitivity to changing circumstances. Water describes its emphasis on feeling; movable describes a readiness to respond. Water signs are not all fixed or passive.
Adjusting a familiar arrangement when someone's needs change illustrates this combination. Its more difficult expression can involve holding closely to what feels secure. These themes do not establish a particular family history or emotional condition from a Cancer placement alone.
The Moon’s own sign
Cancer is the Moon’s own sign. It is not the Moon’s exaltation sign, which is Taurus. A Cancer Moon and Cancer lagna identify different chart references even when both occur together.
Jupiter is exalted in Cancer and Mars is debilitated there. Their condition must be read separately from the Moon’s ownership. A Cancer placement is not automatically a fourth-house placement.
Related placements
See the chart and its tables on the Kundli page.