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{{ToBeEdited}}Nakshatras (Samskrit: नक्षत्राणि) refer to asterisms in the moon's path or lunar mansion, of which twenty-eight, distinct in name, figure, and number of stars, are enumerated. The Puranic and popular enumeration of these constellations is twenty-seven. Abhijit, the twenty-eighth, being considered as formed of portions of the two contiguous asterisms, and not distinct from them both.<ref name=":1">Kulapati Jibananda Vidyasagara (1900), Shabda Sagara, First Edition, Entry: [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.195943/page/n375/mode/2up Nakshatra.]</ref>

 

 

 

 

 

नक्षत्राणामहं शशी Bg.1.21.

नक्षत्राणामहं शशी Bg.1.21.

later as wives of the moon and daughters of दक्ष MBh. Hariv.

later as wives of the moon and daughters of दक्ष MBh. Hariv.

[https://archive.org/details/AmaraKosha/page/n27/mode/2up Amarakosha]

[https://archive.org/details/AmaraKosha/page/n27/mode/2up Amarakosha]

Vedanga Jyotisha of Lagadha.  

Vedanga Jyotisha of Lagadha.  

It was observed that the moon came back to the same position in the zodiac once in about 27 days and that each day was marked by the asterism or asterismal group (nakshatra) near which the moon was seen, resulting in calling the asterism ad the day's nakshatra, from which the 27 asterismal segments of the zodiac came into use. The names of these with their presiding deities are enumerated in the Yajurveda, beginning with Krttika, where the spring equinox was situated at that period. The thirteen and a half nakshatras ending with Vishakha, situated in the northern hemisphere, were called devanakshatras, while the thirteen and a half others ending with Bharani were called yamanakshatras as seen in the following passage of the Taittiriya brahmana (1.5.2.7)<ref name=":0">K.V.Sarma (1985), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206186/page/n15/mode/2up Vedanga Jyotisa of Lagadha], New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy.</ref><blockquote>कृत्तिकाः प्रथमम् । विशाखे उत्तमम् । तानि देवनक्षत्राणि । अनूराधाः प्रथमम् । अपभरणीरुत्तमम् । तानि यमनक्षत्राणि ।<ref>Taittiriya Brahmana, Book 1, [http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/tb-1-05.pdf Chapter 5].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''kr̥ttikāḥ prathamam । viśākhe uttamam । tāni devanakṣatrāṇi । anūrādhāḥ prathamam । apabharaṇīruttamam । tāni yamanakṣatrāṇi ।''</blockquote>The presiding deities of the asterisms (beginning from krttika) are, respectively: Agni, Prajapati, Soma, Rudra, Aditi, Brhaspati, Serpents, Pitrs (Manes), Bhaga, Aryaman, Savita, Tvasta, Vayu, Indragni, Mitra, Indra, Nirrti, Waters, Vishvedevas, Vishnu, Vasus, Varuna, Ajaekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Pushan, Ashvinas and Yama. (R-VJ 25-28; Y-VY 32-35)<blockquote>अग्निः प्रजापतिः सोमो रुद्रोऽदितिर्बृहस्पतिः । सर्पाश्च पितरश्चैव भगश्चैवार्यमापि च ॥२५॥</blockquote><blockquote>सविता त्वष्टाथ वायुश्चेन्द्राग्नी मित्र एव च । इन्द्रो निरॄतिरापो वै विश्वेदेवास्तथैव च ॥२६॥</blockquote><blockquote>विष्णुर्वसवो वरुणोऽज एकपात् तथैव च । अहिर्बुध्न्यस्तथा पूषा अश्विनौ यम एव च ॥२७॥<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>''agniḥ prajāpatiḥ somo rudro'ditirbr̥haspatiḥ । sarpāśca pitaraścaiva bhagaścaivāryamāpi ca ॥25॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''savitā tvaṣṭātha vāyuścendrāgnī mitra eva ca । indro nirr̥̄tirāpo vai viśvedevāstathaiva ca ॥26॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''viṣṇurvasavo varuṇo'ja ekapāt tathaiva ca । ahirbudhnyastathā pūṣā aśvinau yama eva ca ॥27॥''</blockquote>The nakshatra system consisting of 27 nakshatras (or 28 including Abhijit) was evolved long back and was used to indicate days. It is pointed out that Agrahayana, an old name for mrgashira nakshatra, meaning 'beginning of the year' suggests that the sun used to be in that asterism at the vernal equinox.  

It was observed that the moon came back to the same position in the zodiac once in about 27 days and that each day was marked by the asterism or asterismal group (nakshatra) near which the moon was seen, resulting in calling the asterism ad the day's nakshatra, from which the 27 asterismal segments of the zodiac came into use.  

 

The names of these with their presiding deities are enumerated in the Yajurveda, beginning with Krttika, where the spring equinox was situated at that period. The thirteen and a half nakshatras ending with Vishakha, situated in the northern hemisphere, were called devanakshatras, while the thirteen and a half others ending with Bharani were called yamanakshatras as seen in the following passage of the Taittiriya brahmana (1.5.2.7)<ref name=":0">K.V.Sarma (1985), [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206186/page/n15/mode/2up Vedanga Jyotisa of Lagadha], New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy.</ref><blockquote>कृत्तिकाः प्रथमम् । विशाखे उत्तमम् । तानि देवनक्षत्राणि । अनूराधाः प्रथमम् । अपभरणीरुत्तमम् । तानि यमनक्षत्राणि ।<ref>Taittiriya Brahmana, Book 1, [http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/tb-1-05.pdf Chapter 5].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''kr̥ttikāḥ prathamam । viśākhe uttamam । tāni devanakṣatrāṇi । anūrādhāḥ prathamam । apabharaṇīruttamam । tāni yamanakṣatrāṇi ।''</blockquote>The presiding deities of the asterisms (beginning from krttika) are, respectively: Agni, Prajapati, Soma, Rudra, Aditi, Brhaspati, Serpents, Pitrs (Manes), Bhaga, Aryaman, Savita, Tvasta, Vayu, Indragni, Mitra, Indra, Nirrti, Waters, Vishvedevas, Vishnu, Vasus, Varuna, Ajaekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Pushan, Ashvinas and Yama. (R-VJ 25-28; Y-VY 32-35)<blockquote>अग्निः प्रजापतिः सोमो रुद्रोऽदितिर्बृहस्पतिः । सर्पाश्च पितरश्चैव भगश्चैवार्यमापि च ॥२५॥</blockquote><blockquote>सविता त्वष्टाथ वायुश्चेन्द्राग्नी मित्र एव च । इन्द्रो निरॄतिरापो वै विश्वेदेवास्तथैव च ॥२६॥</blockquote><blockquote>विष्णुर्वसवो वरुणोऽज एकपात् तथैव च । अहिर्बुध्न्यस्तथा पूषा अश्विनौ यम एव च ॥२७॥<ref name=":0" /></blockquote><blockquote>''agniḥ prajāpatiḥ somo rudro'ditirbr̥haspatiḥ । sarpāśca pitaraścaiva bhagaścaivāryamāpi ca ॥25॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''savitā tvaṣṭātha vāyuścendrāgnī mitra eva ca । indro nirr̥̄tirāpo vai viśvedevāstathaiva ca ॥26॥''</blockquote><blockquote>''viṣṇurvasavo varuṇo'ja ekapāt tathaiva ca । ahirbudhnyastathā pūṣā aśvinau yama eva ca ॥27॥''</blockquote>The nakshatra system consisting of 27 nakshatras (or 28 including Abhijit) was evolved long back and was used to indicate days. It is pointed out that Agrahayana, an old name for mrgashira nakshatra, meaning 'beginning of the year' suggests that the sun used to be in that asterism at the vernal equinox.  

The Rohini legends in the Rgveda point to a time in the late Rgveda period when the vernal equinox shifted to the Rohini asterism (from Mrgashira).<ref>S.Balachandra Rao (2000), Ancient Indian Astronomy, Delhi: B.R.Publishing Corporation.</ref>

The Rohini legends in the Rgveda point to a time in the late Rgveda period when the vernal equinox shifted to the Rohini asterism (from Mrgashira).<ref name=":3">S.Balachandra Rao (2000), Ancient Indian Astronomy, Delhi: B.R.Publishing Corporation.</ref>

The apparent path by which the planets, the Moon and the Sun move in the sky on the background of the stars is called a 'Royal Path' in the Aitareya brahmana. The ancient seers divided this path into 27 divisions called nakshatras.  

The apparent path by which the planets, the Moon and the Sun move in the sky on the background of the stars is called a 'Royal Path' in the Aitareya brahmana. The ancient seers divided this path into 27 divisions called nakshatras.  

The list of nakshatras with English names of important stars in each nakshatra are as follows:<ref>Prabhakar Vyankatesh Holay, Vedic Astronomy, Nagpur: Shri Babasaheb Apte Smarak Samitee, [https://archive.org/details/VedangaJyotisha/page/n27/mode/2up Nakshatras (p.17)].</ref>

The list of nakshatras with English names of important stars in each nakshatra are as follows:<ref name=":2">Prabhakar Vyankatesh Holay, Vedic Astronomy, Nagpur: Shri Babasaheb Apte Smarak Samitee, [https://archive.org/details/VedangaJyotisha/page/n27/mode/2up Nakshatras (p.17)].</ref>

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