Changes

{{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>

{{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>

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPJVDYprKcI&feature=youtu.be

{{#evu:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPJVDYprKcI&feature=youtu.be

=== ऋग्वेदसाहित्ये ॥ In the Rgvedic Literature ===

=== ऋग्वेदसाहित्ये ॥ In the Rgvedic Literature ===

The term 'nakshatra' occurs in the Rgveda in various contexts. For example,

The term 'nakshatra' occurs in the Rgveda in various contexts. For example, in the following mantras, it occurs in the sense of a star. <blockquote>धीरा त्वस्य महिना जनूंषि वि यस्तस्तम्भ रोदसी चिदुर्वी । प्र नाकमृष्वं नुनुदे बृहन्तं द्विता नक्षत्रं पप्रथच्च भूम ॥१॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%AD.%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%AC Sukta 86]</ref>

In the sense of ‘star’ - passages in which Nakṣatra occurs in the Rigveda. 7) See i. 50, 2; vii. 86, 1; x. 68, 11; 111, 7;

pra nākamr̥ṣvaṁ nunude br̥hantaṁ dvitā nakṣatraṁ paprathacca bhūma ॥1॥</blockquote>Meaning: Varuna inspires Surya and the nakshatras at appropriate times (ie. during the day and night respectively).<ref>Sripad Damodar Satavlekar (1985), Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya (Vol.3), Pardi: Svadhyaya Mandal. See: [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/flipbook/Rigveda_Subodh_Bhasya_Vol_III/#book/411 Mantra 7.86.1] </ref> <blockquote>अभि श्यावं न कृशनेभिरश्वं नक्षत्रेभिः पितरो द्यामपिंशन् ... ॥११॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 10, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AE Sukta 68]</ref> abhi śyāvaṁ na kr̥śanebhiraśvaṁ nakṣatrebhiḥ pitaro dyāmapiṁśan ... ॥11॥</blockquote>Meaning: Deities adorn dyuloka with nakshatras.<ref>Sripad Damodar Satavlekar (1985), Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya (Vol.4), Pardi: Svadhyaya Mandal. See: Mantra [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/flipbook/Rigveda_Subodh_Bhasya_Vol_IV/#book/403 10.68.11]</ref>

अप त्ये तायवो यथा नक्षत्रा यन्त्यक्तुभिः । सूराय विश्वचक्षसे ॥२॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 1, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%A6 Sukta 50]</ref>

The Rgveda also mentions that Vaishvanara Agni (established in the sky 10.88.11) ie. Surya has been making the nakshatras ineffectual by his own power (teja).<ref>Sripad Damodar Satavlekar (1985), Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya (Vol.4), Pardi: Svadhyaya Mandal. See: [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/flipbook/Rigveda_Subodh_Bhasya_Vol_IV/#book/451 Mantra 10.88.13]</ref><blockquote>वैश्वानरं कवयो यज्ञियासोऽग्निं देवा अजनयन्नजुर्यम् । नक्षत्रं प्रत्नममिनच्चरिष्णु यक्षस्याध्यक्षं तविषं बृहन्तम् ॥१३॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 10, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%AE Sukta 88]</ref>

धीरा त्वस्य महिना जनूंषि वि यस्तस्तम्भ रोदसी चिदुर्वी । प्र नाकमृष्वं नुनुदे बृहन्तं द्विता नक्षत्रं पप्रथच्च भूम ॥१॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%AD.%E0%A5%AE%E0%A5%AC Sukta 86]</ref>

vaiśvānaraṁ kavayo yajñiyāso'gniṁ devā ajanayannajuryam । nakṣatraṁ pratnamaminaccariṣṇu yakṣasyādhyakṣaṁ taviṣaṁ br̥hantam ॥13॥</blockquote>Further more, in Mandala 6 of the Rgveda it is said that deities Mitra and Varuna secured the placement of the nakshatras.<ref>Sripad Damodar Satavlekar (1985), Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya (Vol.3), Pardi: Svadhyaya Mandal. See: [https://vedicheritage.gov.in/flipbook/Rigveda_Subodh_Bhasya_Vol_III/#book/189 Mantra 6.67.6]</ref> <blockquote>दृळ्हो नक्षत्र ... ॥६॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 6, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%AC.%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AD Sukta 67]</ref> dr̥lho nakṣatra ... ॥6॥</blockquote>It is interesting to note that the Rgveda divides the Sun's yearly path into 12 and 360 divisions. Similarly, the moon's path was divided into 27 parts and each part was called a nakshatra. The stars lying near the moon's path were also divided into 27 (or sometimes 28) groups and each of them was called a nakshatra (asterism). And the names of some of these nakshatras are seen mentioned in the Rgveda.<ref name=":5" /> For example,<ref name=":6">Kolachana, Aditya & Mahesh, Kaluva & Ramasubramanian, K.. (2019). Main characteristics and achievements of ancient Indian astronomy in historical perspective. 10.1007/978-981-13-7326-8_24. </ref>  

 

अभि श्यावं न कृशनेभिरश्वं नक्षत्रेभिः पितरो द्यामपिंशन् । रात्र्यां तमो अदधुर्ज्योतिरहन्बृहस्पतिर्भिनदद्रिं विदद्गाः ॥११॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 10, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AE Sukta 68]</ref>

 

सचन्त यदुषसः सूर्येण चित्रामस्य केतवो रामविन्दन् । आ यन्नक्षत्रं ददृशे दिवो न पुनर्यतो नकिरद्धा नु वेद ॥७॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 10, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A6.%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7 Sukta 111]</ref>

 

 

 

शृणोतु नः पृथिवी द्यौरुतापः सूर्यो नक्षत्रैरुर्वन्तरिक्षम् ॥१९॥<ref>Rigveda, Mandala 3, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A9.%E0%A5%AB%E0%A5%AA Sukta 54]</ref>

 

It is interesting to note that the Rgveda divides the Sun's yearly path into 12 and 360 divisions. Similarly, the moon's path was divided into 27 parts and each part was called a nakshatra. The stars lying near the moon's path were also divided into 27 (or sometimes 28) groups and each of them was called a nakshatra (asterism). And the names of some of these nakshatras are seen mentioned in the Rgveda.<ref name=":5" /> For example,<ref name=":6">Kolachana, Aditya & Mahesh, Kaluva & Ramasubramanian, K.. (2019). Main characteristics and achievements of ancient Indian astronomy in historical perspective. 10.1007/978-981-13-7326-8_24. </ref>  

* Tishya (Pushya) is mentioned in the following mantra

* Tishya (Pushya) is mentioned in the following mantra

* Revati is mentioned in the following mantra

* Revati is mentioned in the following mantra

<blockquote>येना नवग्वे अङ्गिरे दशग्वे सप्तास्ये '''रेवती''' रेवदूष ॥४॥<ref name=":10" /> yenā navagve aṅgire daśagve saptāsye revatī revadūṣa ॥4॥</blockquote>A few other references from the Rgveda that mention the nakshatras as 27 in number are as follows:

<blockquote>येना नवग्वे अङ्गिरे दशग्वे सप्तास्ये '''रेवती''' रेवदूष ॥४॥<ref name=":10" /> yenā navagve aṅgire daśagve saptāsye revatī revadūṣa ॥4॥</blockquote>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

=== यजुर्वेदसाहित्ये ॥ In the Yajurvedic Literature ===

=== यजुर्वेदसाहित्ये ॥ In the Yajurvedic Literature ===

The Taittiriya Samhita of the Krishna Yajurveda mentions the names of the 27 nakshatras.<ref name=":5" />

The Taittiriya Samhita of the Krishna Yajurveda mentions the names of the 27 nakshatras.<ref name=":5" />

Also see, Atharva-samhita 19.7.2-5; Kathaka-samhita 39.13; Maitrayani-samhita 2.13.20<ref>Kolachana, Aditya & Mahesh, Kaluva & Ramasubramanian, K.. (2019). Main characteristics and achievements of ancient Indian astronomy in historical perspective. 10.1007/978-981-13-7326-8_24. </ref>

Also see, Atharva-samhita 19.7.2-5; Kathaka-samhita 39.13; Maitrayani-samhita 2.13.20<ref>Kolachana, Aditya & Mahesh, Kaluva & Ramasubramanian, K.. (2019). Main characteristics and achievements of ancient Indian astronomy in historical perspective. 10.1007/978-981-13-7326-8_24. </ref>

== Constellations other than Nakshatras ==

== Constellations other than Nakshatras ==

Apart from the 28 nakshatras, some other constellations have also been noted in the Vedic literature. The Rgveda  (1.24.10; 10.14.11; 10.63.10) mentions

Apart from the 28 nakshatras, some other constellations have also been noted in the Vedic literature. The Rgveda  (1.24.10; 10.14.11; 10.63.10) mentions