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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>

{{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 ===

* In the following mantras, it occurs in the sense of a star.

* 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>

 

This Rgveda mantra mentions that the 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>

 

 

This Rgveda mantra 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>

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;

* 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>

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>

This Rgvedic mantra states that it is Varuna who inspires the 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> Here, nakshatra = star

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>

* 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>

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>

This Rgvedic mantra states that the deities adorn the dyuloka with the 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> Here, nakshatra = star

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>

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

 

* In the following mantras, it occurs in the sense of a star - i. 50, 2; vii. 86, 1; x. 68, 11; 111, 7;

* The following mantra mentions that the Sun is allied with the nakshatras

* The following mantra mentions that the Sun is allied with the nakshatras

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