As the sun completes his circuit of the ecliptic or zodiac in the
course of a year, it followed that if his course could be measured and
divided into periods, these periods would form divisions of time for
the year. This was what the ancients did, and it is probable that the
measurement and division of time was the primary object of the science
of astronomy, as apart from the natural curiosity to ascertain the
movements of the sun, moon and planets, when they were looked upon as
divine beings controlling the world. They divided the zodiac or the
path of the sun into twelve parts, and gave to each part the name of
the principal constellation situated on, or adjacent to, that section
of the line of the ecliptic. When they had done this and observed the
dates of the sun's entry into each sign or rashi, as it is called
in Hindi, they had divided the year into twelve solar months. The
following are the Hindu names and meanings of the signs of the zodiac:
1. Aries. The ram. Mesha.
2. Taurus. The bull. Vrisha.
3. Gemini. The twins. Mithuna.
4. Cancer. The crab. Karkati.
5. Leo. The lion. Sinha.
6. Virgo. The virgin. Kanya.
7. Libra. The balance. Tula.
8. Scorpio. The scorpion. Vrischika.
9. Sagittarius. The archer. Dhanus or Chapa.
10. Capricornus. The goat. Makara (said to mean a
sea-monster).
11. Aquarius. The water-bearer. Kumbha (a water-pot).
12. Pisces. The fishes. Mina.
The signs of the zodiac were nearly the same among the Greeks,
Egyptians, Persians, Babylonians and Indians. They are supposed
to have originated in Chaldea or Babylonia, and the fact that the
constellations are indicated by nearly the same symbols renders their
common origin probable. It seems likely that the existing Hindu zodiac
may have been adopted from the Greeks.