The Sankrants do not mark the commencement of the Hindu months, which
are still lunar and are adjusted to the solar year by intercalation. It
is probable that long before they were able to measure the sun's
progress along the ecliptic the ancients had observed that of the
moon, which it was much easier to do, as she is seen among the
stars at night. Similarly there is little reason to doubt that the
first division of time was the lunar month, which can be remarked by
every one. Ancient astronomers measured the progress of the moon's
path along the ecliptic and divided it into twenty-seven sections,
each of which represented roughly a day's march. Each section was
distinguished by a group of stars either on the ecliptic or so
near it, either in the northern or southern hemisphere, as to be
occultated by the moon or capable of being in conjunction with it or
the planets. These constellations are called nakshatras. Naturally,
some of these constellations are the same as those subsequently chosen
to mark the sun's path or the signs of the zodiac. In some cases a
zodiacal constellation is divided into two nakshatras. Like the signs,
the nakshatras were held to represent animals or natural objects. The
following is a list of them with their corresponding stars, and the
object which each was supposed to represent: [214]
Nakshatra. Constellation. Object. Corresponding
zodiacal sign.
1. Aswini. b and g Arietis. A horse's Aries.
head.
2. Bharani. 35, 39 and 41 Pudendum Aries.
Arietis. muliebre.
3. Krittika. Pleiades. A knife. Part of
Taurus.
4. Rohini. a, g, d, e, th A wheeled Taurus.
Tauri carriage or a
(Aldebaran). temple.
5. Mrigasiras. l, ph1, ph2, A deer's
Orionis (Orion's head.
head).
6. Ardra. Betelgeux or a A gem.
Orionis (one of
Orion's arms).
7. Punarvasu. Gemini or Castor A house. Gemini.
and Pollux.
8. Pushya. g, d and th An arrow. Cancer.
Cancri.
9. Aslesha. d, e, ê, r and s A wheel.
Hydrae.
10. Magha. a, g, e, z, ê and A house. Leo.
m Leonis.
11. Purva d and th Leonis. A couch. Leo.
Phalguni.
12. Uttara b and 93 Leonis. A bed. Leo.
Phalguni.
13. Hasta. a, b, g, d and e A hand.
Corvi.
14. Chitra. Spica (a A pearl. Virgo.
Virginis).
15. Swati. Arcturus (a A coral bead.
Boötis).
16. Visacha. a, b, g and i A garland. Libra.
Librae.
17. Anuradha. b, A sacrifice or Scorpio.
d and p offering.
Scorpionis.
18. Jyestha. a, s and t An earring. Scorpio.
Scorpionis.
19. Mula. e, z, ê, th, i, A lion's Scorpio.
k, l, m, y tail.
Scorpionis.
20. Purva d and e A couch or an Sagittarius.
Ashadha. Sagittarii. elephant's
tusk.
21. Uttara z and s An elephant's Sagittarius.
Ashadha. Sagittarii. tusk or the
singara nut.
22. Sravana. a, b and g The footprint
Aquilae. of Vishnu.
23. Dhanishtha. a, b, g and d A drum.
Delphinis.
24. Sata-bhishaj. l Aquarii. A circular Aquarius.
jewel or a
circle.
25. Purva a and b Pegasi. A two-faced
Bhadrapada. image.
26. Uttara g Pegasi and a A two-faced
Bhadrapada. Andromedae. image or a
couch.
27. Revati. z Piscium. A tabor. Pisces.