Trivikrama
Trivikrama, literally means thrice conquered or Three Steps, is an Indian name. It is a super-constellation in Ursa Major that consists of three constellations of two stars each, Yugma (युग्म) and Yugmaka (युग्मक) (the "double stars" in the ancient sense of the term, meaning two stars very close together but clearly separate for the naked eye). This Indian constellation equals the Chinese constellation Santai (三台) (three steps), but the direction of transfer is yet unknown.
Concordance, Etymology, History
This epithet refers to the three steps or strides of God Vishnu in the Rigveda. His three steps symbolise either three worlds or three planes: "In three places he planted his step, (one step on the earth, a second in the atmosphere, and a third in the sky) as Agni, Vayu, and Surya each after the other"[1], or the rising, culmination and setting of the Sun. The name is one of the forms of God Vishnu, who is depicted as having four arms, holding lotus flower, conch, wheel and mace. There are 24 forms based on the permutation of these four in to the four arms. The text Manasollasa (authored by Someshwara of the 12th century, a manual used extensively by sculptors) provides the details; the 7th in the list is Trivikrama holding lotus in lower left arm, mace in the upper left arm and wheel in the upper right arm.
The three steps are referred to another incarnation of God Vishnu; it is the 5th among the ten. The demon king Hiranyakashipu is killed by a small boy named Vamana, who approaches the king when the latter is offering grants and funds generously. The request appeared very simple - the place for keeping three steps. However, once the king granted it, Vamana grew to a gigantic size - his first step filled the earth; the second the entire sky. So where would he keep the third? The king offered his head for placing the foot. Vamana put his foot on the king and pushed him to the underworld.
Origin of Constellation
Trivikrama, the Three Steps are a recognisable pattern of three close pairs of stars south of the seven bright ones in Ursa Major.
| Indian name | translation | Dhruvaka
(Shylaja) |
ikshepa
(Shylaja) |
RA (???) | DEC (???) | in Chinese | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| युग्मक | Yugmaka | "double" | 102 20 | 29 | 6h 54m | 52 | Surya (Sun) | Upper Steps | ικ UMa |
| युग्म | Yugma | "double" | 119 45 | 29 | 8h 9m | 49 19 | Vayu (Air) | Middle Steps | λμ UMa |
| 137 | 25 | 9h 18m | 40 48 | Agni (Fire) | Lower Steps | ξν UMa |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
SanTai in Stellarium (CC BY Sun Shuwei (孙殳玮) based on the Xinyixiangfayao Star Map from Su Song (苏颂, 1020-1101 CE)).
Mythology
mnemonic tales and cultural significance
Weblinks
References
- References (general)
- ↑ Muir, John (1873). Original Sanskrit Texts on the Origin and History of the People of India (Vol. 4) (in Sanskrit). Harvard University. Trübner. pp. 64, 67, 87, 122
2.https://www.ms.uky.edu/~sohum/sanskrit/yogavasishtha/Manasollasa.pdf
