Indian Names (All Terms)

Map of India, part of South Asia (UN region)

The Indian subcontinent hosts a rich and old traditional astronomy in many different flavours. It grew and was inspired by exchange with neighbouring cultures such as Chinese and Mesopotamian.

Solar System Names

Traditional Terms	Transliteration	English	commentary
		Sun
		Moon
		Mercury
		Venus
		Mars
		Jupiter
		Saturn

Asterisms (Stars and Constellations)

	Sanscrit	Transliteration			English Description/ Translation		Source
		with diacritics	without ...				Reference
28	अभिजित	Abhijit (अभिजित), Vidibha	Abhijit		Victorius	Lyra | alf Lyrae	Nakshatra
			Adhah Paschimaga		the one below and west	bet UMa	possibly Indian
			Aditerbha	Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु)
			Agasthya				almost all texts
			Agni	Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
			Agnidaiva	Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
			Āgrahāyaṇī	Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर)
			Ahirbudhnya	Uttara Bhādrapada (उत्तर भाद्रपदा)
			Ahya	Ashlesha (आश्लेषः)
			Aindra	Jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठा)
			Ajaikapada	Purva Bhadrapada
			Ajanghri	Purva Bhadrapada
			Anila	Svati (स्वाति)
17	अनुराधा	Anuradha (अनुराधा), Maitra	Anuradha		"following rādhā"	β, δ, ρ and π Scorpii	Nakshatra
			Anyomuni		another sage	bet UMa	possibly Indian
		Āpa	Apa			ζ Vir	Shylaja and Pai (2019)
		Apāṃvatsa	Apamvatsa			74 Vir	Shylaja and Pai (2019)
		Āptapān	Aptapan		??	α Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Apya	Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
6	आर्द्रा	Ardra (आर्द्रा), Roudra, Shivabha	Ardra		wetness,	Betelgeuse	Nakshatra
			Arya	Uttara Phalguni
			Aryamrksha	Uttara Phalguni
9	आश्लेषः	Āshleshā, Ahya, Phanibha, Sarpa	Ashlesha		"the embrace"	δ, ε , η, ρ, and σ Hydrae	Nakshatra
		Aśvanābha	Ashvanabha		Belly of the horse (from Arabic)	α And	Shylaja+ (2016)
1	अश्विनी	Aśvini, Dasra	Ashvini		Twin physician of the Gods	β, γ Arietis (perhaps also α Ari in some variants)	Nakṣatra
			Bhagya	Purva Phalguni
			Bhagybha	Purva Phalguni
2	भरणी	Bharani (भरणी), Yamya, Yamabha	Bharani		the bearer, a container	35, 39 and 41 Arietis | (three stars)	Nakshatra
			Bhujaga shirsha	Sarpa shirsha
			Bhujanga			gam Vel	possibly Indian
			Brahmabha	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
			Brahmahridaya			a Aur all texts or b Aur ??	possibly Indian
			Brāhmī	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
			Brahmya	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
14	चित्रा	Citrā, Tvarshtra	Chitra		"the bright one"	Spica	Nakshatra
			Dasra	Aśvini
			Dhanishtha
			Dhanukoti		part of Dhanu	alf Ori	from Arabic
			Dvidaivata	Viśākhā (विशाखा)
			Dvitiyabhādra	Uttara Bhadrapada
			Haribha	Śravana (श्रवण)
13	हस्त	Hasta (हस्त), Kara, Ravibha	Hasta		"the hand"	β, α, ε, γ, and δ Corvi	Nakshatra
			Hayaamsha		Body part of horse (from Arabic)		Shylaja+ (2016)
			Hutabhuk	Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
			Hutabhuk		Fire, Agni	β Tau	Shylaja+ (2016)
	इल्वल	Ilvala (इल्वल)	Ilvala			ζ, ε, δ Ori (Belt of Orion)	possibly Indian
			Jaladaivata	Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
			Jalarksha	Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
			Jantupuchcha			bet Cet	from Arabic
18	ज्येष्ठा	Jyeṣṭha, Śakra, Aindra	Jyeshtha		"the eldest, most excellent"	α, σ, and τ Scorpii	Nakshatra
			Kakaskandha		shoulder of crow	eps Crv	from Arabic
			kakayukta		related to crow	alf Cyg	from Arabic
			kakudapuchha	kakayukta
			Kalaja	kakayukta
			Kapala		human skull	alf Phe	possibly Indian
			Kara	Hasta (हस्त)
			Kartitakara		??	β Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
3	कृत्तिका	Kṛttika, Agni, Hutabhuk, Agnidaiva	Krittika		personified as the nurses of Kārttikeya, a son of Shiva	Pleiades	Nakshatra
			Lubdhaka			alf CMa	possibly Indian
			Lubdhaka Bandhu	Yamyavasu
10	मघा	Maghā, Paitra	Magha		"the bountiful"?	5 stars: Regulus (α Leo), γ, η, 31,ο and ρ Leonis	Nakshatra
4	रोहिणी	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी), Brahmya, Brahmabha, Brāhmī	Rohini		"the red one"	Aldebaran and the Hyades	Nakshatra
5	मृगशिर	Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर), Mṛgaśira, Somya, Āgrahāyaṇī	Mrigashira		"the deer's head".	λ, φ1,2 Orionis	Nakshatra
7	पुनर्वसु (dual)	Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु), Yamakau, Aditerbha	Punarvasu		"the twinrestorers of goods", yamakau "the two chariots"?	4 stars: α, β Geminorum (ε, ζ Gem?)	Nakshatra
8	पुष्य	Puṣya (पुष्य), Puṣya, Sidhya or Tiṣya	Pushya		"the nourisher"	γ, δ and θ Cancri (represented by α CMi)	Nakshatra
11	पूर्व फाल्गुनी	Pūrva Phalgunī, Bhagya, Bhagybha	Purva Phalguni		"first reddish one"?	δ and θ Leonis	Nakshatra
12	उत्तर फाल्गुनी	Uttara Phalgunī, Arya, Aryamrksha	Uttara Phalguni		"second reddish one"?	Denebola plus 3 more	Nakshatra
15	स्वाति	Svati (स्वाति), Anila	Malayendu's Svati (स्वाति)		"Su-Ati - Goodness	Arcturus (+ η and ζ Bootis)	Nakshatra
16	विशाखा	Viśākhā (विशाखा), Viśākhā, Dvidaivata	Vishakha		"forked, having many branches"	α, β, γ and ι Librae	Nakshatra
19	मूल	Mūlā, Nirtibha	Mula		"the root"	ε, μ, ζ, η, θ, ι, κ, and λ Scorpii	Nakshatra
20	पूर्व आषाढा	Purvaṣādha, Jaladaivata, Apya, Toya, Jalarksha	Purva Ashadha		"first of the invincible"	δ and ε Sagittarii	Nakshatra
21	उत्तर आषाढा	Uttara Āṣāḍhā, Vaiśvadeva	Uttara Ashadha		"Latter invincible"	ζ and σ Sagittarii	Nakshatra
22	श्रवण	Śravana, Śṛti, Vaisnava, Haribha	Shravana		Listening	α, β and γ Aquilae | Altair	Nakshatra
23	श्रविष्ठा/ धनिष्ठा	Dhaniṣṭhā, Vāsava, Vasubha, Śraviṣṭhā	Dhanishta		"most famous", also Shravishthā "swiftest"	α, β, γ, δ Delphini	Nakshatra
24	शतभिष/ शततारका	Śatabhiṣa, Śatabhiṣaj, Varunarksha	Shatabhisha/ Satabhisa		a hundred physicians"	λ Aquarii	Nakshatra
25	पूर्व भाद्रपदा/ पूर्व प्रोष्ठपदा	Purvābhādra, Ajanghri, Ajaikapada, Pragbhadra	Purva Bhadrapada		"the first of the blessed feet"?	α and β Pegasi	Nakshatra
26	उत्तर भाद्रपदा/ उत्तर प्रोष्ठपदा	Uttara Bhādrapada, Ahirbudhnya, dvitiyabhādra, upāntya	Uttara Bhadrapada (U. Bhadra)		"the second of the blessed feet"?	γ Pegasi and α Andromedae	Nakshatra
27	रेवती	Revati (रेवती), Pourshna	Revati		"prosperous"?	ζ Piscium (plus 30 more stars, perhaps including M31)	Nakshatra
			(Malayendu)			tet Cet	from Arabic
			Anyomuni		another sage	bet UMa	possibly Indian
		Āpa	Apa			ζ Vir	Shylaja and Pai (2019)
		Apāṃvatsa	Apamvatsa			74 Vir	Shylaja and Pai (2019)
		Āptapān	Aptapan		??	α Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
		Aśvanābha	Ashvanabha		Belly of the horse (from Arabic)	α And	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Bhujanga			gam Vel	possibly Indian
			Brahmahridaya			a Aur all texts or b Aur ??	possibly Indian
			Dhanukoti		part of Dhanu	alf Ori	from Arabic
			Hayaamsha		Body part of horse (from Arabic)		Shylaja+ (2016)
			Hutabhuk		Fire, Agni	β Tau	Shylaja+ (2016)
	इल्वल	Ilvala (इल्वल)	Ilvala			ζ, ε, δ Ori (Belt of Orion)	possibly Indian
			Jantupuchcha			bet Cet	from Arabic
			Kakaskandha		shoulder of crow	eps Crv	from Arabic
			kakayukta, kakudapuchha, kalaja		related to crow	alf Cyg	from Arabic
			Kapala		human skull	alf Phe	possibly Indian
			Kartitakara		??	β Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Lubdhaka			alf CMa	possibly Indian
			Malayendu			Ardralubdhaka	possibly Indian
			Malayendu / mahendrasuri			ShaNmukha, Sadaasya	possibly Indian
		Mānus ̟ aśīrs ̟ a	Manusasirsa, Manusha shirsha		Head of a person (from Arabic)	β Per	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Manushyaparshava			alf Per	possibly Indian
			Marici		name of a sage	eta UMa	possibly Indian
			Matsyamukha			alf PsA	from Arabic
			Matsyapuchha		the tail of a fish	alf Gru	possibly Indian
			Matsyodara		Belly of the fish (from Arabic)	β And	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Mithunadakshina, Mithunapadadakshina		left side of Gemini	bet Ori	from Arabic
			Mithunapada		foot of Gemini	zet Tau	from Arabic
			Mithunavamaskanda		right side of Gemini	kap, nu Ori	from Arabic
			Muneendra		great sage	alf UMa	possibly Indian
			Muni		sage	eta UMa	possibly Indian
			Nadyantaka		End of the river (from Arabic)	γ Phe	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Nakrapuchha		tail of the crocodile	sig Aqr	possibly Indian
			Nrihasta/Manushahsta		man's hand	tet Aur	from Arabic
			Nripada		foot of a man	bet Cen	from Arabic
		Nr ̟ pārśva	Nrparsva, Nruparshva		Side of a person/ part of the face of a man (from Arabic)	α Per	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Nuramsa		man's shoulder	bet Aur	from Arabic
		Pīt ̟ hamūla	Pithhamula, Peethamulam		Base of the seat or chair	γ Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Prajapathi			d Aur	possibly Indian
			Purato Muneendra		next sage	gam UMa	possibly Indian
			Samudra pakshi			i Cet	from Arabic
			sarpa shirsha / Bhujaga shirsha		head of serpent	alf Ser	from Arabic
			Sarpayukta		one with serpent	alf Ara	possibly Indian
			Sauroktarudra		Rudra cited in Soura – may be suryasiddhanta	alf Ori	possibly Indian
			Shakthibha			eta Boo	possibly Indian
			Shishumaara		dolphin or fish	tet Oph	possibly Indian
			Simha PrishTha		backside of lion	del Leo	from Arabic
			Simhaguhyam		male organ of lion	iot Leo	from Arabic
			Simhasaka		part of lion	gam Leo	from Arabic
			Skanda		(6 headed karitikeya)	alf Aur -	possibly Indian
		Supīt ̟ ha	Supithha, Supeetha (chair)		Auspicious seat / chair	δ Cas	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Tatpurato Muneendra		the sage after that	eps UMa	possibly Indian
			Torana		decorative motif on the main door	alf Ser	possibly Indian
		Trivikrama	Trivikrama		three steps / one who put three steps	ξν, μλ, ικ UMa	possibly Indian
			Tulaikasikha		First star of Tula (Libra)	? Lib (same as Visakha?)	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Tulanyasikha		Another star of Tula	?Lib	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Turanga			nu Cet	from Arabic
			Turangaasa		Body part of horse (from Arabic)		Shylaja+ (2016)
			Urdhva Paschimaga		the one above and to the west	alf UMa	possibly Indian
			Vajibahu			tet Cet	from Arabic
			VasishTha			zet UMa	possibly Indian
			Vatsa		calf of a cow	bet Tau	possibly Indian
			Vayasa			bet Cyg	from Arabic
			Yama		May be same as Nadyantaka, South	α Eri	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Yamyavasu, Lubdhaka Bandhu		southern vasu	alf CMi	possibly Indian
			Yugala			tet Oph	possibly Indian
			Yugasamkaravya			gam Ori	possibly Indian
	युग्म		Yugma (युग्म)		"double" for the middle steps in Trivikrama	lam, mu UMa	possibly Indian
	युग्म		Yugma (युग्म)			gam+bet Dra	possibly Indian
	युग्मक		Yugmaka (युग्मक)			iot UMa, kap UMa	possibly Indian

References