Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
Krittika
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Kṛttika (Krittika) is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it.
Etymology and History
Name Variants
- Agni,
- Agnidaiva
- Hutabhuk
Origin of Constellation
Krttika is depicted as a group of six stars that form a cloudy asterism. The star lore associates the cluster of six stars with a group of seven damsels. They are personified as the nurses of Kārttikeya, a son of Shiva.
Stars within the Constellation Area
| id | Label | IAU design. | description | Vmag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alcyone | HIP 17702 | Inside the hull | 2.87 |
| 2 | Atlas | HIP 17847 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 3.63 |
| 3 | Electra | HIP 17499 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 3.7 |
| 4 | Maia | HIP 17573 | Inside the hull | 3.87 |
| 5 | Merope | HIP 17608 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 4.18 |
| 6 | Pleione | HIP 17851 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 5.09 |
| 7 | Celaeno | HIP 17489 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 5.46 |
| 8 | Asterope | HIP 17579 | Constellation lines (Vertex) | 5.76 |
| 9 | * 24 Tau | HD 23629 | Inside the hull | 6.28 |
| 10 | Sterope II | HIP 17588 | Inside the hull | 6.421 |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Krittika 10th century CE
Display of all 28th nakshatras in silver arch with candles in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
Display of all 28th nakshatras in a door frame in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
Krittika - Tibetean
Krittika - Chinese
Krittika as reonstructed by Jones (1720)
Religion/ Mythology
In Indian star lore, Kṛttika are the six sisters who are the nurses of the god Subramanya, a god of war and commander of the gods against the demons who was begotten by a god without a woman.
Weblinks
References
- References (general)
