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
1	अश्विनी	Aśvini, dasra	Ashvini	Twin physician of the Gods	β, γ Arietis (perhaps also α Ari in some variants)	Nakṣatra
2	भरणी	Bharani (भरणी), Yamya, yamabha	Bharani	the bearer, a container	35, 39 and 41 Arietis | (three stars)	Nakshatra
3	कृत्तिका	Kṛttika, Agni, Hutabhuk, agnidaiva	Krittika	Pleiades personified as the nurses of Kārttikeya, a son of Shiva	Pleiades	Nakshatra
4	रोहिणी	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी), Brahmya, Brahmabha	Rohini	"the red one", a name of Aldebaran. Also known as brāhmī	Aldebaran and the Hyades	Nakshatra
5	मृगशिर	Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर), Mṛgaśira, Somya	Mrigashira	"the deer's head". Also known as āgrahāyaṇī	λ, φ1,2 Orionis	Nakshatra
6	आर्द्रा	Ardra (आर्द्रा), Roudra, Shivabha	Ardra	wetness,	Betelgeuse	Nakshatra
7	पुनर्वसु (dual)	Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु), Yamakau, aditerbha	Punarvasu	"the twinrestorers of goods", also known as yamakau "the two chariots"?	4 stars: α, β Geminorum (ε, ζ Gem?)	Nakshatra
8	पुष्य	Puṣya (पुष्य), Puṣya	Pushya	"the nourisher", also known as sidhya or tiṣya	γ, δ and θ Cancri (represented by α CMi)	Nakshatra
9	आश्लेषः	Āshleshā, Ahya, Phanibha, Sarpa	Ashlesha	"the embrace"	δ, ε , η, ρ, and σ Hydrae	Nakshatra
10	मघा	Maghā, Paitra	Magha	"the bountiful"?	5 stars: Regulus (α Leo), γ, η, 31,ο and ρ Leonis	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
13	हस्त	Hasta (हस्त)	Hasta, kara, Ravibha	"the hand"	β, α, ε, γ, and δ Corvi	Nakshatra
14	चित्रा	Citrā, Tvarshtra	Chitra	"the bright one"	Spica	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
17	अनुराधा	Anuradha (अनुराधा), Maitra	Anuradha	"following rādhā"	β, δ, ρ and π Scorpii	Nakshatra
18	ज्येष्ठा	Jyeṣṭha, Śakra, Aindra	Jyeshtha	"the eldest, most excellent"	α, σ, and τ Scorpii	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 āṣāḍhā", āṣāḍhā "the invincible one"	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
28	अभिजित	Abhijit (अभिजित), Vidibha	Abhijit	Victorius	Lyra | alf Lyrae	Nakshatra
			(Malayendu)		tet Cet	from Arabic
			Adhah Paschimaga	the one below and west	bet UMa	possibly Indian
			Agasthya			almost all texts
			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