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

Dictionary of Asterisms (Stars and Constellations)

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

References