While the Indian Star System or Hindu Nakshatra system is a scientifically designed one, some doubt whether the 27 nakshatras physically exist in the sky. They do exist. For the benefit of the western readers, the 27 nakshatras and western equivalents is given below. The twenty seven nakshatras and the respective western equivalent are given below:
1) Ashwini –Alpha, Beta –Aries
2) Bharani – No 28,29,41 Taurus
3) Krittika - Pleiades
4) Rohini – Aldebaran Hyades, Alpha, Theta, Gama, Delta and Epsilon Taurus
5) Mrigashirsha – Lambda, Phi 1, Phi 2, Orion
6) Aardraa –Betelgeaux – Alpha Orion
7) Punarvasu – Castor, Pollux with Procyon Alpha, Beta, Gemini-Alpha Canis Minor respectively
8) Pushya – Gama, Delta and Theta of Cancer
9) Ashlesha – Delta, Epsilon, Eta, Rho and Zeta Hydra
10) Maagha – Alpha, Ela, Gama, Zeta My and Epsilon Leonis
11) Poorva Phalkuni - Delta and Theta Leo
12) Utra Phalkuni – Beta and 93 Leo
13) Hasta – Delta, Gama, Eta, Virgo
14) Chitraa – Spica, Alpha Virgo
15) Swaati – Arcturus – Alpha Bootes
16) Vishaakha - Alpha, Beta etc Libra
17) Anuraadha – Beta, Delta, Pi -Scorpia
18) Jyestha – Antares Alpha, Sigma Tau Scorpio
19) Mula – Scorpio, tail stars
20) Poorvaashadaa – Delta and Epsilon Sagittarius
21) Uttaraashaada - Zeta and Omicron Sagittarius
22) Shraavanaa – Altair – Alpha Aquila
23) Dhanishtha - Delphinus
24) Shatabhisak – Lambda Aquarius
25) Poorva Bhaadrapada – Alpha and Beta Pegasus
26) Uttara Bhaadrapada – Gama Pagasus and Alpha Andromeda
27) Revathi – Zeta Piscum
The above stars can be seen with the help of the star maps. The Vedic Rishis (seers) have very clearly indicated the size and shape of the stars. There were a number of books available in the past. The Nakshatra vidya or the Science of the Stars or descriptive Astronomy is lost due to the continuous invasions on India. However Vedic Scholars are able to find out the real science now and we may hope the full benefit of this science will be passed on to the future generation. In our next article we will look into the wonders of the stars.
