Nakshatra (Devanagari: नक्षत्र nákṣatra) is the term for lunar mansion in
Hindu astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the
ecliptic. Their names are related to the most prominent asterisms in the respective
sectors. The starting point for the nakshatras is the point on the ecliptic directly
opposite to the star Spica called Chitrā in Sanskrit (other slightly different definitions
exist). It is called Meshādi or the "start of Aries".[citation needed] The ecliptic
is divided into each of the nakshatras eastwards starting from this point. The number
of nakshatras reflects the number of days in a sidereal month (modern value: 27.32
days), that the width of a nakshatra is traversed by the moon in about one day.
Each nakshatra is further subdivided into quarters (or padas) These play a role
in popular Hindu astrology, where each pada is associated with a syllable, conventionally
chosen as the first syllable of the given name of a child born when the moon was
in the corresponding pada. The nakshatras of traditional Hindu astronomy are based
on a list of 28 asterisms found in the Atharvaveda (AVŚ 19.7) and also in the Shatapatha
Brahmana.[citation needed] The first astronomical text that lists them is the Vedanga
Jyotisha. In classical Hindu mythology (Mahabharata, Harivamsa), the creation of
the nakshatras is attributed to Daksha. They are personified as daughters of the
deity and as mythological wives of Chandra, the moon god, or alternatively the daughters
of Kashyapa, the brother of Daksha. Each of the nakshatras is governed as 'lord'
by one of the nine graha in the following sequence: Ketu (South Lunar Node), Shukra
(Venus), Ravi or Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Rahu (North Lunar
Node), Guru or Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shani (Saturn) and Budha (Mercury). This cycle
repeats itself three times to cover all 27 nakshatras. The lord of each nakshatra
determines the planetary period known as the dasha, which is considered of major
importance in forecasting the life path of the individual in Hindu astrology. In
Vedic Sanskrit, the term nákṣatra may refer to any heavenly body, or to "the stars"
collectively. The classical sense of "lunar mansion" is first found in the Atharvaveda,
and becomes the primary meaning of the term in Classical Sanskrit.
Nakshatras in the Atharvaveda
In the Atharvaveda (Shaunakiya recension, hymn 19.7) a list of 28 stars or
asterisms is given, many of them corresponding to the later nakshatras: (1)
Kṛttikā (the Pleiads), (2) Rohinī, (3) Mrigashīrsha, (4) Ārdrā, (5) Punarvasu,
(6) Sūnritā, (7) Pushya, (8) Bhanu (the Sun), (9) Asleshā, (10) Maghā, (11)
Svāti (Arcturus), (12) Chitrā (Spica), (13) Phalgunis, (14) Hasta, (15) Rādhas,
(16) Vishākhā, (17) Anurādhā, (18) Jyeshthā, (19) Mūla, (20) Ashādhas, (21)
Abhijit, (22) Sravana, (23) Sravishthās, (24) Satabhishak, (25) Proshtha-padas,
(26) Revati, (27) Asvayujas, (28) Bharani.