Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s20.115

v1.c3.s20.115

13. Svātī or Niṣṭyā is later clearly the brilliant star Arcturus or a Bootis, its place in the north being assured by the notice in the Śāntikalpa,⁸³ where it is said to be ‘ever traversing the northern way’ (*nityam uttara-mārgagam*). The Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa,⁸⁴ however, constructs an asterismal Prajāpati, giving him Citrā (a Virginis) for head, Hasta (Corvus) for hand, the Viśākhe (a and β Libræ) for thighs, and the Anurādhās (β, δ, and π Scorpionis) for standing place, with Niṣṭyā for heart. But Arcturus, being 30° out, spoils this figure, while, on the other hand, the Arabic and Chinese systems have respectively, instead of Arcturus, ι, κ, and λ Virginis and κ Virginis, which would well fit into the Prajāpati figure. But in spite of the force of this argument of Weber’s,⁸⁵ Whitney⁸⁶ is not certain that Niṣṭyā here must mean a star in Virgo, pointing out that the name Niṣṭyā, ‘outcast,’ suggests the separation of this Nakṣatra from the others in question.