Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s20.128

v1.c3.s20.128

20. Abhijit is the brilliant star a Lyræ with its two companions ε and ζ. Its location in 60° north latitude is completely discordant with the position of the corresponding Arabian and Chinese asterisms. This fact is considered by Oldenberg⁹⁰ to support the view that it was a later addition to the system; its occurrence, however, as early as the Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā,⁹¹ which he does not note, somewhat invalidates⁹² that view. In the Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa⁹³ Abhijit is said to be ‘over Aṣāḍhās, under Śroṇā,’ which Weber⁹⁴ held to refer to its position in space, inferring thence that its Vedic position corresponded to that of the Arab Manāzil and the Chinese Sieou—viz., a, β Capricorni. But Whitney⁹⁵ argues effectively that the words ‘over’ and ‘under’ really refer to the place of Abhijit in the list, ‘after’ Aṣāḍhās and ‘before’ Śroṇā.