Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s20.211

v1.c3.s20.211

*The Origin of the Nakṣatras.*—As we have seen, there is no evidence showing the process by which the Nakṣatras may have originated in India. They are mentioned only as stars in the earlier parts of the Rigveda, then the names of three of them are found in the latest parts of that Saṃhitā, and finally in the later Atharvaveda and in the Yajurveda Saṃhitās the full list appears. It may also be noted that the Vedic Indians show (see Graha) a remarkably small knowledge of the other astronomical phenomena; the discovery of a series of 27 lunar mansions by them would therefore be rather surprising. On the other hand, the nature of such an operation is not very complicated; it consists merely in selecting a star or a star group with which the moon is in conjunction. It is thus impossible a priori to deny that the Vedic Indians could have invented for themselves a lunar Zodiac.¹⁵⁷