Indian Names (All Terms)

Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Shylaja, Roland Laffitte

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Map of India, part of South Asia (UN region)

Display of all 28th nakshatra in a doorway in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).

The Indian subcontinent hosts a rich and old traditional astronomy in many different flavours. It grew and was inspired by exchange with neighbouring cultures such as Chinese and Mesopotamian.

Solar System Names

Traditional Terms	Transliteration	English	commentary
	Bhānu, Sūrya and many more	Sun	There are many more names
	Candra, Indu, Sudhaṁśu and many more	Moon	There are many more names
	Budha	Mercury
	śukra	Venus	Very bright
	Kuja, Angāraka	Mars	Ku = earth, Kuja = son of earth Angāra = red hot charcoal
	Guru, Bṛhaspati	Jupiter	wise person, Teacher / advisor for Gods
	śani	Saturn	slow moving
	Rahu (राहु)	ascending node
	Ketu (केतु)	descending node

Dictionary of Asterisms (Stars and Constellations)

Naks. Number	Sanscrit	Transliteration		English Description/ Translation	Commentary
		with diacritics	without ...
28	अभिजित	Abhijit (अभिजित)	Abhijit	Victorius	Nakshatra in Lyra
			Adhah Paschimaga	the one below and west	possibly Indian Indigenous: bet UMa
			Aditerbha		Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु)
			Agasthya		Canopus
			Agni		Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
			Agnidaiva		Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
		Āgrahāyaṇī	Agrahayani		Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर)
			Ahirbudhnya		Uttara Bhādrapada (उत्तर भाद्रपदा)
			Ahya		Ashlesha (आश्लेषः)
			Aindra		Jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठा)
			Ajaikapada		Purva Bhadrapada
			Ajanghri		Purva Bhadrapada
			Anila		Svati (स्वाति)
17	अनुराधा	Anuradha (अनुराधा)	Anuradha	"following rādhā"	Nakshatra in Sco
			Anyomuni	another sage	possibly Indian Indigenous: bet UMa
		Āpa	Apa		ζ Vir (Shylaja and Pai (2019))
		Apāṃvatsa	Apamvatsa		74 Vir (Shylaja and Pai (2019))
		Āptapān	Aptapan	??	α Cas (Shylaja and Pai (2019))
			Apya		Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
6	आर्द्रा	Ardra (आर्द्रा)	Ardra	wetness,	Nakshatra (Betelgeuse)
			Arya		Uttara Phalguni
			Aryamrksha		Uttara Phalguni
9	आश्लेषः	Āshleshā	Ashlesha	"the embrace"	Nakshatra
		Aśvanābha	Ashvanabha	Belly of the horse (from Arabic)	α And (Shylaja and Pai (2019))
1	अश्विनी	Aśvini	Ashvini	Twin physician of the Gods	Nakshatra in Aries
			Bhagya		Purva Phalguni
			Bhagybha		Purva Phalguni
2	भरणी	Bharani (भरणी)	Bharani	the bearer, a container	Nakshatra in Aries
			Bhujaga shirsha		Sarpa shirsha
			Bhujanga		possibly Indian Indigenous: gam Vel
			Brahmabha		Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
			Brahmahridaya		a Aur all texts or b Aur ??
		Brāhmī	Brahmi		Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
			Brahmya		Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)
14	चित्रा	Citrā	Chitra	"the bright one"	Nakshatra (Spica)
			Dasra		Aśvini
23	श्रविष्ठा/ धनिष्ठा	Dhaniṣṭhā	Dhanishta	"most famous", also Shravishthā "swiftest"	Nakshatra in Del
			Dhanukoti	part of Dhanu	from Arabic: alf Ori
			Dvidaivata		Viśākhā (विशाखा)
		Dvitiyabhādra	Dvitiyabhadra		Uttara Bhadrapada
			Haribha		Śravana (श्रवण)
13	हस्त	Hasta (हस्त)	Hasta	"the hand"	Nakshatra in Corvus
			Hayaamsha	Body part of horse (from Arabic)	Shylaja+ (2016)
			Hutabhuk		Kṛttika (कृत्तिका)
			Hutabhuk	Fire, Agni	β Tau (Shylaja+ (2016))
	इल्वल	Ilvala (इल्वल)	Ilvala		possibly Indian Indigenous: ζ, ε, δ Ori (Belt of Orion)
			Jaladaivata		Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
			Jalarksha		Purvaṣādha (पूर्व आषाढा)
			Jantupuchcha		from Arabic: bet Cet
18	ज्येष्ठा	Jyeṣṭha	Jyeshtha	"the eldest, most excellent"	Nakshatra in Sco
			Kakaskandha	shoulder of crow	from Arabic: eps Crv
			Kakayukta	related to crow	from Arabic: alf Cyg
			Kakudapuchha		kakayukta
			Kalaja		kakayukta
			Kapala	human skull	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Phe
			Kara		Hasta (हस्त)
			Kartitakara	??	β Cas (Shylaja+ (2016))
3	कृत्तिका	Kṛttika	Krittika	personified as the nurses of Kārttikeya, a son of Shiva	Nakshatra (Pleiades)
			Lubdhaka		possibly Indian Indigenous: alf CMa
			Lubdhaka Bandhu		Yamyavasu
10	मघा	Maghā	Magha	"the bountiful"?	Nakshatra in Leo
			Mahendrasuri		Malayendu
			Maitra		Anuradha (अनुराधा)
		Malayendu, Ardralubdhaka, ShaNmukha, Sadaasya	Malayendu		from Arabic, possibly Indian: tet Cet
		Mānuṣaśīrṣa	Manusasirsa, Manusha shirsha	Head of a person (from Arabic)	β Per (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Manushahsta		Nrihasta
			Manushyaparshava		possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Per
			Marici	name of a sage	possibly Indian Indigenous: eta UMa
			Matsyamukha		from Arabic: alf PsA
			Matsyapuchha	the tail of a fish	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Gru
			Matsyodara	Belly of the fish (from Arabic)	β And (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Mithunadakshina, Mithunapadadakshina	left side of Gemini	from Arabic: bet Ori
			Mithunapada	foot of Gemini	from Arabic: zet Tau
			Mithunavamaskanda	right side of Gemini	from Arabic: kap, nu Ori
5	मृगशिर	Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर)	Mrigashira	"the deer's head".	Nakshatra in Ori
19	मूल	Mūlā	Mula	"the root"	Nakshatra in Sco
			Muneendra	great sage	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf UMa
			Muni	sage	possibly Indian Indigenous: eta UMa
			Nadyantaka	End of the river (from Arabic)	γ Phe (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Nakrapuchha	tail of the crocodile	possibly Indian Indigenous: sig Aqr
			Nirtibha		Mula
			Nrihasta	man's hand	from Arabic: tet Aur
			Nripada	foot of a man	from Arabic: bet Cen
		Nṛpārśva	Nrparsva, Nruparshva	Side of a person/ part of the face of a man (from Arabic)	α Per (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Nuramsa	man's shoulder	from Arabic: bet Aur
			Paitra		Magha
			Phanibha		Ashlesha
		Pīṭhamūla	Pithhamula, Peethamulam	Base of the seat or chair	γ Cas (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Pourshna		Revati
			Pragbhadra		Purva Bhadrapada
			Prajapathi		possibly Indian Indigenous: d Aur
7	पुनर्वसु (dual)	Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु)	Punarvasu	"the twinrestorers of goods", yamakau "the two chariots"?	Nakshatra in Gem
			Purato Muneendra	next sage	possibly Indian Indigenous: gam UMa
20	पूर्व आषाढा	Purvaṣādha	Purva Ashadha	"first of the invincible"	Nakshatra in Sgr
25	पूर्व भाद्रपदा/ पूर्व प्रोष्ठपदा	Purvābhādra	Purva Bhadrapada	"the first of the blessed feet"?	Nakshatra in Peg
11	पूर्व फाल्गुनी	Pūrva Phalgunī	Purva Phalguni	"first reddish one"?	Nakshatra in Leo
8	पुष्य	Puṣya (पुष्य)	Pushya	"the nourisher"	Nakshatra in Cnc
			Ravibha		Hasta (हस्त)
27	रेवती	Revati (रेवती)	Revati	"prosperous"?	Nakshatra in Psc
4	रोहिणी	Rohiṇī (रोहिणी)	Rohini	"the red one"	Nakshatra (Hyades)
			Roudra		Ardra (आर्द्रा)
		Śakra			Jyeṣṭha (ज्येष्ठा)
			Samudra pakshi		from Arabic: i Cet
			Sarpa		Ashlesha (आश्लेषः)
			Sarpa shirsha	head of serpent	from Arabic: alf Ser
			Sarpayukta	one with serpent	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Ara
			Sauroktarudra	Rudra cited in Soura – may be suryasiddhanta	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Ori
			Shakthibha		possibly Indian Indigenous: eta Boo
24	शतभिष/ शततारका	Śatabhiṣa	Shatabhisha/ Satabhisa	a hundred physicians"	Nakshatra in Aqr
			Shishumaara	dolphin or fish	possibly Indian Indigenous: tet Oph
			Shivabha		Ardra (आर्द्रा)
22	श्रवण	Śravana	Shravana	Listening	Nakshatra in Aquila
			Sidhya		Puṣya (पुष्य)
			Simha PrishTha	backside of lion	from Arabic: del Leo
			Simhaguhyam	male organ of lion	from Arabic: iot Leo
			Simhasaka	part of lion	from Arabic: gam Leo
			Skanda	(6 headed karitikeya)	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Aur
			Somya		Mṛgaśira (मृगशिर)
		Śraviṣṭhā	Shravishtha		Dhaniṣṭhā (श्रविष्ठा)
		Śṛti	Shirti		Śravana (श्रवण)
		Supīṭha	Supithha, Supeetha	Auspicious seat / chair	δ Cas (Shylaja+ (2016))
15	स्वाति	Svati (स्वाति)	Svati	"Su-Ati - Goodness	Nakshatra in Bootes
			Tatpurato Muneendra	the sage after that	possibly Indian Indigenous: eps UMa
		Tiṣya	Tishya		Pushya
			Torana	decorative motif on the main door	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf Ser
			Toya		Purva Ashadha
		Trivikrama	Trivikrama	three steps /one who put three steps	possibly Indian Indigenous: ξν, μλ, ικ UMa
			Tulaikasikha	First star of Tula (Libra)	an asterism in Libra, perhaps Viśākhā (विशाखा) (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Tulanyasikha	Another star of Tula	an asterism in Libra (Shylaja+ (2016))
		Turagānga	Turaganga
			Turanga		from Arabic: nu Cet
			Turangaasa	Body part of horse (from Arabic)	(Shylaja+ (2016))
			Tvarshtra		Citrā (चित्रा)
			Upāntya		Uttara Bhadrapada
			Urdhva Paschimaga	the one above and to the west	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf UMa
21	उत्तर आषाढा	Uttara Āṣāḍhā	Uttara Ashadha	"Latter invincible"	Nakshatra in Sgr
26	उत्तर भाद्रपदा/ उत्तर प्रोष्ठपदा	Uttara Bhādrapada	Uttara Bhadrapada (U. Bhadra)	"the second of the blessed feet"?	Nakshatra in Peg+And
12	उत्तर फाल्गुनी	Uttara Phalgunī	Uttara Phalguni	"second reddish one"?	Nakshatra in Leo
			Vaisnava		Śravana (श्रवण)
			Vaiśvadeva		Uttara Ashadha
			Vajibahu		from Arabic: tet Cet
			Varunarksha		Satabhisa
			Vāsava		Dhaniṣṭhā (श्रविष्ठा)
			VasishTha		possibly Indian Indigenous: zet UMa
			Vasubha		Dhaniṣṭhā (श्रविष्ठा)
			Vatsa	calf of a cow	possibly Indian Indigenous: bet Tau
			Vayasa		from Arabic: bet Cyg
			Vidibha		Abhijit (अभिजित)
			Viśākhā		Viśākhā (विशाखा)
16	विशाखा	Viśākhā (विशाखा)	Vishakha	"forked, having many branches"	Nakshatra in Libra
			Yama	May be same as Nadyantaka, South	α Eri (Shylaja+ (2016))
			Yamyavasu, Lubdhaka Bandhu	southern vasu	possibly Indian Indigenous: alf CMi
			Yugala		possibly Indian Indigenous: tet Oph
			Yugasamkaravya		possibly Indian Indigenous: gam Ori
	युग्म		Yugma (युग्म)	"double" for the middle steps in Trivikrama	possibly Indian Indigenous: lam, mu UMa (rarely also for gam+bet Dra)
	युग्मक		Yugmaka (युग्मक)		possibly Indian Indigenous: iot+kap UMa

References: Shylaja and Venketeswara Pai, 2018