Punarvasu: Difference between revisions
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Punarvasu
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[[File:7 Punarvasu stellarium.gif|thumb|Punarvasu, 7th Nakshatra, mapped to the Stellarium star chart.]] | [[File:7 Punarvasu stellarium.gif|thumb|Punarvasu, 7th Nakshatra, mapped to the Stellarium star chart.]] | ||
Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु), "the twin-restorers of goods", is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it. It is an asterism consisting of four stars, the brightest ones being alpha and beta Geminorum | Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु), "the twin-restorers of goods", is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it. It is an asterism consisting of four stars, the brightest ones being alpha and beta Geminorum. | ||
==Etymology and History== | ==Etymology and History== | ||
'''Name Variants''' | '''Name Variants''' | ||
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* Yamakau ("the two chariots") | * Yamakau ("the two chariots") | ||
* Aditerbha | * Aditerbha | ||
=== Origin of Constellation === | === Origin of Constellation === | ||
Revision as of 16:42, 30 October 2025


Punarvasu (पुनर्वसु), "the twin-restorers of goods", is an Indian name, used by the Indian Vedic tradition. Most of these names are roughly 3000 years old. They pre-date Hinduism but were taken over by it. It is an asterism consisting of four stars, the brightest ones being alpha and beta Geminorum.
Etymology and History
Name Variants
- Punarvasu (the two restorers),
- Yamakau ("the two chariots")
- Aditerbha
Origin of Constellation
The name of the constellations is grammatically a dual, so it points to two similar stars/ asterisms. This way, it equals the idea of the Greco-Roman and Mesopotamian Twin-constellation where two bright stars head two similar, parallel chains of stars.
4 stars: α, β Geminorum are certain; the other two might be ε, ζ Gem
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
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Punarvasu, 10th century CE
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Display of all 28th nakshatras in silver arch with candles in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
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Display of all 28th nakshatras in a door frame in Tirupperunthurai (Athmanathaswamy temple) near Aranthangi, India, 10th century CE. (SMH 2025).
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Punarvasu, Tibetean
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Punarvasu, Chinese
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Punarvasu as reconstructed by Jones (1720).
Mythology
mnemonic tales and cultural significance
Weblinks
References
- References (general)






