Matrcakra: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 16:39, 18 May 2026
Authors: Susanne M Hoffmann, Shylaja B S
Mātṛcakra (मातृचक्र), is an Indian name for Corona Borealis .[1]
Matrichakra is an English phonetic, simplified spelling that served for the adoption of the term as a star name for one of the stars in Corona Borealis. As a modern star name adopted by the International Astronomical Union in the IAU-Catalog of Star Names (IAU-CSN), it is the name of the star δ CrB in constellation Corona Borealis.
Concordance, Etymology, History
Variants
- Mātrīcakra
- Matrichakra
- Mātṛmanḍala (मातृमन्डल )
All these terms are synonymous; Manḍala and Cakra both mean "circular" or "circle". This is not be confused with viśākhā of the 27 nakshatras.
Origin of Constellation
On early modern Indian astrolabes, the individual stars are listed with coordinates with this name included. In fact, the constellation is marked as Viśākhā Mātṛmanḍala abbreviated as vi ma on some astrolabes. The pointer tip is for α CrB (Alphecca), but this only marks the brightest star of the asterism. Therefore, it is assumed that the name refers to a single star. The word mandala signifies a group, a circular arrangement.
The example of the globe from 18th century shows the name and the the stars of Corona Borealis marked.
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
-
The astrolabe C022 dated 1720 has the marker with the abbreviation vi ma for viśākhāmātṛmanḍala -
Matrichakra on globe in Jaipur (18th century) with the full name.
Religion/ Tales/ Mythology
The word matr refers to the mother. Since this is a mandala, it is a group of mothers. The word visakha refers to another deity, Skanda, with six faces. Therefore, putting the words together, we may gather that these were the six mothers who nourished the six-headed baby. However, the same story is told in the context of Krttika, Pleiades. In the absence of any chart of an earlier period (maybe this was in use at the beginning of the millennium), this remains a speculation
Weblinks
References
- References (general)
- ↑ R. Venketeswara Pai and B. S. Shylaja (2016) "Measurement of coordinates of Nakśatras in Indian astronomy" (Sarvasiddhāntarāja by Nityānanda, 1639 CE)
