Purvaphalguni, aka: Pūrvaphalgunī, Purva-phalguni; 8 Definition(s)
Introduction
Purvaphalguni means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Pūrvaphalgunī (पूर्वफल्गुनी):—Name for a particular section of the ecliptic. It is also known as Pūrvaphalgunīnakṣatra. Nakṣatra means “Lunar mansion” and corresponds to a specific region of the sky through which the moon passes each day. Pūrvaphalgunī means “the first (reddish) one” and is associated with the deity known as Bhaga (God of love). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Śukra (Venus).
Indian zodiac: |13°20'| – |26°40' Siṃha|
Siṃha (सिंह, “lion”) corresponds with Leo.
Western zodiac: |9°20'| – |22°40' Virgo|
Virgo corresponds with Kanyā (कन्या, “girl”).

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Pūrvaphalgunī (पूर्वफल्गुनी) is the Sanskrit name for an asterism (Delta-Leonis). According to the Nāṭyaśāstra 3.14-15, the master of the dramatic art (nāṭyācārya) should perform raṅgapūjā after offering pūjā to the Jarjara (Indra’s staff). Accordingly, “After proceeding thus according to rules and staying in the phayhouse for the night, he should begin pūjā as soon as it is morning. This pūjā connected with the stage should take place under the asterism Ārdrā, Maghā, Yāmyā, Pūrvaphalgunī, Pūrvāṣāḍhā, Pūrvabhādrapadā, Aśleṣā or Mūlā”.
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).
Vastushastra (architecture)
Pūrvaphālguṇī (पूर्वफाल्गुणी) refers to the eleventh of twenty-seven constellations (ṛkṣa), according to the Mānasāra. Ṛkṣa is the third of the āyādiṣaḍvarga, or “six principles” that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.
The particular nakṣatra, also known as ṛkṣa (eg., pūrvaphālguṇī) of all architectural and iconographic objects (settlement, building, image) must be calculated and ascertained. This process is based on the principle of the remainder. An arithmetical formula to be used in each case is stipulated, which engages one of the basic dimensions of the object (breadth, length, or perimeter/circumference). In the context of village planning and measurement, the text sates that among the stars (ṛkṣa), the ones that are pūrṇa (odd), are auspicious and the ones that are karṇa (even), inauspicious.
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstra
Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Pūrvaphālgunī (पूर्वफाल्गुनी) refers to one of the twenty-seven constellations (nakṣatra) according to according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XIV).—Pūrvaphālgunī is the Sanskrit equivalent of Chinese Tchang, Tibetan Gre and modern Leonis.
Pūrvaphālgunī is classified in the first group: “The moon revolves around the earth in 28 days. If the moon enters one of the six following constellations (eg., Pūrvaphālgunī), then at that moment, the earth trembles (bhūmicala) as if it would collapse, this shaking extends up to the god of fire (Agni). Then there is no more rain, the rivers dry up, the year is bad for grain, the emperor (T’ien tseu) is cruel and the great ministers are evil”.
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
pūrvāphalgunī (पूर्वाफल्गुनी).—f (S) The first of the two lunar asterisms called Phalguni, and the eleventh of the whole.
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarypūrvāphālgunī (पूर्वाफाल्गुनी).—f The Same as pūrvā.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-EnglishMarathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Pūrvaphalgunī (पूर्वफल्गुनी).—the eleventh lunar mansion containing two stars. °भवः (bhavaḥ) an epithet of the planet Jupiter.
Pūrvaphalgunī is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms pūrva and phalgunī (फल्गुनी).
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPūrvaphalgunī (पूर्वफल्गुनी) or Pūrvvaphalgunī.—f. (-nī) The eleventh lunar asterism; the first Phalguni, the twelfth Nakshatra, being termed Uttara or subsequent; this asterism figured by a couch contains two stars, one of which is the Leonis. E. pūrva first, and phalgunī the name of the two asterisms.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Relevant definitions
Search found 381 related definition(s) that might help you understand this better. Below you will find the 15 most relevant articles:
Purvashadha | Pūrvāṣāḍhā (पूर्वाषाढा).—Name of the 2th lunar mansion consisting of two stars. Pūrvāṣāḍhā is a... | |
Purva | Pūrva.—(IE 7-1-2), sometimes used to indicate ‘fourteen’. Note: pūrva is defined in the “Indian... | |
Purvarupa | Pūrvarūpa (पूर्वरूप) or Pūrvvarūpa.—n. (-paṃ) 1. Indication of some approaching change. 2. Rete... | |
Purvabhadrapada | Pūrvabhādrapadā (पूर्वभाद्रपदा) or Pūrvvabhādrapadā.—f. (-dā) The first of the two lunar asteri... | |
Purvapada | Pūrvapada (पूर्वपद) or Pūrvvapada.—n. (-daṃ) The first member of a compounded word, of a senten... | |
Purvapaksha | Pūrvapakṣa (पूर्वपक्ष).—1) the fore-part or side. 2) the first half of a lunar month; सर्वं पूर... | |
Uttaraphalguni | Uttaraphālgunī (उत्तरफाल्गुनी).—f. (-nī) The twelfth lular mansion containing two stars, figure... | |
Phalguni | Phālguṇī (फाल्गुणी) is the name of a festival that once existed in ancient Kashmir (Kaśmīra) as... | |
Purvottara | Pūrvottara (पूर्वोत्तर).—a. north-eastern. -rā the north-east. -re dual) the preceding and foll... | |
Purvaratra | Pūrvarātra (पूर्वरात्र) or Pūrvvarātra.—m. (-traḥ) The first part of the night. E. pūrva preced... | |
Purvaranga | Pūrvaraṅga (पूर्वरङ्ग).—the commencement or prelude of a drama, the prologue; यन्नाठ्यवस्तुनः प... | |
Purvashaila | Pūrvaśaila (पूर्वशैल) or Pūrvvaśaila.—m. (-laḥ) The eastern mountain, behind which the sun is s... | |
Anyapurva | Anyapūrvā (अन्यपूर्वा) or Anyapūrvvā.—f. (-rvā) A girl previously promised or betrothed to one ... | |
Purvabhyasa | Pūrvābhyāsa (पूर्वाभ्यास) or Pūrvvābhyāsa.—m. (-saḥ) Former practice, or experience. E. pūrva, ... | |
Purvavada | Pūrvavāda (पूर्ववाद) or Pūrvvavāda.—n. (-daṃ) A former plaint or averment. E. pūrva former, and... |
Relevant text
Search found 8 books and stories containing Purvaphalguni, Pūrvaphalgunī or Purva-phalguni. You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
Appendix 3 - List of 28 yogatārās (chief stars) of the constellations (nakṣatras)
Chapter 98 - On the constellations (nakṣatra-karmaguṇa)
Chapter 102 - On the division of the Zodiac into signs (rāśi-vibhāga)
Middle Chola Temples (by S. R. Balasubrahmanyam)
Rajadhiraja I (a.d. 1018-1054) < [Chapter V - Successors of Rajendra I (a.d. 1018 to 1070)]
The Mahabharata - First Book (by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa)
Section VIII < [Pauloma Parva]
The Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter CXXXVII - The Damanaka Tryodasi Vratas < [Brihaspati (Nitisara) Samhita]
Chapter LIX - Discourses on Astrology < [Agastya Samhita]
The Natyashastra (by Bharata-muni)
The Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 24 - The arrangement of the heavenly luminaries < [Section 2 - Anuṣaṅga-pāda]