Part 1 - The Lore of the Constellations—Introduction

The lore of the constellations is found in the Naksatra-kalpa which is the first among the Parisistas of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension It is also counted among the five Kalpas of this Veda, the other four being the Santi-kalpa, the Vaitanakalpa, the Samhita-kalpa, and the Angirasa-kalpa. The Naksatra-Kalpa derives its name from the fact that it deals mainly with the ritual connected with the constellations. 1 The Naksatras are those luminaries' which lie on the path of the Moon² or of the Sun³. The Naksatras are considered to be the abodes of Gods". The Moon is said to have been 5 married to all of them; but as he lived with only one of them, namely the Rohini, the others got angry and complained (1) That the generic meaning of the word Naksatra is a 'luminary' is clear from its association with the Sun and the Moon. Cf. Taittiriya Samhita 1.8.13.3, Vajasaneya Samhita XXII.29; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 128.3. (2) Cf. Taittiriya Samhita III.4.5.1; Kathaka Samhita XXXV.15; XXXVII.12; Vajasaneya Samhita XXX.21; 39.2; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension V.24.10; Vedic Index 86.2; Satapatha Brahmana X.5.4.17; Taittiriya Aranyaka I.2.6; V.12.1; Kausika Sutra 135.9; Nirukta 5.21. Tilak, Arctic home in the Vedas, p.62. (3) Vajasaneya Samhita 23.43; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 10.3; Pancavimsa Brahmana X.1.1; Taittiriya Aranyaka IV.10.12. (4) Taittiriya Brahmana 1.5.2.6: devagrha vai naksatrani (5) Taittiriya Samhita II.3.5.1-3; Cf. also III.4.7.1; Kathaka Samhita XI.3; Cf. also XVIII.14. Vajasaneya Samhita XVIII.40; Satapatha Brahmana 3.4.1.9; Sad Br. 3.12 WYDE

305 to their father Daksa Prajapati. The latter cursed the Moon that he would suffer from consumption. This curse was, however, later modified at the Moon's having agreed to live in succession with each of the Naksatras. Hence the Moon wanes in one fortnight and waxes in the other. Weber is of the opinion that this legend proves that the Naksatras were regarded as of equal extent. But this would perhaps be pressing the implications of the legend too far The word Naksatra occurs in the Rgveda in various forms at eleven places. That Veda also mentions the names of the Agha and the Arjuni as also of Tisya. The later samhitas 11 (6) Cf. Mahabharata 9.34.38-70. (7) Vedische Nachrichten Von den Naxatra, p. 277; Also cf. Whitney, Oriental and Linguistic Studies , II p. 327; Tilak, Orion, pp. 33 f. (8) Cf. VI I, p.410. (9) 1.50.2; III.54.19; VII.81.2, 86.1; X.22.2, 85.2, 68.11, 88.13, 111,7 and 156.4. At Vedic Index 67.6 the word is used in masculine to denote the Sun. (10) X.85.13: arhasu hanyante gavo 'rjunyoh pary uhyate. (11) V.54.3; X.64.8. The former passage is taken by Sayana as referring to the Sun, and the latter to the constellation. Griffith agrees with Sayana (Transl. of the Rgveda , II p.473). The words Revati (rich) and Punarvasu (bringing wealth again) at X.19.1, however, do not seem to refer to the Naksatras. The 'hundred physicians' mentioned at 1.24.9 may be taken to represent the asterism of the Satabhisak. Cf. Orion, pp. 158-9.

306 show a closer acquaintance with the Naksatras and mention all of them in order 12 Though there are no two opinions regarding the meaning of the word Naksatra, the word is 13 variously derived. The Satapatha Brahmana says that they are so called because they have no power (na ksatra) as compared with the 14 Sun. The Taittiriya Brahmana derives it from the root naka (- to obtain). 15 16 The Nirukta gives both the etymologies. Panini explains Naksatra as that which does not move (na ksarati), in view of the fact that, as compared to the planets, the Naksatras 17 18 are stable. Aufretcht and Eggeling derive it as nakta + 19 tra (= guardians of the night) while Macdonell derives it as nak + ksatra (= having domain over the night). The number of the Naksatras is expressly stated to be 20 twenty-eight in the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension and their names too are serially (12) Indische Studien IV.4.10; Kathaka Samhita XXXIX.13; Vajasaneya Samhita IX.7; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7. (13) Satapatha Brahmana II.1.2.18-19: yani vai tani kamyavanna ve tani tatrapyabhuvanniti vade nani naksatratvam (14) Taittiriya Brahmana 1.5.2.5 ya va jiha yajate | asakam navate| tanna (15) III.20 naksatratvam| (16) Unadi Sutras, 3.105. (17) KZ VIII, p. 71-2; (18) English Transl. of Satapatha Brahmana , SBE XII, p.288, f.n. 2. (19) Vedic Grammar, p. 74 (20) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.8.2. Griffith (Transl. of the Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II, p.265, f.n. 1) and Whitney (Harvard Oriental Series VIII, p.907) emend the word turmisa occuring in Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7.1° to astavimsa.

307 given. The same number is mentioned in the Maitrayani Samhita 22 21 The other Vedic texts mentions only twenty-seven, dropping the Abhijit which comes after the Uttara Asadha and before the Sravana. It seems that 28 is the older number and the 23 Abhijit was dropped out in some texts either because it is far away (62° North) from the zodiac or because when the ecliptic was divided into twelve zodiacal signs, the 24 number twenty-seven was naturally found to be convenient (12 x 24). These numbers are significant because a lunar (21) II.13.20. (22) Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10.1-3; Kathaka Samhita XXXIX. 13; Vajasaneya Samhita IX.7; Satapatha Brahmana X.5.4.5; Taittiriya Brahmana I. 5.1.1-5; Pancavimsa Brahmana 23.23; Kausitaki Brahmana 5.1; Sankhayana Aranyaka II.16; Sankhayana Srauta Sutra 14.78. The Taittiriya Brahmana mentions the Abhijit later at 1.5.2.3 as follows: abhijin nama naksatram. uparistad asadhanam. avastat sronayai. Weber (Indische Studien X, pp. 224 f.) wrongly took this to refer to its position in the space. Cf. Whitney, Journal of the American Oriental Society VIII, p. 393. (23) It is suggested (VI I, p. 411) that the Abhijit was droppsed out because it is faint; but actually it is a star of the first magnitude: the end of Oriental and Linguistic Studies II by Whitney. See the chart given at Another suggestion is that the number was fixed at 27, because 27 was a mystic (3 x 3 x 3) number. (24) Ludwig. (Transl. of Rgveda III, p. 184) and Zimmer (Altindisches Leben, p. 354) see at Rgveda II.162.18 the number of constellations to be 27. The 34 ribs of the horse are understood to include 27 constellations, five planets, the Sun and the Moon.Cf. VI I, p. 410.

308 25 month consists of twenty-seven or twenty-eight days only. The Chinesa Sieou and the Arabic Manazil are twenty-eight in number 26 The list of the constellations begins with the 28 Krttikas in the Vedic texts as well as in the Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira and 27 later astrological works. The Naksatra-Kalpa also starts with the Arttikas and hence is otherwise called Krttika-Rohini 30 29 The Taittiriya Brahmana says that the sacred five should be set up for the Srauta ritual under the Krttikas, because they are the mouth 5 B 31 of the constellations. The Satapatha Brahmana adds another special reason for this, namely, that the Krttikas do not swerve from the east while the other stars do. According to Tilak the enumeration of the constellations beginning with the Krttikas must have started when the vernal equinox coincided (25) Latyayana Srauta Sutra 4.8.1; Nidana Sutras 5.11.22; Whitney, Oriental and Linguistic Studies II, p.350. (26). Whitney, op. cit., pp. 351-6, 409-11 where he refutes Weber's view that 27 was the original number. (27) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7; Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; VII.4.8; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.2; Satapatha Brahmana II.1.2.1- 19 etc. (28) Naksatravyuha, Chap. 15. Cf. Yajnavalkya Smrti 1.265: Krttikadi bharanyantah. (29) The colophon of Atharvaveda-Parisistas 1 reads: farfa aquff- nidhanam| krtikarohini samapta THRIT and at the end of 1 b: krtirohinimadhye paippalada mantrah | (30) 1.2.2.1: krtikagnimadadhita mukham va nannavani yat krtih | (31) II.1.2.3: jeta ha vai pracya diso na vyavante sarvani va anyani naksatrani pracye disacyavante|

309 with the Krttikas 33 32 at some period in the third millenium B.C. Thibaut differs on this point regarding the connection of the Krttikas with the equinox; but adds: "It is of course not impossible that the old lists of the Naksatras may have really come down from the time when Krttikas marked the place of the vernal equinox, not only approximately, but accurately, i.e. about 2300 B.C. Only we must clearly realize that, in that case, astronomical views must be supposed to have prevailed at that time which greatly differed from those of the Brahmana period; i.e. that people must have looked on the vernal equinox as really marking the beginning of the year." In this connection 34 Jacobi speaks of 'a year beginning with the rainy season, the most obvious and in general most regular division of time, from which the later Hindus called the year Varsa or abda (rain-giving)'. The T 35 says that the constellations from the Krttikas to the Visakhas are Deva-Naksatras and those from the Anuradhas to the Apabharanis are Yama-Naksatras. Yama is known to be the god of the south. It therefore, seems to be suggested by these names that the Sun is in the southern hemisphere in the constellations from the Anuradha (32) Orion, pp. 39 ff; The Arctic Home in the Vedas, pp. 44,62. Cf. Weber, Indische Studien X, p. 234. (33) Indian Antiquary 24, p. 96-7. (34) Indian Antiquary 23, p. 154. (35) I.5.2.1.

310 to the Bharani and in the northern hemisphere in the constellations from the Krttikas to the Visakha *36. The later list beginning with the Asvini was probably rearranged when the vernal equinox coincided on the border of the Revati and the Asvini in the course of the sixth century A.D.37. All the texts generally agree as regards the names of the constellations, except for a few changes or alternatives which perhaps indicate certain characteristics of the constellation. The Mrgasiras is known as Invaka the 39 -38 40 Ardra is called Bahu, the Pusya is called Tisya the -41 -42 Aslesa is called Asersa the Magha is known as Agha, the Phalguni is known as Arjuni 43 the Svati is called Mistya, (36) Orion, pp. 54 f. Jacobi (loc. cit) tries to prove that the two sets of the constellations lie between the two solstices. See contrarily VI,I,pp. 421-2. (37) Cf. Colebrooke, Miscellaneous Essays II, pp. 387 £. (38) Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.1; Kathaka Samhita XXXIX.13. (39) Kathaka Samhita loc. cit.; Satapatha Brahmana I.5.1.1. Cf. Oriental and Linguistic Studies II, pp. 401,403 f.n. 1. (40) Kathaka Samhita loc. cit.; Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.1.5 etc. (41) Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.4.7, Sankhayana Grhya sutra 1.26. (42) Rgveda X.85.13; Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIV.1.13; Taittiriya Brahmana 1.1.2.6-7; Satapatha Brahmana II.1.2.3; ApGS I.3.1; Khadira Grhya Sutra 8.1. Cf.Jacobi, Festeruss an Roth, p.69. (43) It is said (VI I, p.410) that the names Agha and Arjuni are deliberately changed in the W; but this is hardly plausible. The Magha is mentioned as Anagha even in the Taittiriya Brahmana (III.1.4.8) and Arjuni is said to be the secret name of the Phalguni in the Satapatha Brahmana (II.1.2.11: yad asya guhyam nama arjunyah). (44) Taittiriya Brahmana 1.5.2.3; III.1.5.13; Kathaka Samhita , loc. cit.

311 45 the Visakha is called Radha, the Jyestha is known as 47 Jyesthaghni or Rohini the Muta is called Mulabarhani 46 49 or Vierta and the Sravana is called Srona 52 48 50 or Asvatha 51 The Taittiriya Brahmana gives some sort of mythological explanation for the names of the Yama-Naksatras. from the Anuradha to the Apabharani: The gods said, "We have overcome (anu aratsma) the demons"; hence it is called Anuradha. "We have killed the greatest (jyestham avadhisma)"; hence it is called Jyesthashni. "We have uprooted (mulam avrksama); hence it is called Mulabarhani. "They could not bear us (na asahanta); hence it is called Asadha. "They are collectively beaten (aslonat)"; hence it is called Srona. The group of demons heard (asrot) under this constellation the censure by 53 (45) Kausika Sutra 106.7, Cf. Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XIX.7.3, Amarakosa 1.3.23. (46) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.8.1; Vedic Index 110.2; Taittiriya Brahmana 1.5.2.8. (47) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 110.2; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.4; Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10. (48) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension Vedic Index 110.2; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.2.8. (49) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension II.8.1; Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10. (50) Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.2.5-6. (51) Kathaka Samhita XXXIX.13. (52) 1.5.2.8-9. Cf. the comm. of Madhava on the Taittiriya Brahmana : atha nirvacanamukhena yamanaksatranamavamatvam darsayati| (53) Cf. Comm. of Madhava on Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.2.9: ti dhatuh samghaci yasmin naksatre praharasamgha surejyamut tasya srapeti nama rnamiti | kivyavaharah |

312 gods; hence it is called Sravistha 54. The hundreds (satam) of wounds inflicted by the demons were easily treated (abhisajyam) by the gods; hence it is called Satabhisak. They raised (ud ayacchanta) 55 their arms under the Prosthapadas; they roared (aravanta) under the Rohini; they yoked horses (asvan yojitavantah) on the Asvayuk; the demons lost (apavahan) their lives on the Apabharani. The old texts generally agree as regards the deity or deities presiding over each constellation. Agni is the deity of the Krttikas, possibly because fire was enkindled for sacrifice under this constellation" 56. Prajapati is the deity of Rohini, and the Aitareya Brahmana gives a legend regarding their relation. Brhaspati is the dety of the Pusya because he was born under it' 58. The Aslesa is presided over by Sarpa because the 59 celestial serpent Kaliya (Hydra) is cluse to that constellation' The Pitrs are the deity of the Magha, because under 60 that constellation the Sun turned southwards from the tropic of Cancer and oblations were offered to the names who are supposed to reside in the south. There is some (54) 1 b 2 d: dhanistheti ko kikavyavaharah (55) Some derivations are hardly appropriate. (56) Taittiriya Brahmana I.1.2.1; Satapatha Brahmana II.1.2.3. (57) III.33. See under 'The Rohini' (p. 324). (58) Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.5.5. (59) See the chart at the end of the Surya Siddhanta, ed. by Whitney. (60) Cf. Orion, p. 54: Summer solstice in the Maghaand and Vernal equinox in the Krttikas.

313 indefiniteness about Bhaga and Aryaman presiding respectively over the Purva and the Uttara Phalguni. The Kathaka Samhita and the .61 63 62 interBS agree with the Naksatra-Kalpa in assigning Bhaga to the Purva and Aryaman to the Uttara Phalguni, while other texts change the position. Trastr is known to be the presiding deity of the Citra though the Taittiriya Samhita and the Taittiriya Brahmana mention Indra as the deity. The Naksatra-Kalpa mentions Mahadeva in company with Indra as the deity of the Jyestha; but Mahadeva is not mentioned in other texts. Ahi Budhnya and Nirrti are mentioned as the deities of the Mula in the Naksatra-Kalpa while the 64 65 Taittiriya Brahmana 66 Kathaka Samhita mentions Nirrrti only to be the deity and the Taittiriya Samhita mentions the Pitrs as the deity. The Naksatra-Kalpa mentions Indra and Varuna as the deities of the Satabhisak while the Taittiriya Samhita and the .67 mention only Indra and the Kathaka Samhita mentions only Varuna. The Naksatra-Kalpa mentions Disah together with Aja Ekapad as the deity of the Purva Prosthapada, while the other texts do not mention Disah. In the Naksatra-Kalpa Aditya is said to be the deity of (61) Kathaka Samhita XXXIX.13; Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 14.10; Naksatra-Kalpa 4.3. (62) Indische Studien IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.1.7; 1.4.9; Satapatha Brahmana I.5.1.2. However the Satapatha Brahmana (II.1.2.11) says: eta va indra-naksatram yat phalgunyah. (63) Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.3. (64) Naksatra-Kalpa 4.5; Kathaka Samhita , loc. cit: Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.2.2 also mentions Nirrti. (65) Taittiriya Samhita , loc. cit. (66) Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.5. Varuna should not be left out as he has the medicinal powers which are also associated with the Satabhisak. (See under the Satabhisak'). (67) Kathaka Samhita , loc. cit; Taittiriya Brahmana III.1.2.7 also mentions Varuna. Cf. Rgveda I.24.9.

314 68 the Uttara Prosthapada while the other texts mention Ahi Budhnya as the deity. In spite of these differences regarding the names of the constellations as also regarding the divinities to whom they are said to belong, it must be pointed out that there was in Indra a definite zodiacal system, that there was a perfect basic unity underlying the apparent diversities. As 69 Whitney rightly observes, variations are, within certain limits, allowable and reconciliable with the maintenance of the integrity of the system. He even suggests that they may come to be the evidence of its unaltered identity. According to that scholar mere variations of name, certainly in a language so fertile of scientific synonyms as in the Sanskrit, are not to be taken as even prima facie evidence of variation of position. He thinks that non-agreement in respect to the divinities selected as regents of the groups is of even less consequence 70. It is undeniable that, in the Brahmanas, we approach pretty near the beginnings of the Naksatra system in India and as no particular reason can be made out for the selection of one deity rather than another as lord of a particular asterism, we may, with every reason, (68) Naksatra-Kalpa 4.7; Taittiriya Samhita IV.4.10; Taittiriya Brahmana I.5.1.5; III.1.2.9; Kathaka Samhita , loc. cit.; Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 15.24. (69) "The Lunar zodiac", Oriental and Linguistic Studies , p. 399. Weber (op. cit. p. 376) points out that one name of a constellation belongs to its pictorial representation while another indicates its astrological aspect. (70) ibid. p. 401.

315 suppose that for a time, at least, more or less discordance in the choice would be found. In the Naksatra-Kalpa the constellations are grouped together in three principal ways: 1) according to their extent over the various parts of the day and the night (5); 2) according to their association, presumably for ritualistic purposes, with Agni, Aditya etc. (12.17); and 3) according to the quarters to which they belong (27-30). 1) (a) The Krttika, the Magha, the Mula, the Purva Phalguni, the Purva Asadha, and the Purva Prostha pada these six constellations belong to the former part of the day (ahah purvani). (b) The Ardra, the Satabhigak, the Svati, the Aslesa, the Bharani and the Jyestha belong to the night (naktambhagani). (c) The Punarvasu, the Visakha, the Uttara Phalguni, the Uttara Asadha, the Uttara Prosthapada and the Rohini belong to either wings of the night (ratrim ubhayatah paksau). (d) The Mrgasiras, the Pusya, the Hasta, the Citra, the Auradha, the Sravana, the sravistha, the Revati and the Asvini these nine belong to

316 the first part of the night (ratripurvani) The Abhijit is said to belong to a muhurta. The first group is said to belong to the former portion (purastat) while the last one to the later portion (uparistat). Naturally the remaining two must be regarded as belonging to the middle portion. The constellations which belong to the purastat portion are related to the future, those which belong to the uparistat portion are related to the past; those which belong to either wings and those which belong to the night are related to the present. Thus it will be seen that six constellations belong to the future, twelve to the present and nine to the past (Naksatra-Kalpa 5.7). 2) (a) The first nine constellations from the Krttika to the Purva Phalguni are mystically connected with Agni, Day and Night, in whose honour a rite is to be performed for prosperity. (71) Weber (op. cit. p. 391) points out that according to the calculation of Carga and Brahmagupta the six constellations in 1 c above cover 20° each (20 x 6 = 120); the six constellations in 1 b cover 6 2/3° each (6 x 6 2/3 = 40); and the remaining fifteen constellations in 1 a and 1 d together cover 13 1/3° each (15 x 13 1/3 = 200). The 360 degrees of the whole day are thus covered by all the constellations.

meli 317 (b) The next nine constellations beginning from the Uttara Phalguni and ending with the Purva Asadha are similarly connected with Aditya, the bright fortnight and the dark fortnight. (c) The third group of ten constellations from the Uttara Phalguni to the Bharani is connected 72 with (probably the Moon and) the full-moonnight and the new-moon-night. Some other groups consisting of the Vedas, Vedanras and the other literature associated mystically with the year, heat as well as cold; and the vital airs and the senses associated with 'name' and 'form' are given (15-16). 3) (a) The seven constellations from the Krttika to Aslesa face towards the east. (b) The seven constellations from the Magha to the Visakha face towards the south. (c) The seven constellations from the Anuradha to the Sravana face towards the west. (d) The seven constellations from the Sravistha to the Bharani face towards the north. It is recommended that for the sake of success and prosperity one should proceed in that particular direction which is ruled over by the Naksatra of that day. (72) Cf. candro vai ratryah punyaham. (Naksatra-Kalpa 24.9).

318 Certain ceremonies are mentioned for securing punyaha (auspiciousness) of the day and of the night. The Sun helps to secure the punyaha of the day, the Moon of the night, and the Brahmana of both. Hence a person desirous of an auspicious day should, under any of the constellations associated with the Sun (2 b above), offer an oblation with the mantra: visasahim sahamanam .73. If he is desirous of an auspicious night, he should, under any of the constellations associated with the Moon (2° above), offer on oblation with the mantra: yad rajanam 74. A person desirous of auspicious day and night should act according to the advice of a Brahmana. In the Parisistas we come also across other divisions of the constellations. For instance, Atharvaveda-Parisistas 56 divides the 27 constellations into nine groups of three constellations each begenning with the Krttikas, and assigns each triad to the centre and the eight directions of the earth which is conceived as a tortoise. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 57 divides the 28 constellations into four circles of seven each, belonging to Agni, Vayu, Varuna and Mahendra. The constellations in the circle of Agni are: the Visakha, the Krttika, the Pusya, the Purva Prosthapada, the Bharani, the Magha and the Purva Phalguni. The constellations in the circle belonging to Vayu are: the Hasta, the Asvins, the Citra, the Uttara Phalguni, the (73) Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension XVII.1.1-5 (74) Atharvaveda, Paippalada recension XIX.24.16.

319 Abhinit, the Mrgasiras and the Svati. In the circle relating to Varuna are the constellations: the Ardra, the Aslesa, the Mula, the Purva Asadha, the Satabhisak, the Revati and the Hasta. The seven constellations: the Jyestha, the Anuradha, the Sravana, the sravistha, the Punarvasu, the Rohini and the Uttara Asadha are included in the circle belonging to Mahendra. Some of the constellations are specially referred to by the Parisistas as auspicious for certain ceremonies. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 31.5.2 states that the Kotihoma should be performed under one of the constellations: the Rohini, the Sravana, the Citra, the Revati, the Anuradha, the Uttara Phalguni, the Uttara Asadha, the Uttara Prosthapada, the Abhijit, the Pusya and the Mrgasiras. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 33.4.1 mentions the constellations: the Pusya, the Rohini the Mrga, the Sravana, the Revati, the Uttara Phalguni, the Uttara Asadha and the Uttara Prosthapada as proper for Chrtakambala. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 65.2.5 mentions the constellations: the Citra, the Visakha, the Svati, the Krttika, the Asadha, the Mula and the Bharani in connection with immediate rain-fall. The astrological division of the constellations by the Santi-Kalpa into seven groups such as sadharana, dhruva, mrdu etc. 75. has already been noted above (75) Cf. Santi-Kalpa II.1-5. The Santi-Kalpa (II.6.1-5) assigns particular colours to certain constellations. According to it, the Krttika, the Purva Phalguni, the Uttara Phalguni, the Hasta, the Revati and the Anuradha are red. The