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Comparison of Vedic period star name identities from R. H. Allen’s "Star names- Their lore & meaning" of circa 1899 with "Names of Stars from the period of Vedas" from 1999.

Vrishba or Taurus

- The figure shows the constellations, Orion, Vrishabha or Taurus (and a part of Mithuna or Gemini) consisting of Krittika (75%in Vrishabha), Rohini (100%in Vrishabha) and Mrigashira (50%in Vrishabha) . Their ranges, from table 1, are shown as vertical lines.

- In the figure, Rohini is identified as Al Debaran with four other stars both by R.H. Allen (Ref –1 Pages 292/392) and Balakrishna (Ref-2). However, R.H.Allen (ref 1 , page 366) also calls Jyestha as Rohini, because of its color.

- Balakrishna identifies ElNath-Taurus b, as Migashira (meaning animal head in Sanskrit). However, R.H.Allen calls the three belt stars of Orion constellation– Mintaka (Ori 50z) , AlNitak(Ori 46x) and AlNilam(Ori 34d) as Mrigahsira in pages 366,384 and 389 of reference-1. These are marked in blue ellipse. Allen’s reasoning is that constellation Orion looks like a hunter (Mriga Vyadha-in Sanskrit is Animal Hunter) with left arm at Bellatrix holding the bow and left shoulder Betelgeuse as Aardhra. If we consider the animal at which hunter is shooting as Taurus, Mrigashira should stand for head of that animal. Hence Identity of ElNath as Mrigashira by Balakrishna appears more logical, as it does look like head of the Taurus. Also, R.H.Allen’s Mrigashira is nearly 25 degrees away from the ecliptic.

- R.H.Allen calls Betelgeuse as Aardhra, Ori-58a (ref-1 page 311) while Balarkishna proposes that AlHena is best identified as Aardhra. Separation between R.H.Allen’s Mrigashira and Aardhra is only about 5 degrees along the ecliptic, while Jyotishya requires an average of 13.3 degrees. The green lines show the range of each Nakshathra as currently used. Balakrishna’s proposed star names occur within these ranges, while R.H.Allen’s identities do not.


 

 

 
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