The concept of Nakshatra, the Lunar mansions, which are the twenty-seven divisions of the Sky according to Hindu astronomy, dates back four millennia. The Panchang system of calendar is based on the transits of the Sun, Moon, and the planets in the Nakshatras. The accuracy of the Panchang calendar, which predicts the occurrence of Eclipses, is a topic of wonder. However, the etymology of the word Nakshatra is shrouded in mystery.

I will clarify the etymology of the word Nakshatra in this post. While most people assume Nakshatra to be a reference to a star, Hindu astronomers, such as Bhaskaracharya called stars as Tara. They used the term nakshatra to refer only to the twenty-seven divisions of the Sky. Chinese astronomers called these as Lunar mansions. People quote one verse from the Bhagavad Gita to claim equivalence between the terms Nakshatra and Tara. This is a confusion. I will explain it towards the end of the post. First, let us understand the origin of the word Nakshatra.

We can draw the first clue about the etymology from the Panchang calendar. Nakshatra position of the Moon is one of five values in the Panchang. The Panchange displays these five values for each day of the month. The five correspond to the Maha-Bhuta elements in Vedic science. Nakshatra corresponds to the Space element. It refers to a distinct direction in Space or the Sky. Many people are aware that the Thithi, or phase of the Moon, corresponds to the water element, while the weekday is associated with the fire element. Similarly, the Air Element corresponds to Nitya Yoga in Panchang. Most practicing Hindus are familiar with the concept of the five values shown in a Panchang. They decide annual festivals and auspicious hours from the Panchang. Yet, no one seems to know the word’s etymology, the origin of the name Nakshatra.

Sanskrit roots of the word Nakshatra

Nakshatra has three parts Na-ksha-tra. Let us consider each of them and draw some clues. The clues can tell the logic behind associating Nakshatras with Space element. A common negation prefix in the Sanskrit language is Na. What is it negating in the word Nakshatra? It negates the next part of the word. Ksha, the second part of the word is from the Sanskrit root kshar. A Sanskrit dictionary provides several meanings for the root, including flow, glide, melt away, perish, flow with, and abound in. The combination of Na and Ksha refers to the avoidance of leakage or depletion of energy. What is this energy? We will learn about it later. First, let us understand the role of the third part, namely, the suffix Tra in the word Nakshatra.

Grammarian Panini defined the role of affixes in his famous work. Some of these affixes come from the Vedic times. The affix Tra is one of them. Tra is indicative of a container. Panini gives the example of the word Paatra, a vessel. One more example is Dhaatri. Dhaatri refers to a mother who is as an embodiment of life-supporting energy. The affix Tra in Nakshatra refers to a holder. Nakshtra holds undiminishing energy from a well-bound region of the Sky. The last question is, what is this energy? Does it vary from one area of the Sky to another?

Verse 10.21 from the Gita

Vedic mantras from an early period of the Indus civilization celebrate twenty-seven Devas. These Devas are the rulers of the twenty-seven Nakshatra regions of the sky. A planet transiting a Nakshtra region, transforms and retransmits the Deva energy as the planetary vibration. The moon is a powerful transmitter too. The position of the Moon at the time of a person’s birth is important because the Moon redirects the corresponding Nakshtra’s influence. Understanding the Etymology of the word Nakshatra solves many mysteries such as the following verse in the Bhagavad Gita.

आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्ज्योतिषां रविरंशुमान् |
मरीचिर्मरुतामस्मि नक्षत्राणामहं शशी || 10.21||
ādityānām ahaṁ viṣhṇur jyotiṣhāṁ ravir anśhumān
marīchir marutām asmi nakṣhatrāṇām ahaṁ śhaśhī

The above verse highlights the critical role of Shashi, the Moon, visa vis, the Nakshatra. Without any transiting planets, the Sun or the Moon, Nakshatras bear no influence on time. It is important to understand the verses in the Bhagavad Gita properly. Gurudev Sri Sri ravishankar emphasizes the important of knowing the Bhagavad Gita before analyzing stories in the Puranas.