
Punarvasu is a
Nakshatra
Nakshatra () is the term for Lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Buddhist astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a prominent star or asterisms in or near the respective s ...
in
Hindu astrology, which refers to the two brightest
star
A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by Self-gravitation, self-gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night sk ...
s in the constellation of
Gemini
Gemini most often refers to:
* Gemini (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac
* Gemini (astrology), an astrological sign
Gemini may also refer to:
Science and technology Space
* Gemini in Chinese astronomy, the Gemini constellat ...
:
Castor
Castor most commonly refers to:
*Castor (star), a star in the Gemini constellation
*Castor, one of the Dioscuri/Gemini twins Castor and Pollux in Greco-Roman mythology
Castor or CASTOR may also refer to:
Science and technology
*Castor (rocket s ...
and
Pollux.
Astrology
Punarvasu extends from 20 degrees 00 minutes of Mithun (Gemini) to 03 degrees 20 minutes of Karka (Cancer).
Astrological significance
In Hindu astrology, Punarvasu is ruled by
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
(Guru) and symbolized by a quiver of arrows, signifying renewal, restoration, and return. Its presiding deity is Aditi, the mother of the gods, representing nurturing, abundance, and universal support. This
nakshatra
Nakshatra () is the term for Lunar mansion in Hindu astrology and Buddhist astrology. A nakshatra is one of 27 (sometimes also 28) sectors along the ecliptic. Their names are related to a prominent star or asterisms in or near the respective s ...
is associated with optimism, resilience, and the ability to recover from adversity.
[Frawley, David (1994). ''Nakshatras: The Lunar Mansions of Vedic Astrology''. Lotus Press. ISBN 978-0914955977.]
Ramayana
Punarvasu is the birth nakshatra of Lord
Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
:
The word Punarvasu is derived from Puna+ Vasu, which means return, renewal, restoration or repetition. The 12 Adityas were born of
Kashyapa
Kashyapa (, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, along with the other Sa ...
in the womb of
Aditi
Aditi (Sanskrit: अदिति, lit. 'boundless' or 'limitless' or 'innocence') is an important Vedic goddess in Hinduism.
She is the personification of the sprawling infinite and vast cosmos. She is the goddess of motherhood, consciousne ...
. The 12 Adityas are
Indra
Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes
Indra is the m ...
, Vaga,
Vayu
Vayu (; ), also known as Vata () and Pavana (), is the Hindu deities, Hindu god of the winds as well as the divine messenger of the gods. In the ''Vedic scriptures'', Vayu is an important deity and is closely associated with Indra, the king o ...
, Twasta,
Varuna
Varuna (; , ) is a Hindu god. He is one of the earliest deities in pantheon, whose role underwent a significant transformation from the Vedic to the Puranic periods. In the early Vedic era, Varuna is seen as the god-sovereign, ruling the sky ...
, Aryama, Pusa, Mitra,
Agni
Agni ( ) is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of fire. As the Guardians of the directions#Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ("Guardians of Eight Directions"), guardian deity of the southeast direction, he is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. ...
, Parjyanya, Vivaswan and Dinakar. The mother Aditi of whom the Gods are born is the repository of everything good-truth, generosity, magnanimity, purity, aristocracy, beauty and renown. It follows that this star is the cause for these virtues. To start afresh after having once broken off, to start a new life, to come back from a distant land-all. Punarvasu signifies these. It stands for freedom from restriction and limitation, and boundless space.
Naming convention
By the traditional Hindu principle of naming babies according to their Ascendant/Lagna nakshatra, the first names should start with the following Sanskrit letters for those who are born under the Nakshatra: Punarvasu or Punarpoosam.
*Ke (pronounced as in "Kesari")
*Ko (pronounced as in "Kopperuncholan")
*Ha (pronounced as in Ha-ra) for example Harika, Harini, Harshitha, Harish, Haritha, etc.
*Hi (pronounced as in "Hiranyakashipu")
See also
*
List of Nakshatras
In Indian astronomy, Ancient Indian astronomy, there are 27 ''nakshatras'' , or sectors along the ecliptic. A list of them is first found in the ''Vedanga Jyotisha'', a text dated to the final centuries BCE. The ''Nakṣatra'' system predates the i ...
References
Gemini (constellation)
Nakshatra
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