Nakkhatta (nt.) [Ved. nakṣatra collect. formation from naktiḥ & naktā=Gr. nu/c, Lat. nox, Goth. nahts, E.

night=the nightly sky, the heavenly bodies of the night, as opposed to the Sun: ādicco tapataŋ mukhaŋ Vin i.246] the stars or constellations, a conjunction of the moon with diff. constellations, a lunar mansion or the constellations of the lunar zodiac, figuring also as Names of months & determinant factors of horoscopic and other astrological observation; further a celebration of the beginning of a new month, hence any kind of festival or festivity. -- The recognised number of such lunar mansions is 27, the names of which as given in Sk. sources are the same in Pāli, with the exception of 2 variations (Assayuja for Aśvinī, Satabhisaja for Śatatāraka). Enumd at Abhp. 58 -- 60 as follows: Assayuja [Sk. Aśvinī] Bharaṇī, Kattikā, Rohiṇī, Magasiraŋ [Sk. Mṛgaśīrṣa] Addā [Sk. Ārdrā], Punabbasu, Phussa [Sk. Puṣya], Asilesā, Maghā, Pubba -- phaggunī [Sk. Pūrva -- phalgunī). Uttara˚, Hattha, Cittā [Sk. Chaitra], Sāti [Svātī], Visākhā, Anurādhā, Jeṭṭhā, Mūlaŋ, Pubb -- āsāḷha [˚āṣāḍha], Uttar˚, Savaṇa, Dhaniṭṭhā, Satabhisaja [Śatatāraka], Pubba -- bhaddapadā, Uttara˚, Revatī. -- It is to be pointed out that the Niddesa speaks of 28 N. instead of 27 (Nd1 382: aṭṭhavīsati nakkhattāni), a discrepancy which may be accounted by the fact that one N. (the Orion) bore 2 names, viz. Mṛgaśīrṣa & Agrahayanī (see Plunkett, Ancient Calendars etc. p. 227 sq.). -- Some of these Ns. are more familiar & important than others, & are mentioned more frequently, e. g. Āsāḷha (Āsālhi˚) J i.50 & Uttarāsāḷha J i.63, 82; Kattikā & Rohiṇī SnA 456. -- nakkhattaŋādisati to augur from the stars, to set the horoscope Nd1 382; oloketi to read the stars, to scan the constellations J i.108, 253; ghoseti to proclaim (shout out) the new month (cp. Lat. calandae fr. cālāre to call out, scil. mensem), and thereby announce the festivity to be celebrated J i.250; n. ghuṭṭhaŋ J i.50, 433; sanghuṭṭhaŋ PvA 73; ghositaŋ VvA 31; kīḷati to celebrate a (nakkhatta -- ) festival J i.50, 250; VvA 63; DhA i.393 (cp. ˚kīḷā below). n. ositaŋ the festival at an end J i.433. -- nakkhatta (sg.) a constellation Sn 927; collect. the stars Vv 811 (cando nparivārito). nakkhattāni (pl.) the stars: nakkhattānaŋ mukhaŋ chando (the moon is the most prominent of the lights of night) Th 2.143; Vin i.246=Sn 569 (but cp. expl. at SnA 456: candayogavasena "ajja kattikā, ajja Rohiṇī" ti paññāṇato ālokakāraṇato sommabhāvato ca nakkhattānaŋ mukhaŋ cando ti vutto); D i.10 (nakkhattānaŋ pathagamanaŋ & uppatha -- gamanaŋ a right or wrong course, i. e. a straight ascension or deviation of the stars or planets); ii.259; iii.85, 90; A iv.86; Th 2, 143 (nakkhattāni namassantā bālā).

-- kīḷana=kīḷā DhA iii.461; -- kīḷā the celebration of a festival, making merry, taking a holiday J i.50; ThA 137; VvA 109; -- ggāha the seizure of a star (by a demon: see gāha), the disappearance of a planet (transit?) D i.10 (expl. at DA i.95 as nakkhattasa angārakādi -- gahasamāyoga); -- patha "the course of the stars," i. e. the nocturnal sky Dh 208; -- pada a constellation Vin ii.217; -- pāṭhaka an astrologer, soothsayer, augur Nd1 382; -- pīḷana the failing or obscuration of a star (as a sign of death in horoscopy) DhA i.166; -- mālā a garland of stars VvA 167; -- yoga a conjunction of the planets, a constellation in its meaning for the horoscope J i.82253; DhA i.174 (+tithi -- karaṇa); ˚ŋ oloketi to set the horoscope DhA i.166, ˚ŋ uggaṇhāti id. Pv iii.54. -- rājā the king of the nakkhattas (i. e. the moon) Jiii.348.