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206
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1874.
CAPT. WEST ON "WHETHER THE MARÅTHÅS
Reply. ARE KSHATRIYAS OR SUDRAS."
SIR, Your correspondent A. R. wishes to know SIR, I have read with interest Captain West's
what are the European names for the 27 stars paper as above headed (ante, p. 108) and agree with
or constellations composing the Hindu lunar nakthe conclusion he arrives at, though bis point of
sbatrás. view has nothing in common with the stand I take.
The twelve signs of the Zodiac, Mesha (te), His argument rests on an assumption which is
Vrishabba (T), Mithuna (AYT), &c., correhardly reconcileable with the social aptitudes of the inhabitants of the Dekhan. With the origin
spond to Aries, Taurus, Gemini, &c., but the Westassigned to them, the Marathâs could form a caste,
ern astronomers never having recognized at but could not give it the status which it at present any time the division of the Zodiac into parte, enjoys. The offspring of a Sadra or Kshatriya, there are no corresponding names for these divi. or even a degraded Brahman woman, and a Brahman sions. But each division, or lunar mansion as it is father, form a small section; but neither do the
called, has a leading star or two, or more, the posiMarkthas, nor Kshatriyas, nor Sadras solicit mar.
tions of which are given in Hindu astronomical riage in such a family. It is the great ambition
tables. By comparing their positions with those of of Sadras to give their daughters in marriage to
the stars given in European catalogues, we are Marathas. This very locus standi of the inter- enabled to find out the names of these yoga, or mediate caste is a guarantee against the degraded leading stars (TTT). Bentley, Colebrooke, origin assigned to it.
and others who have studied Hindu astronomy, When the great northern Kshatriya conquerors have given tables of these stars in their works, overran the Dekhan and established their king. which may be referred to. I beg to append here a doms on the ruins of former monarchies, they table. could not find themselves secure, unaided by Stars (Tarr) Corresponding Stars the coöperation of the great leaders who acted of Hindu Zodiac in the European important part during their predecessors' times.
Nakshatrds.
Catalogues. Thus political necessity stood absolute in the
1 Asvini
............... Arietis. employment of the Sadra leaders, who, to dis
2 Bharani. .............. 35 Arietis. tinguish them from the generality of the Sadras,
3 Krittika..............., Tauri (Pleiades). were styled Maráthás or the great leaders of
4 Rohiņi ................ Aldebaran. Maharashtra- a distinction which lent the Marathis
5 Msiga ............... 116 Tauri. an importance which their future achievements
6 Ardre
133 Tauri. tended greatly to strengthen. A new chapter
7 Punarvasu......... Pollux. came to be added to the system of castes, without
8 Cancri. the least taint of degradation. In process of time
9 Aslesha ............... 49 Cancri. the Marathas, in their turn, began to assume the
10 Maghê ................ Regulus. surnames of their employers; a system preserved
11 Parva Phálguni ... Leonis. up to the present date. For example, the Brah
12 Uttara . ... Denib. maņ chief of Ichalkaranji, though a Joshi, is
13 Hasta ............... 8 Corvi. surnamed Ghorapade from service under the
14 Chitra ............... Spica. Ghorapades. The Brahman Divan of the pirate
15 Svati
.. Arcturus. chief Angrid is a Bivalkar, yet he passes under
16 the surname of Angriâ. Thus even if Brahmans,
Visakha ............ 24 Libri.
17 Anuradha ............ B Scorpii. who have special surnames, did not scruple to adopt those of their employers, the Marathas,
18 Jyeshthá ............ Antares. who have no such speciality, could not fail to
19 Mala .................. 34 Scorpii. improve a similar occasion, which contributed not
20 Pârva Åshådhå ...... 8 Sagittarii. only to lend them importance, but to assimilate
21 Uttara Åshâąh& ... Sagittarit. them to their very employers in this particular.
22 Sravana ............ Altair. Miraj.
L. Y. ASKHEDKAR.
23 Dhanishth& ......... a Delphini.
24 Satatarakå............ Aquarii. QUERY-NAKSHATRÁS.
25 Parva Bhadrapada. Markab. SIR, --Can you or any of the readers of the 26 Uttara Bhadrapada. Alpheråb. Indian Antiquary give me the European names for
27 Revati ................. Piscium. the 27 stars or constellations composing the Hindu lunar Nakshatras P
KERU L. CHATRE. Bombay.
A. R. Puna. * See Asiat. Res. vol. IX. pp. 323-376, or Colebrooke's Essays, vol. II. Pp. 321-373.
