Mrigashira
/ˌmriːɡəˈʃɪərə/noun
Mrigashira is the fifth nakshatra, or lunar mansion, in traditional Indian astronomy and astrology.
Did you know?In Jyotisha, Mrigashira is symbolized by a deer’s head and is traditionally linked with curiosity, pursuit, and the divine search for something just beyond reach.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mérǵos / *ḱerh₂-
“Reconstructed roots associated with wild animal or deer and head or horn”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
mṛgaśiras
“Deer’s head; the name of a lunar asterism”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Mṛgaśīrṣa
“The deer-headed nakshatra or lunar mansion”
Medieval Indian astronomy
Sanskrit
Mṛgaśīrṣa nakṣatra
“The fifth of the twenty-seven or twenty-eight divisions of the lunar zodiac”
Modern English
English
Mrigashira
“An English transliteration used for the nakshatra in astronomy, astrology, and discussions of Indian tradition”