Prajāpati had Thirty−Three Daughters
Reference to 33 Nakṣatras From Taittirīya Saṃhitā
Indian astronomy employs two systems for studying time: the solar system, which dates back to Ṛgvedic times. The well-known Ṛgvedic mantra of the 12 spokes of the Wheel representing a year corresponds to the twelve months, each comprising 360 days and 360 nights.
The other system is based on lunar constellations. The Ṛgveda seemingly recalls 34 lights in addition to the 12 spokes, suggesting 34 stars divided along the ecliptic, implying 34 lunar mansions. This is my conjecture. However, many earlier researchers have argued that these 34 lights represent the 27 Nakṣatras/constellations along with the Sun, Moon, and 5 planets.
Today in contemporary times, the Indian lunar constellation system consists of 27 Nakṣatras or constellations.
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 4.5.7.2 mentions 33 deities, including 8 Vasus, 11 Rudras, 12 Ādityas, and Dyāvā-Pṛthivī. Variations, including the Nāsatyas/Aśvinī Kumāras, are found in other texts, hinting at a Nakṣatra context. Notably, Taittirīya Saṃhitā 2.3.5.1–3 refers to 33 goddesses, daughters of Prajāpati, given in marriage to the Moon. This suggests that Vedic literature retains a memory of a Nakṣatra system with more than the 27–28 stars known today. These references indicate that changes in the Nakṣatra system were gradual, the outcome of observations spanning millennia, rather than sudden alterations.
A similar story appears in the Mahābhārata, where the 33 daughters of Taittirīya Saṃhitā are reduced to 27. It seems implausible that the 34 lights described in the Ṛgveda refer to anything other than stars. Therefore, I disagree with earlier scholars who equated these 34 lights to the 27 Nakṣatras/constellations, the Sun, Moon, and 5 planets.
