I am currently teaching a course on the vedic nakshatras and I thought I would share a video from it here on the topic of Mrigashira, the star of searching. If you would like to know more about the vedic mythology and the legends that surround this star, see the video below. Currently this lunar mansion falls between 15* – 28* Gemini in the tropical zodiac. Nakshatras are not locked into the rashis. This is commonly taught on wikipedia and other pop culture sources, but the truth is much more complex. The nakshatras are actually behind the 12 signs of the zodiac. The Nakshatras are the star fields that are behind the ecliptic, and over the ages they drift through different signs, so 3,000 years ago, Invaka would not have fallen in the Gemini rashi, just to be clear. This Nakshatra course aims to remove sign embellishments. These zodiac sign qualities are often overlayed onto the nakshatras, likely due to a lack of understanding of the difference between nakshatras and rashis.
Mrigashira means “the head of the deer” and is the name for the 3rd or 5th nakshatra, depending on whether we are counting from Krittika or Ashwini. (I explain elsewhere in the course why Krittika is the real first nakshatra). This head of the deer idea comes directly from the myth of Shiva decapitating Brahma and throwing his head into the sky, as I explain in this video.
It’s more ancient name is “InvakA” with a long a sound at the end, like the “a” in “father”. Invaka means “a gentle request”. It refers to a gentle entreaty, whisper, or supplication. It can also refer to a softly sung prayer. Its symbol is a deer, and its nature is “gentle and soft”, so we see a theme occurring already.
The Taittireya Brahmana, The Key Authority On Nakshatra
The Taittirey Brahmana is a very important text, appended to the Yajur Veda. This is the best ancient authority on the nakshatras that is available. The sutra on Mrigashira in the Taiitireya Brahmana translates as follows:
“The diminutive pervadings [invakā] of soma (Moon) are diffusions [vitatāni] from above and weaving [vayantaḥ] from below.”
This also hints at the gentle, diffusing, weaving, and intermingling nature of this star. Invaka is a big star of networking, intermingling, socializing, social media, influencers, searching, hunting, as well as the “fear of missing out”. Soma Deva is the lord of this star. Invaka deals with searching out the little bits of Soma that are diffused throughout creation. Why is that so? Who is this Soma? What does this word refer to? In this excerpt I explain how it all connects through the mythology and legends around this star.
Nakshatra Course Now On Teachable
See this link below to take the course. Im currently offering the Nakshatra course along with the Jyotish and Yogic Philosophy Course for the price of one, $27 USD/month.