Structure and Semantics of Sanskrit Terminology in Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga

Abstract

This article analyzes the structure and semantics of Sanskrit terminology in Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga, one of the six Vedāṅgas directly related to the Vedas and intended for the understanding and preservation of the Vedas. Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga takes its name from the word jyotis “light, luminary” and denotes the discipline concerned with the movement of celestial bodies and the temporal periods determined by them. The article focuses on key lexical and terminological units of the Jyotiṣa corpus: the names of its three divisions, Gaṇita, Horā and Saṃhitā, the terms apauruṣeya and pauruṣeya, and selected passages from Sanskrit metrical treatises. The Sanskrit material is presented in scholarly IAST transliteration and is accompanied by Russian translation and concise explanatory comments. In terms of content, Gaṇita describes computational and astronomical issues, Horā deals with horoscopic interpretation, while Saṃhitā is concerned with natural and social omens. This format makes it possible to present Jyotiṣa Vedāṅga not only as a source for the history of Indian astronomy but also as a textual corpus with a stable lexical-semantic and terminological organization.