The Burmese zodiac ( ) is the traditional Burmese system of astronomy and astrology. While it is still an important component of the Burmese calendar, today, the zodiac is closely identified with Burmese astrology, called Baydin (). Largely derived from Hindu astronomy and Vedic astrology, the Burmese zodiac consists of not only the same 12 signs of the Western zodiac but also 27 lunar mansions of the month and eight weekday signs.
Structure Seasons The Burmese zodiac, like the Western zodiac, is divided into 12 signs called yathi ( ). The Burmese signs are identical to Indian and Western signs as they were derived from Indian and ultimately Western zodiac. Each yathi is divided into 30 degrees ( ); each degree into 60 minutes ( ); and each minute into 60 seconds ( ).Irwin 1909: 7–8
Longitude Sign SanskritLatinRuling planet 0° Meittha Meṣa मेष Aries Mars 30° Pyeittha Vṛṣabha वृषभ Taurus Venus 60° Mehton Mithuna मिथुन Gemini Mercury 90° Karakat Karkaṭa कर्कट Cancer Moon 120° Thein Siṃha सिंह Leo Sun 150° Kan Kanyā कन्या Virgo Mercury 180° Tu Tulā तुला Libra Venus 210° Byeissa Vṛścika वृश्चिक Scorpio Mars 240° Danu Dhanuṣa धनुष Sagittarius Jupiter 270° Makara Makara मकर Capricorn Saturn 300° Kon Kumbha कुम्भ Aquarius Saturn 330° Mein Mīna मीन Pisces Jupiter
Lunar mansions The zodiac month consists of 27 days, approximating the mean sidereal month of 27.321661 days. Thus each zodiac day, called nekkhat ( ), represents a lunar mansion, or a segment of the ecliptic along which the Moon revolves around the Earth. Though the names are Burmese adaptations of Sanskrit names, the Burmese system is not the same as the modern Indian system. The Burmese system uses unequal spaces for each segment (from 5° to 26°), and the first segment, Athawani, begins at 350° longitude. The modern Indian system uses equal segments of 13° 20' (360° divided by 27), and the first segment, Asvini, begins at 0°.Irwin 1909: 10–11 (The zodiac also recognizes a lost 28th constellation, called Abizi (; Sanskrit: Abhijit), which apparently made one revolution among these stars in 27 to 28 days.Luce 1970: 333)
The nekkhats are usually used to calculate the zata (horoscope) of a person or an event. Many historical dates were represented with the nekkhat position, not with the more common calendrical date.See the Zatadawbon Yazawin chronicle (Zata 1960) to see how nekkhats are used to represent kings' birthdays and important events.
DayBurmeseSanskritExtentRange 1 Athawani Aśvinī 18° 350°–8° 2 Barani Bharaṇī 10° 8°–18° 3 Kyattika Kṛttikā 16° 18°–34° 4 Yawhani Rohiṇī 12° 34°–46° 5 Migathi Mṛgaśira 14° 46°–60° 6 Adra Ārdrā 5° 60°–65° 7 Ponnahpukshu Punarvasu 27° 65°–92° 8 Hpusha Puṣya 14° 92°–106° 9 Athaleiktha Āśleṣā 12° 106°–118° 10 Maga Māgha 11° 118°–129° 11 Pyobba Baragonni Pūrva Phālgunī 16° 129°–145° 12 Ottara Baragonni Uttara Phālgunī 9° 145°–154° 13 Hathada Hasta 10° 154°–164° 14 Seiktra Citra 15° 164°–179° 15 Thwati Svāti 13° 179°–192° 16 Withaka Viśākhā 21° 192°–213° 17 Anuyada Anurādha 11° 213°–224° 18 Zehta Jyeṣṭha 5° 224°–229° 19 Mula Mula 13° 229°–242° 20 Pyobba Than Pūrva Āṣādhā 15° 242°–257° 21 Ottara Than Uttara Āṣādhā 5° 257°–262° 22 Tharawun Śravaṇa 13° 262°–275° 23 Danatheikda Dhaniṣṭha 12° 275°–287° 24 Thattabeiksha Satabhiṣā 26° 287°–313° 25 Pyobba Parabaik Pūrva Bhādrapadā 10° 313°–323° 26 Ottara Parabaik Uttara Bhādrapadā 16° 323°–339° 27 Yewati Revatī 11° 339°–350°
Weekdays
The Burmese zodiac employs eight signs in a seven-day week, with each sign representing its own day, cardinal direction, planet (celestial body) and animal;Certain letters of the Burmese alphabet are assigned to these 7 days, and names starting with the respective letter are given to children born on the respective day. it is known as the "Mahabote zodiac".What's your Myanmar Zodiac sign? This is your Myanmar Zodiac sign The zodiacs, with slight variations, are also found in Sri Lanka and Thailand.The History and Doctrine of Budhism: Popularly Illustrated: with Notices of the Kappooism, Or Demon Worship, and of the Bali, Or Planetary Incantations, of Ceylon
Cardinal directionBurmeseSanskritEnglishPlanetSign (Myanmar)Sign (Sri Lanka)Sign (Thailand) Northeast Taninganwe Āditya Sunday Sun Garuda Horse අශ්වයා
குதிரை Monkey ลิง East Taninla Candra Monday Moon Tiger Elephant අලියා
யானை Horse ม้า Southeast Inga Angāraka Tuesday Mars Lion Peacock මොනරා
மயில் Buffalo ควาย South Boddahu Budha Wednesday a.m. Mercury Tusked elephant Buffalo මී හරකෙක්
எருமை Elephant ช้าง Northwest Rahu Rāhu Wednesday p.m. Ascending Lunar node Tuskless elephant Donkey බූරුවා
கழுதை Garuda ครุฑ West Kyathabade Bṛhaspati Thursday Jupiter Rat Lion සිංහයා
சிங்கம் Deer กวาง North Thaukkya Śukra Friday Venus Guinea pig(Htin Aung 1959: 12): In Shan tradition, Friday's sign is the Ox. Bull ගොනා
காளை Ox วัว Southwest Sanay Śani Saturday Saturn Nāga Crow/Raven කපුට
காகம் Tiger เสือ
While the eight signs are the most prevalent in modern Burmese zodiac, the zodiac officially also recognizes a ninth sign called Ketu ( ), which rules over all of the signs. The same sign also appears in Sri Lanka and Thailand under the same name. Ketu's sign is a mythical Animal of Five Beauties called pyinsarupa ( ) with the antlers of a deer, the tusks and the trunk of an elephant, the mane of a lion, the body of a naga serpent, and the tail of a fish. Moreover, Rahu and Ketu, while borrowed from Hindu astrology, are different from their original versions. Hindu astrology considers Rahu and Ketu to be the ascending and descending lunar nodes but Burmese astrology considers them distinct planets.Htin Aung 1959: 11–13
At any rate, the inclusion of Ketu is not due to astronomical necessity but rather cultural. (J.C. Eade points out that "there is no astronomical necessity" for Ketu, whose orbit can be derived from the value of Rahu, and suggests that Ketu was "superfluous to the system, and perhaps even as an entity that owes its origin to a mistake".Eade 1989: 18–19 Htin Aung says the use of Rahu and Ketu in Burmese zodiac and astrology is for cultural, not necessarily astronomical, value, noting that the nine signs neatly fit the Nine Gods of Burmese animist tradition and indeed are an essential part of the "Ceremony of the Nine Gods" usually held when there is sickness in the house.)
The signs can be represented in a nine-square diagram. The exact arrangement is used to place the planetary figurines in the "Ceremony of the Nine Gods", with Ketu in the center, right behind a statue of the Buddha. All the planetary figures face the Buddha (as the animist practice has been absorbed into Burmese Buddhism).
Northwest Wednesday evening Rahu Tuskless elephant North Friday Venus Guinea pig Northeast Sunday Sun Garuda West Thursday Jupiter Rat Center Week Ketu Pyinsa Rupa East Monday Moon Tiger Southwest Saturday Saturn Naga South Wednesday morning Mercury Tusked elephant Southeast Tuesday Mars Lion
The Sunday, Tuesday, Saturday and Rahu planets are considered to be Malefics, or planets with an evil influence while the Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday planets are considered Benefics, or planets with benign influence. Ketu is considered to be the most powerful and a Benefic but as the chief planet, it cannot be grouped with any other planet. However, modern Burmese astrology rarely uses Ketu, and tends to use only the other eight planets.Htin Aung 1959: 15
See also Burmese calendar#Cycle Burmese culture
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