History of the star: A pale yellow star. The Arabic name for Megrez is Al-Maghriz (1), the "Root of the Tail" or "The insertion-point" of the Bear's tail Ursa Major [Magrez may be Arabic for "Buttocks"?].
In China it was Kwan, and Tien Kuen, Heavenly Authority.
With the Hindus it may have been Atri (or Atreya, Athri, Attri,) born from brahma's eyes, one of their Seven Rishis. The Vishnu-Dharma said that it ruled the other stars of the Bear. According to the Puranic stories, Brahma went into deep meditation for several thousands of years, at the termination of which a drop of water fell from his eyes which took the form of the sage, Atri. Soma, or the Moon, was born from this sage and his wife Anasuya .
It is one of the "The Plough", also called "the Big Dipper" stars, a bucket shaped figure or asterism on the back of the Bear, outlined by the stars; Merak (beta), Dubhe (alpha), Phecda (gamma) and this star Megrez (delta). In early Arabic astronomy these four stars constituted the coffin or bier (bier and bear come from the same root word) surrounded by mourners of Al Na'ash, who was murdered by Al Jadi, the pole-star (Polaris), and this constellation was seen as a funeral procession, attributing this title to the slow and solemn motion of the figure around the pole.
Influence of the constellation: It is said to give a quiet, prudent, suspicious, mistrustful, self-controlled, patient nature, but an uneasy spirit and great anger when roused. By the Kabalists it is associated with the Hebrew letter Zain and the 7th Tarot Trump "The Chariot". (Robson). |
