Aryaman is the deity of Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra in the jyotish books, the nakshatra that spans 26°40' Leo to 10° Virgo under the Sun. He is one of the Adityas, the sons of Aditi. His name means "companion" or "close friend," and he guards friendship, marriage and the customs that bind people together.
The Vedic Nakshatra Suktam gives his verse to Purva Phalguni, the nakshatra just before. This article follows the jyotish books and explains the Vedic order in its own section.
| Aryaman | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Nakshatra (jyotish books) | Uttara Phalguni (26°40' Leo to 10° Virgo) |
| Nakshatra (Nakshatra Suktam) | Purva Phalguni |
| Nakshatra ruler | Sun |
| Group | One of the Adityas, the sons of Aditi |
| Vedic companions | Mitra and Varuna |
| Main roles | Friendship, marriage, hospitality, the ancestors |
| Bhagavad Gita | "Among the Pitris I am Aryaman" (10.29) |
In this article
What Does Aryaman Mean?
The Sanskrit word aryaman means a bosom friend, a playmate or a companion. The Monier-Williams dictionary gives one more sense: a friend who asks for a woman's hand in marriage on behalf of another.
Both senses fit the god. Aryaman is the friend who stands between 2 families and makes a bond between them. Some scholars also connect the name with hospitality toward guests and strangers.
Aryaman in the Rig Veda
Scholars note that Aryaman has no hymn addressed to him alone in the Rig Veda. He is almost always named with Mitra and Varuna, and the 3 Adityas together guard Rita, the right order of the world. Rig Veda 1.90 opens with all 3:
ऋजुनीती नो वरुणो मित्रो नयतु विद्वान्। अर्यमा देवैः सजोषाः॥
May Varuna and Mitra, who know the straight path, guide us, and Aryaman, in accord with the gods. (Rig Veda 1.90.1)
The hymns often place him with the rising sun. Rig Veda 7.66.4 names Mitra and Aryaman as faultless at sunrise, with Savitar and Bhaga beside them.
Scholars often describe Mitra as the god of alliance and Varuna as the god of the oath. Aryaman's share is the bond made by custom: guest and host, groom and bride, one clan and the next.
Aryaman, God of Marriage
Aryaman is best known as the god of marriage. The Rig Veda wedding hymn (10.85) calls on him twice. In verse 23, the poet asks that Aryaman and Bhaga lead the couple together.
Verse 43 is a blessing for the couple:
आ नः प्रजां जनयतु प्रजापतिराजरसाय समनक्त्वर्यमा।
May Prajapati give us children, and may Aryaman unite us until old age. (Rig Veda 10.85.43, first half)
The household ritual books keep this role alive. In the Paraskara Grihya Sutra (1.6.2), the bride offers fried grain (laja) into the fire. The first verse says that the girls have made their offering to the god Aryaman and to Agni. Many Hindu weddings still include this laja homa.
Aryaman and the Pitris
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna names Aryaman as the chief of the ancestors. Verse 10.29 reads pitṝṇām aryamā cāsmi, "among the Pitris I am Aryaman." The Monier-Williams dictionary also calls him the chief of the Manes, the departed fathers.
The Bhagavata Purana (6.6.42) gives him a family line. His wife is Matrika, and their sons are the Charshanis. The same verse says that Brahma shaped the human race in this line.
This role connects the 2 sides of Aryaman. He joins families through marriage, and he guards the ancestors who stand behind every family.
Aryaman's Path in the Sky
The Brahmanas speak of aryamṇaḥ panthāḥ, "the path of Aryaman." It appears in the Taittiriya, Shatapatha and Panchavimsha Brahmanas. The scholar Albrecht Weber read this path as the Milky Way, and Alfred Hillebrandt read it as the ecliptic.
Either reading places Aryaman in the night sky among the stars. This suits a god who presides over a nakshatra.
Aryaman Among the Adityas
The Adityas are the sons of Aditi. Their number grows from a small group in the Rig Veda to 12 in later texts. Aryaman appears in every list, early and late.
The Bhagavata Purana (6.6.39) names the 12 as Vivasvan, Aryaman, Pushan, Tvashta, Savita, Bhaga, Dhata, Vidhata, Varuna, Mitra, Shatru and Urukrama. Aryaman stands second, after Vivasvan.
Which Phalguni Belongs to Aryaman?
Texts differ on this point. Later jyotish books make Aryaman the deity of Uttara Phalguni and Bhaga the deity of Purva Phalguni. The Monier-Williams dictionary follows this order too.
The Nakshatra Suktam of the Taittiriya Brahmana (3.1) gives the reverse. Its Purva Phalguni verse is addressed to Aryaman, and its Uttara Phalguni verse to Bhaga.
The 2 gods are paired in the Veda, so the swap is easy to understand. Rig Veda 10.85.23 names them in one line. Most astrologers today follow the jyotish order, and Vedicmarga uses it in the nakshatra pages.
Aryaman and Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra
Uttara Phalguni carries Aryaman's themes of duty, loyalty and fair agreement. The Sun rules the nakshatra and adds a sense of responsibility and a wish to be useful.
People with the Moon in Uttara Phalguni often keep their word at a cost to themselves. They hold families and teams together and make good hosts, managers and mediators. Many take marriage and long friendships very seriously. You can find your own birth nakshatra with the nakshatra calculator.
The same sense of duty can turn into overwork or pride in being the giver. Working with Aryaman means keeping promises with a calm mind and making only the promises one can keep.
People with the Moon in Purva Phalguni also have a link to Aryaman, through the Vedic verse. Their nakshatra is known for rest, pleasure and romance, and Aryaman adds the step from attraction to a lasting bond.
Uttara Phalguni is also a fixed nakshatra in muhurta. It is one of the stars chosen for weddings, which fits its deity.
Aryaman Mantra
The Vedic verse that names Aryaman is the Phalguni verse of the Nakshatra Suktam. The Taittiriya Brahmana assigns it to Purva Phalguni. Its first half reads:
गवां पतिः फल्गुनीनामसि त्वम् ।
तदर्यमन् वरुण मित्र चारु ।
तं त्वा वयग्ं सनितारग्ं सनीनाम् ।
जीवा जीवन्तमुप संविशेम ॥Gavam patih Phalguninamasi tvam |
tadaryaman Varuna Mitra charu |
tam tva vayagum sanitaragum saninam |
jiva jivantamupa samvishema ||
Meaning: You are the lord of cattle and of the Phalgunis. That is your fair place, Aryaman, Varuna and Mitra. You are the giver of gifts. May we, the living, rest close to you, the living one.
The full verse is on our page of nakshatra mantras. People born in either Phalguni can recite it, since it names Aryaman and the Phalgunis together. Learn the accents from a teacher or a recording first.
Name Mantra
We could not find a fixed name mantra for Aryaman in a classical text. A plain salutation to the deity is:
ॐ अर्यम्णे नमः
Om Aryamṇe Namaḥ
It means "Om, salutation to Aryaman." Aryamne is the Sanskrit form for "to Aryaman."
How to Worship Aryaman
Recite the Nakshatra Suktam verse or the name salutation on the days the Moon passes through Uttara Phalguni. This happens about once every 27 days.
Aryaman leads the ancestors, so offerings to the Pitris suit him. Shraddha during Pitru Paksha is a simple place to begin. Offering water to the rising Sun also fits, since the Rig Veda places him at sunrise and the Sun rules his nakshatra.
His worship is also a way of living. Welcoming guests, helping with a wedding in the family and keeping each promise are all acts in his name. For a reading of your own Moon nakshatra and running dasha, you can book a Vedic astrology consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the deity of Uttara Phalguni Nakshatra?
Aryaman is the deity of Uttara Phalguni in the jyotish books. The Vedic Nakshatra Suktam gives the Uttara Phalguni verse to Bhaga.
Is Aryaman the god of marriage?
Yes. The Rig Veda wedding hymn calls on him to unite the couple until old age. The laja homa of the Hindu wedding still invokes him.
Is Aryaman one of the Adityas?
Yes. Aryaman is a son of Aditi and appears in every list of the Adityas. The Bhagavata Purana names him second among the 12.
Why is Aryaman linked with the ancestors?
Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita (10.29) that among the Pitris he is Aryaman. Aryaman is the chief of the ancestors.
Is Aryaman a sun god?
Like all the Adityas, he has a solar side. The Rig Veda places him at sunrise, and later Sanskrit also uses the word aryaman for the sun.
What is the mantra of Aryaman?
The Vedic verse that names him is the Phalguni verse of the Nakshatra Suktam, which begins "Gavam patih Phalguninamasi tvam." The plain name salutation is Om Aryamne Namah.
What is the difference between Aryaman and Bhaga?
Both are Adityas named together in the Rig Veda wedding hymn. Aryaman guards the bond of marriage and friendship, and Bhaga gives good fortune and a fair share.
Summary
Aryaman is the Aditya of friendship, marriage and hospitality, and the jyotish books make him the deity of Uttara Phalguni. The Rig Veda names him with Mitra and Varuna and calls on him in the wedding hymn. In the Gita he is the chief of the ancestors.
The Nakshatra Suktam gives his verse to Purva Phalguni, so both Phalgunis share his name. To work with this nakshatra, recite his verse on the star day, honour the ancestors and keep each promise you make.
