Lexicons, Nirukta & Buddhist · c. 6th century CE
दाक्षायिण्योऽश्विनीत्यादितारा अश्वयुगश्विनी ॥ १.३.२१८ ॥
'Asterisms.' Footnote: 'Aśvinī and others, the longitude of which regulates the divisions of the zodiac. In mythology, they are nymphs, and daughters of Daksha.' — H.T. Colebrooke (1808)
Collective proper name for the whole set of nakshatras — 'the daughters of Dakṣa'. Colebrooke's note ties it directly to the coordinate framework: these are the asterisms 'the longitude of which regulates the divisions of the zodiac'.
Amarakośa 1.3.218 (Dig-varga) · text · translation