Shloka 47

Matsya Purana — Cosmic Architecture of Sun–Moon and the ‘Houses of the Gods’

Devanagari script

द्युतिमान्धर्मयुक्तश्च सोमो देवो वसुः स्मृतः शुक्रो दैत्यस्तु विज्ञेयो भार्गवो ऽसुरयाजकः //

Transliteration

dyutimāndharmayuktaśca somo devo vasuḥ smṛtaḥ śukro daityastu vijñeyo bhārgavo 'surayājakaḥ //

Translation

Soma (the Moon) is remembered as radiant and devoted to dharma—a deva, a Vasu. But Śukra (Venus) is to be understood as a Daitya: Bhārgava, descended from Bhṛgu, the priest who performs sacrifices for the Asuras.

Word by Word

• द्युतिमान्: radiant, luminous

• धर्मयुक्तः: endowed with dharma, righteous

• च: and

• सोमः: Soma, the Moon

• देवः: a god, deva

• वसुः: one of the Vasus (a class of deities)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/considered

• शुक्रः: Śukra (Venus)

• दैत्यः: a Daitya (of the Diti-line, demon clan)

• तु: but/indeed

• विज्ञेयः: should be known/understood

• भार्गवः: Bhārgava, descendant of Bhṛgu (epithet of Śukra)

• असुरयाजकः: priest who officiates sacrifices for the Asuras

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) conveying the Matsya Purāṇa’s graha-identifications in a didactic register

Entities Mentioned

• Soma (Chandra)
• Shukra
• Vasus
• Daityas
• Bhargava (Bhrigu lineage)
• Asuras

Tags

• Jyotisha
• Grahas
• Puranic cosmology
• Genealogy
• Dharma

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse does not describe pralaya; it classifies planetary deities by lineage and function—Soma as a deva/Vasu aligned with dharma, and Śukra as Bhārgava, the sacrificial priest of the Asuras.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic-Jyotiṣa worldview used by kings and householders for calendrical and ritual decisions: knowing the grahas’ identities (deva/daitya affiliations) frames auspicious timing, ritual propriety, and ethical orientation toward dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual point is explicit: Śukra is called 'asurayājaka'—the one who officiates sacrifices for Asuras—marking him as a paradigmatic priestly figure (ācārya) in Purāṇic lore, though no specific Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated in this verse.