Shloka 21

Matsya Purana — Marks of Karma-yoga and the Five Great Daily Sacrifices

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च भगवान् मार्तण्डो वृषवाहनः अष्टौ च वसवस्तद्वद् एकादश गणाधिपाः लोकपालाधिपाश्चैव पितरो मातरस्तथा //

Transliteration

brahmā viṣṇuśca bhagavān mārtaṇḍo vṛṣavāhanaḥ aṣṭau ca vasavastadvad ekādaśa gaṇādhipāḥ lokapālādhipāścaiva pitaro mātarastathā //

Translation

Brahmā, and Viṣṇu the Blessed Lord; Mārtaṇḍa (the Sun), and the Bull-borne one (Śiva); likewise the eight Vasus, the eleven chiefs of the Gaṇas, the presiding lords of the guardians of the quarters, and also the Pitṛs (ancestral fathers) and the Mothers (Mātṛkās)—all are to be understood as the divine hosts.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा (brahmā): Brahmā

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Viṣṇu

• च (ca): and

• भगवान् (bhagavān): the Blessed Lord

• मार्तण्डः (mārtaṇḍaḥ): Mārtaṇḍa, the Sun

• वृषवाहनः (vṛṣavāhanaḥ): the bull-borne one (Śiva)

• अष्टौ (aṣṭau): eight

• वसवः (vasavaḥ): the Vasus

• तद्वत् (tadvat): likewise/in the same manner

• एकादश (ekādaśa): eleven

• गणाधिपाः (gaṇādhipāḥ): lords/chiefs of the Gaṇas

• लोकपालाधिपाः (lokapālādhipāḥ): presiding lords of the Lokapālas (guardians of directions)

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed/also

• पितरः (pitaraḥ): the Pitṛs, ancestral fathers

• मातरः (mātaraḥ): the Mothers (Mātṛs/Mātṛkās)

• तथा (tathā): likewise/also

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the divine classifications (deva-gaṇa) within the Matsya Purāṇa’s cosmological discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Mārtaṇḍa (Sūrya)
• Vṛṣavāhana (Śiva)
• Aṣṭa Vasus
• Ekādaśa Gaṇādhipas (Rudra-gaṇas)
• Lokapālas
• Pitṛs
• Mātṛs (Mātṛkās)

Tags

• Cosmology
• Deva-gaṇa
• Puranic pantheon
• Pitṛ worship
• Directional guardians

FAQs

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

It does not describe pralaya directly; it catalogs key divine groups (devas, gaṇas, lokapālas, pitṛs, mātṛs) that structure the Purāṇic cosmos across cycles of creation and dissolution.

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

By naming lokapālas and pitṛs, it aligns with household and royal duties of maintaining order through worship—directional guardians in protective rites and Pitṛ offerings (śrāddha) as a core dharma obligation.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it supports mandala-based worship where directions are presided over by lokapālas and protective gaṇas; such enumerations inform temple/altar consecrations and directional placements in Purāṇic-Āgamic practice.