Shloka 138

Matsya Purana — Navagraha Sacrifice for Planetary Pacification and Prosperity

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्राणि दश चाष्टौ च धर्मवित् कृत्वा यत्फलमाप्नोति कौटिहोमात् तदश्नुते //

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasrāṇi daśa cāṣṭau ca dharmavit kṛtvā yatphalamāpnoti kauṭihomāt tadaśnute //

Translation

A knower of dharma attains from the Kauṭi-homa that very fruit which one would obtain by performing one thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices—and also ten and eight more, that is, eighteen additional Aśvamedhas.

Word by Word

• aśvamedha-sahasrāṇi: thousands of horse-sacrifices (Aśvamedhas)

• daśa: ten

• ca: and

• aṣṭau: eight

• ca: also

• dharma-vit: knower of dharma / one versed in righteousness

• kṛtvā: having performed

• yat-phalam: whatever fruit/result

• āpnoti: attains/obtains

• kauṭi-homāt: from the Kauṭi-homa (a specific large-scale oblation rite)

• tat: that

• aśnute: enjoys/partakes of (receives as reward).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana dialogue framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Aśvamedha
• Kauṭi-homa
• Dharma

Tags

• Dharma
• Yajna
• Homa
• Ritual Merit
• Punya

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on ritual equivalence, stating that the Kauṭi-homa yields merit comparable to an immense number of Aśvamedha sacrifices.

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

It frames an accessible dharmic path to great religious merit: instead of undertaking many costly royal Aśvamedhas, a practitioner devoted to dharma may pursue a powerful homa-based rite (Kauṭi-homa) to gain comparable spiritual fruit.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is central: the text elevates the Kauṭi-homa as a high-potency oblation rite whose phala (reward) is declared equivalent to performing 1000 plus 18 Aśvamedhas.