Shloka 5

Matsya Purana — Navagraha Sacrifice for Planetary Pacification and Prosperity

Devanagari script

ग्रहयज्ञस्त्रिधा प्रोक्तः पुराणश्रुतिकोविदैः प्रथमो ऽयुतहोमः स्याल् लक्षहोमस्ततः परम् //

Transliteration

grahayajñastridhā proktaḥ purāṇaśrutikovidaiḥ prathamo 'yutahomaḥ syāl lakṣahomastataḥ param //

Translation

Those skilled in the Purāṇas and the śruti tradition declare the graha-yajña to be of three kinds. The first is the ayuta-homa, consisting of ten thousand oblations; the next is the lakṣa-homa, consisting of a hundred thousand oblations.

Word by Word

ग्रहयज्ञः (graha-yajñaḥ)planetary propitiatory rite/sacrifice

त्रिधा (tridhā)in three ways/threefold

प्रोक्तः (proktaḥ)is taught/has been declared

पुराणश्रुतिकोविदैः (purāṇa-śruti-kovidaiḥ)by those learned in Purāṇa and Śruti (Vedic revelation)

प्रथमः (prathamaḥ)the first

अयुतहोमः (ayuta-homaḥ)a homa of ten thousand offerings

स्यात् (syāt)should be/is said to be

लक्षहोमः (lakṣa-homaḥ)a homa of one hundred thousand offerings

ततः परम् (tataḥ param)after that/next (in order).

Speaker

Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Matsya Purana’s didactic dialogue frame)

Entities Mentioned

Graha-yajñaPurāṇaŚrutiHoma

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on classifying graha-yajña and specifying homa quantities for ritual performance.

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

It frames graha-yajña as a regulated dharmic rite, giving standardized offering-counts (10,000 and 100,000) that a householder—or a king commissioning public rites—may follow for graha-śānti and auspicious order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual-technical: it defines graded homa scales (ayuta and lakṣa) used in planetary propitiation, helping plan the scope, duration, and resources of a graha-yajña.