Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — Origin of Soma

Devanagari script

तथेत्युक्तः स आजह्रे राजसूयं तु विष्णुना होतात्रिर् भृगुरध्वर्युर् उद्गाताभूच्चतुर्मुखः //

Transliteration

tathetyuktaḥ sa ājahre rājasūyaṃ tu viṣṇunā hotātrir bhṛguradhvaryur udgātābhūccaturmukhaḥ //

Translation

Thus instructed, he arranged the Rājasūya, the royal consecration-sacrifice, for Viṣṇu: Atri served as the Hotṛ priest, Bhṛgu as the Adhvaryu, and the Four-faced One (Brahmā) became the Udgātṛ.

Word by Word

• tathā-iti: 'so be it'

• uktaḥ: having been told/instructed

• saḥ: he

• ājahre: brought about/arranged/performed

• rājasūyam: the Rājasūya (royal consecration sacrifice)

• tu: indeed

• viṣṇunā: for/with regard to Viṣṇu

• hotā: the Hotṛ (Ṛgvedic reciter priest)

• atriḥ: Sage Atri

• bhṛguḥ: Sage Bhṛgu

• adhvaryuḥ: the Adhvaryu (Yajurvedic officiant)

• udgātā: the Udgātṛ (Sāmavedic singer)

• abhūt: became/served as

• caturmukhaḥ: the four-faced one (Brahmā)

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the arrangement of the Rājasūya and its priests

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Atri
• Bhrigu
• Brahma (Caturmukha)
• Rajasūya

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Rituals
• Rajasūya
• Vedic priesthood
• Yajña

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on a royal Vedic ritual (Rājasūya) and the appointment of officiating priests for a sacrifice connected with Viṣṇu.

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

It reflects rajadharma: a ruler’s duty to uphold cosmic and social order through properly conducted śrauta rites, appointing qualified ṛṣis as priests and honoring Viṣṇu through sanctioned royal consecration rituals.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it specifies the śrauta structure of a major yajña by naming the core priestly functions—Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ—underscoring that correct personnel and Vedic roles are essential to the Rājasūya’s validity.