Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Planetary Chariots

Devanagari script

*सूत उवाच ताराग्रहाणां वक्ष्यामि स्वर्भानोस्तु रथं पुनः अथ तेजोमयः शुभ्रः सोमपुत्रस्य वै रथः //

Transliteration

*sūta uvāca tārāgrahāṇāṃ vakṣyāmi svarbhānostu rathaṃ punaḥ atha tejomayaḥ śubhraḥ somaputrasya vai rathaḥ //

Translation

Sūta said: “I shall describe the stars and planets, and again the chariot of Svarbhānu (Rāhu). Now, the chariot of Soma’s son is radiant—made of light—and brilliant white.”

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta (the narrator)

• uvāca: said

• tārā-grahāṇām: of the stars and planets

• vakṣyāmi: I shall describe

• svarbhānoḥ: of Svarbhānu (Rāhu)

• tu: indeed/and

• ratham: chariot

• punaḥ: again/further

• atha: now/then

• tejaḥ-mayaḥ: consisting of splendor/light

• śubhraḥ: white, bright, pure

• soma-putrasya: of Soma’s son (traditionally Budha/Mercury)

• vai: indeed, certainly

• rathaḥ: chariot.

Speaker

• Suta

Entities Mentioned

• Suta
• Tara (stars)
• Graha (planets)
• Svarbhanu (Rahu)
• Soma
• Soma-putra (Budha/Mercury)

Tags

• Jyotisha
• Grahas
• Rahu
• Planetary chariots
• Puranic cosmology

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to a cosmological-astronomical passage describing celestial bodies and the symbolic “chariots” of grahas such as Rāhu and Budha.

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

Indirectly, such Jyotiṣa-style descriptions support timekeeping and auspicious calendrical awareness used by kings and householders for rites, governance decisions, and ritual scheduling, though no explicit dharma-duty is stated here.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu rule is stated, but the imagery (radiant, white, light-formed chariot) aligns with ritual-visual symbolism used in graha worship and in iconographic contemplation within Purāṇic ritual contexts.