Shloka 19

Matsya Purana — The Attendant Hosts of the Sun and Moon: Monthly Gaṇas

Devanagari script

अप्सराः पूर्वचित्तिश्च गन्धर्वा ह्युर्वशी च या तार्क्ष्यश्चारिष्टनेमिश्च सेनानीर् ग्रामणीश् च तौ //

Transliteration

apsarāḥ pūrvacittiśca gandharvā hyurvaśī ca yā tārkṣyaścāriṣṭanemiśca senānīr grāmaṇīś ca tau //

Translation

The Apsarases—Pūrvacitti and also Urvaśī—are mentioned; and the Gandharvas; likewise Tārkṣya and Ariṣṭanemi, and the two functionaries, the Senānī (commander) and the Grāmaṇī (leader of troops/settlements).

Word by Word

• अप्सराः (apsarāḥ): Apsarases, celestial nymphs

• पूर्वचित्तिः (pūrvacittiḥ): Pūrvacitti (name of an Apsaras)

• च (ca): and

• गन्धर्वाः (gandharvāḥ): Gandharvas, celestial musicians

• हि (hi): indeed/also

• उर्वशी (urvaśī): Urvaśī (famed Apsaras)

• या (yā): who/that (referential particle)

• तार्क्ष्यः (tārkṣyaḥ): Tārkṣya (a divine being/epithet, often linked with Garuḍa-lineage)

• च (ca): and

• अरिष्टनेमिः (ariṣṭanemiḥ): Ariṣṭanemi (a divine being/name)

• च (ca): and

• सेनानीः (senānīḥ): commander, general (office/title)

• ग्रामणीः (grāmaṇīḥ): leader/chief (often of a troop, clan, or settlement)

• च (ca): and

• तौ (tau): those two (pair).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual dialogue frame of the Matsya Purana)

Entities Mentioned

• Apsaras
• Pūrvacitti
• Gandharvas
• Urvaśī
• Tārkṣya
• Ariṣṭanemi
• Senānī
• Grāmaṇī

Tags

• Celestial beings
• Puranic lists
• Divine attendants
• Genealogy-style enumeration
• Cosmology

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly describe pralaya; it functions as a catalog of celestial beings and offices, reflecting the ordered cosmic administration that persists across cycles of creation and dissolution.

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

By naming offices like Senānī (commander) and Grāmaṇī (leader), the verse indirectly mirrors social-political organization—suggesting that disciplined leadership and delegated authority are integral to dharmic governance.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu or temple-ritual rule appears here; its ritual value is mainly in recitation/remembering (smaraṇa) of divine/celestial categories used in Purāṇic liturgical contexts.