Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

पतंगैः पतगैरश्वैर् भ्राम्यमाणो दिवस्पतिः वीथ्याश्रयाणि चरति नक्षत्राणि तथा शशी //

Transliteration

pataṃgaiḥ patagairaśvair bhrāmyamāṇo divaspatiḥ vīthyāśrayāṇi carati nakṣatrāṇi tathā śaśī //

Translation

Whirled onward by his ‘winged’ and ‘soaring’ horses, the Lord of Day (the Sun) moves along the starry tracks (vīthis); and so too the Moon traverses the nakṣatras, the constellations that rest upon those celestial paths.

Word by Word

पतंगैःby the ‘winged’ (steeds)

पतगैःby the ‘flying/soaring’ (steeds)

अश्वैःby horses

भ्राम्यमाणःbeing whirled/caused to revolve, driven onward

दिवस्पतिःthe lord of the day, the Sun

वीथ्याश्रयाणिthose that are supported by/located on the vīthis (sky-tracks)

चरतिmoves, traverses

नक्षत्राणिthe lunar mansions/constellations

तथाlikewise, so too

शशीthe Moon

Speaker

Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing cosmic order (likely within a discourse context attributed to Matsya Purāṇa’s teaching tradition)

Entities Mentioned

Divaspati (Sun)Śaśī (Moon)Nakṣatras

FAQs

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

It does not describe pralaya directly; it emphasizes the ongoing cosmic order—Sun and Moon moving on fixed celestial tracks—supporting time-reckoning that continues across cycles.

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

By grounding calendrical time in the Sun–Moon–Nakṣatra system, it underpins proper timing for vows, agriculture, taxation schedules, festivals, and śrāddha/ritual observances—key responsibilities for householders and rulers.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it points to nakṣatra-based muhurta selection (auspicious timing) for consecrations and rites; architecturally, it supports choosing timings for temple foundation-laying and prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā aligned with lunar mansions.