Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

ग्रामण्यौ रथकृत्तस्य रथौजाश्चैव तावुभौ रक्षो हेतिः प्रहेतिश्च यातुधानावुभौ ऋतौ //

Transliteration

grāmaṇyau rathakṛttasya rathaujāścaiva tāvubhau rakṣo hetiḥ prahetiśca yātudhānāvubhau ṛtau //

Translation

For Rathakṛt, the two village-heads were Rathaujā and another of the same rank; and the two were the rākṣasas Heti and Praheti—both yātudhānas—according to their proper order and season.

Word by Word

• ग्रामण्यौ: two village-leaders/chieftains

• रथकृत्तस्य: of Rathakṛt (a named personage)

• रथौजाः: Rathaujā (proper name)

• च एव: and indeed

• तौ उभौ: those two/both of them

• रक्षः: rākṣasa/demon

• हेतिः: Heti (proper name)

• प्रहेतिः: Praheti (proper name)

• च: and

• यातुधानौ: yātudhānas (a class of hostile/demonic beings)

• उभौ: both

• ऋतौ: in season/in due order/at the proper time (ṛtu).

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) in a continuous genealogical/categorical enumeration

Entities Mentioned

• Rathakṛt
• Rathaujā
• Heti
• Praheti
• Rākṣasa
• Yātudhāna

Tags

• Dynasties
• Genealogy
• Named beings
• Rakshasas
• Puranic catalogues

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it functions as an onomastic/genealogical listing of named figures (including rākṣasas/yātudhānas) within the Purāṇic world-order.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic concern with social order and administration by naming ‘grāmaṇya’ (village-heads), a term tied to local governance that supports royal administration and household security.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught in this verse; its significance is classificatory—recording roles (village-heads) and types of beings (rākṣasa/yātudhāna) within the broader Matsya Purana narrative framework.