Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — The Ravi-Śayana

Devanagari script

साम्नामधीशाय करद्वयं च संपूजनीयं द्विज रेवतीषु नखानि पूज्यानि तथाश्विनीषु नमो ऽस्तु सप्ताश्वधुरंधराय //

Transliteration

sāmnāmadhīśāya karadvayaṃ ca saṃpūjanīyaṃ dvija revatīṣu nakhāni pūjyāni tathāśvinīṣu namo 'stu saptāśvadhuraṃdharāya //

Translation

Obeisance to the bearer of the chariot drawn by seven horses. O twice-born one, in the nakṣatra Revatī the pair of hands should be specially worshipped for the Lord who presides over the Sāmans; likewise, in the Aśvinīs, the nails should be worshipped.

Word by Word

• साम्नाम् (sāmnām): of the Sāmans / Sāma-vedic chants

• अधीशाय (adhīśāya): to the overlord, presiding deity

• करद्वयम् (karadvayam): the two hands, pair of hands

• च (ca): and

• संपूजनीयम् (saṃpūjanīyam): to be thoroughly worshipped, to be specially venerated

• द्विज (dvija): O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)

• रेवतीषु (revatīṣu): in Revatī (nakṣatra), during Revatī

• नखानि (nakhāni): nails (fingernails/toenails)

• पूज्यानि (pūjyāni): to be worshipped, worthy of worship

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• अश्विनीषु (aśvinīṣu): in the Aśvinīs (nakṣatras)

• नमः अस्तु (namaḥ astu): let there be salutations, obeisance be

• सप्ताश्व-धुरंधराय (saptāśva-dhuraṃdharāya): to him who bears the yoke/burden of seven horses (i.e., Sūrya, the Sun).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu / the inquiring dvija in the narrative frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Sūrya (Sun-god)
• Sāman (Sāma Veda chants)
• Revatī (Nakshatra)
• Aśvinī (Nakshatra)

Tags

• Ritual
• Nakshatra
• Solar Worship
• Iconography
• Mantra

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches a ritual mapping of nakṣatras to specific limbs/features of the deity (especially the Sun), indicating a liturgical and iconographic focus rather than cosmological dissolution.

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

It supports the householder’s (and ruler’s) dharma of maintaining daily/seasonal worship: observing auspicious timings (nakṣatras) and performing limb-specific veneration as a disciplined devotional practice aligned with Purāṇic ritual order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it prescribes nakṣatra-based worship of specific parts—hands in Revatī and nails in Aśvinī—within a broader pratima/arcana framework; such prescriptions inform how an image is contemplated and honored in temple-pūjā sequences.