Shloka 16

Matsya Purana — The Sun-Vow

Devanagari script

नमो नमः पापविनाशनाय विश्वात्मने सप्ततुरंगमाय सामर्ग्यजुर्धामनिधे विधात्रे भवाब्धिपोताय जगत्सवित्रे //

Transliteration

namo namaḥ pāpavināśanāya viśvātmane saptaturaṃgamāya sāmargyajurdhāmanidhe vidhātre bhavābdhipotāya jagatsavitre //

Translation

Salutations, again and again, to the Destroyer of sin; to the Soul of the universe; to Him who rides the chariot drawn by seven steeds; to the Ordainer (Vidhātṛ), the treasure-house of the sacred radiance of the Sāma, Ṛg, and Yajus Vedas; to the Boat that carries one across the ocean of becoming; to the Sun, Savitṛ, the Inspirer of the world.

Word by Word

• namo namaḥ: repeated salutations

• pāpa-vināśanāya: to the destroyer of sin

• viśva-ātmane: to the universal Self / soul of all

• sapta-turaṅgamāya: to the one with seven horses (the Sun’s chariot)

• sāma-ṛg-yajus-dhāma-nidhe: to the repository/treasury of the Vedic abodes (Sāma, Ṛg, Yajus)

• vidhātre: to the ordainer/creator (dispenser of order)

• bhava-abdhi-potāya: to the boat/ferry across the ocean of worldly existence

• jagat-savitre: to Savitṛ, the impeller/inspirer of the world

Speaker

• A devotee-narrator within the Matsya Purana’s discourse (stuti-voice; commonly framed by Suta’s narration, ultimately aligned with the Matsya–Manu theological setting)

Entities Mentioned

• Savitṛ (Sun deity)
• Vidhātṛ (Ordainer/Creator)
• Vedas (Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma)
• Sapta-turaṅga (seven-horsed solar chariot)

Tags

• Stuti
• Savitri
• Vedic Praise
• Sin-destruction
• Saṃsāra-crossing

FAQs

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

It presents the deity as Vidhātṛ (the cosmic ordainer) and as the “boat” across saṃsāra—language often used in Purāṇic thought for deliverance through cosmic cycles, including dissolution and renewal, even though this verse itself is a hymn of praise rather than a direct Pralaya description.

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

By emphasizing pāpavināśana (sin-destruction) and Vedic foundation (Ṛg–Yajus–Sāma), it supports the Matsya Purana’s ethic that rulers and householders should uphold Vedic order, pursue purification through right conduct and worship, and seek guidance from the cosmic law embodied by Savitṛ.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it is a stuti suitable for solar or Vedic-oriented worship, invoking Savitṛ as the Vedic source (dhāma-nidhi). It does not state specific Vastu or temple-construction rules, but it aligns with Purāṇic ritual framing where hymns precede rites and consecrations.