Shloka 4

Matsya Purana — The Sun-Vow

Devanagari script

यदा हस्तेन संयुक्तम् आदित्यस्य च वासरम् तदा शनिदिने कुर्याद् एकभक्तं विमत्सरः //

Transliteration

yadā hastena saṃyuktam ādityasya ca vāsaram tadā śanidine kuryād ekabhaktaṃ vimatsaraḥ //

Translation

When Sunday coincides with the nakṣatra Hasta, then—on Saturday—one who is free from malice should undertake the ekabhakta observance, taking only a single meal.

Word by Word

• yadā: when

• hastena: with (the nakṣatra) Hasta

• saṃyuktam: conjoined/combined

• ādityasya: of Āditya (the Sun)

• ca: and

• vāsaram: day (weekday)

• tadā: then

• śanidine: on Saturn’s day (Saturday)

• kuryāt: should do/undertake

• ekabhaktam: the ‘single-meal’ fast/observance

• vimatsaraḥ: free from envy or ill-will

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, vrata-vidhi context)

Entities Mentioned

• Āditya (Sun/Sunday)
• Śani (Saturn/Saturday)
• Hasta Nakshatra
• Ekabhakta Vrata

Tags

• Vrata
• Fasting
• Nakshatra
• Vara
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to vrata-dharma and specifies an auspicious timing rule for a fasting observance based on weekday–nakṣatra conjunctions.

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

It frames dharmic self-discipline: a householder (and by extension a king setting public religious standards) should observe regulated fasting like ekabhakta at prescribed times, cultivating vimatsaratā—freedom from envy and hostility.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is calendrical: when Sunday aligns with Hasta nakṣatra, ekabhakta is to be performed on Saturday—showing how Matsya Purana ties vratas to precise lunar-mansion and weekday timing.