Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Yayāti’s Fall

Devanagari script

*अष्टक उवाच कतरस्त्वेतयोः पूर्वं देवानामेति सात्म्यताम् उभयोर्धावतो राजन् सूर्यचन्द्रमसोरिव //

Transliteration

*aṣṭaka uvāca katarastvetayoḥ pūrvaṃ devānāmeti sātmyatām ubhayordhāvato rājan sūryacandramasoriva //

Translation

Aṣṭaka said: “Which of these two reaches, first, the state of becoming one in nature with the gods? O King, as the Sun and the Moon race onward together.”

Word by Word

• अष्टक (aṣṭaka): Aṣṭaka

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• कतरः (kataraḥ): which (of the two)

• तु (tu): indeed

• एतयोः (etayoḥ): of these two

• पूर्वम् (pūrvam): first/earlier

• देवानाम् (devānām): of the gods

• एति (eti): goes/attains

• सात्म्यताम् (sātmyatām): sameness/compatibility/identity of nature (with)

• उभयोः (ubhayor): of both

• धावतॊः (dhāvatoḥ): of the two running/striving

• राजन् (rājan): O King

• सूर्यचन्द्रमसोः (sūrya-candramasoḥ): of the Sun and the Moon

• इव (iva): like/as.

Speaker

• Aṣṭaka

Entities Mentioned

• Aṣṭaka
• King (Rājan)
• Devas
• Surya
• Chandra

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Heavenly attainment
• Merit comparison
• Dialogue
• Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on comparing spiritual precedence—who attains divine sameness with the gods first.

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

By addressing “O King,” the verse frames a royal-ethical inquiry: rulers (and householders) must discern which actions or virtues lead more swiftly to divine attainment, implying careful judgment about merit (dharma) and its results.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the imagery is cosmological (Sun–Moon) and the topic is comparative spiritual attainment rather than ritual procedure.