Matsya Purana — Chapter 127

MtP 127.1

ताराग्रहाणां वक्ष्यामि स्वर्भानोस्तु रथं पुनः अथ तेजोमयः शुभ्रः सोमपुत्रस्य वै रथः

tārāgrahāṇāṃ vakṣyāmi svarbhānostu rathaṃ punaḥ atha tejomayaḥ śubhraḥ somaputrasya vai rathaḥ

I shall speak of the stars and planets, and again of the chariot of Svarbhānu. Now, the chariot of Soma's son (Mercury) is made of radiance and is bright.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.2

युक्तो हयैः पिशङ्गस्तु दशभिर् वातरंहसैः श्वेतः पिशङ्गः सारङ्गो नीलः श्यामो विलोहितः

yukto hayaiḥ piśaṅgastu daśabhir vātaraṃhasaiḥ śvetaḥ piśaṅgaḥ sāraṅgo nīlaḥ śyāmo vilohitaḥ

It is yoked with ten tawny horses, swift as the wind: white, tawny, dappled, dark-blue, dusky, deep red,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.3

श्वेतश्च हरितश्चैव पृषतो वृष्णिरेव च दशभिस्तु महाभागैर् उत्तमैर्वातसम्भवैः

śvetaśca haritaścaiva pṛṣato vṛṣṇireva ca daśabhistu mahābhāgair uttamairvātasambhavaiḥ

and white, and green, spotted, and vṛṣṇi (ram-coloured) — with these ten, greatly fortunate, excellent, born of the wind.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.4

ततो भौमरथश्चापि अष्टाङ्गः काञ्चनः स्मृतः अष्टभिर् लोहितैरश्वैः सध्वजैर् अग्निसम्भवैः सर्पते ऽसौ कुमारो वै ऋजुवक्रानुवक्रगः

tato bhaumarathaścāpi aṣṭāṅgaḥ kāñcanaḥ smṛtaḥ aṣṭabhir lohitairaśvaiḥ sadhvajair agnisambhavaiḥ sarpate 'sau kumāro vai ṛjuvakrānuvakragaḥ

Then the chariot of Mars, too, is said to be eight-angled and golden; with eight red horses, bearing banners, born of fire, that youth moves, going straight, crooked, and crooked again (retrograde).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.5

अतश्चाङ्गिरसो विद्वान् देवाचार्यो बृहस्पतिः गौराश्वेन तु रौक्मेण स्यन्दनेन विसर्पति

ataścāṅgiraso vidvān devācāryo bṛhaspatiḥ gaurāśvena tu raukmeṇa syandanena visarpati

Next, the learned son of Aṅgiras, Bṛhaspati, teacher of the gods, moves along with a golden car drawn by white horses,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.6

युक्तेनाष्टाभिरश्वैश्च ध्वजैरग्निसमुद्भवैः अब्दं वसति यो राशौ स्वदिशं तेन गच्छति

yuktenāṣṭābhiraśvaiśca dhvajairagnisamudbhavaiḥ abdaṃ vasati yo rāśau svadiśaṃ tena gacchati

(the car) yoked with eight horses and with banners sprung from fire. He dwells a year in whichever zodiacal sign, and by it he goes to his own quarter.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 127.7

युक्तेनाष्टाभिर् अश्वैश्च सध्वजैरग्निसंनिभैः रथेन क्षिप्रवेगेण भार्गवस्तेन गच्छति

yuktenāṣṭābhir aśvaiśca sadhvajairagnisaṃnibhaiḥ rathena kṣipravegeṇa bhārgavastena gacchati

With a chariot of swift speed, yoked with eight horses bearing banners and resembling fire, the son of Bhṛgu (Venus) travels by it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.8

ततः शनैश्चरो ऽप्यश्वैः सबलैर् वातरंहसैः कार्ष्णायसं समारुह्य स्यन्दनं यात्यसौ शनिः

tataḥ śanaiścaro 'pyaśvaiḥ sabalair vātaraṃhasaiḥ kārṣṇāyasaṃ samāruhya syandanaṃ yātyasau śaniḥ

Then Saturn too, with horses possessed of strength and swift as the wind, having mounted a car of black iron, that Śani goes forth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.9

स्वर्भानोस्तु यथाष्टाश्वाः कृष्णा वै वातरंहसः रथं तमोमयं तस्य वहन्ति स्म सुदंशिताः

svarbhānostu yathāṣṭāśvāḥ kṛṣṇā vai vātaraṃhasaḥ rathaṃ tamomayaṃ tasya vahanti sma sudaṃśitāḥ

And Svarbhānu's eight horses are black and swift as the wind; well harnessed, they bear his chariot made of darkness.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.10

आदित्यनिलयो राहुः सोमं गच्छति पर्वसु आदित्यमेति सोमाच्च तमसो ऽन्तेषु पर्वसु

ādityanilayo rāhuḥ somaṃ gacchati parvasu ādityameti somācca tamaso 'nteṣu parvasu

Rāhu, whose abode is the sun, goes to the moon at the conjunctions; and from the moon he comes to the sun, at the ends of the darkness, at the conjunctions.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.11

ततः केतुमतस्त्वश्वा अष्टौ ते वातरंहसः पलालधूमवर्णाभाः क्षामदेहाः सुदारुणाः

tataḥ ketumatastvaśvā aṣṭau te vātaraṃhasaḥ palāladhūmavarṇābhāḥ kṣāmadehāḥ sudāruṇāḥ

Then Ketu's horses, those eight, swift as the wind, are of the colour of the smoke of straw, with wasted bodies, very dreadful.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.12

एते वाहा ग्रहाणां वै मया प्रोक्ता रथैः सह सर्वे ध्रुवे निबद्धास्ते निबद्धा वातरश्मिभिः

ete vāhā grahāṇāṃ vai mayā proktā rathaiḥ saha sarve dhruve nibaddhāste nibaddhā vātaraśmibhiḥ

These mounts of the planets have been declared by me, together with their chariots; all of them are bound to Dhruva, bound by the reins of the wind.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.13

एते वै भ्राम्यमाणास्ते यथायोगं वहन्ति वै वाय याभिरदृश्याभिः प्रबद्धा वातरश्मिभिः

ete vai bhrāmyamāṇāste yathāyogaṃ vahanti vai vāya yābhiradṛśyābhiḥ prabaddhā vātaraśmibhiḥ

These, being whirled about, are borne along as their yoking requires by the winds, by which invisible wind-reins they are held fast.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 127.14

परिभ्रमन्ति तद्बद्धाश् चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहा दिवि यावत्तमनुपर्येति ध्रुवं च ज्योतिषां गणः

paribhramanti tadbaddhāś candrasūryagrahā divi yāvattamanuparyeti dhruvaṃ ca jyotiṣāṃ gaṇaḥ

Bound to that, the moon, the sun and the planets revolve in the sky, and the host of luminaries goes around the Pole Star as long as it (endures).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 127.15

यथा नद्युदके नोस्तु उदकेन सहोह्यते तथा देवगृहाणि स्युर् उह्यन्ते वातरंहसा तस्माद्यानि प्रगृह्यन्ते व्योम्नि देवगृहा इति

yathā nadyudake nostu udakena sahohyate tathā devagṛhāṇi syur uhyante vātaraṃhasā tasmādyāni pragṛhyante vyomni devagṛhā iti

Just as a boat in a river's water is carried along together with the water, so the houses of the gods are borne along by the rush of the wind; therefore those (things) that are upheld in the sky are called the houses of the gods.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 127.16

यावत्यश्चैव ताराः स्युस् तावन्तो ऽस्य मरीचयः सर्वा ध्रुवनिबद्धास्ता भ्रमन्त्यो भ्रामयन्ति च

yāvatyaścaiva tārāḥ syus tāvanto 'sya marīcayaḥ sarvā dhruvanibaddhāstā bhramantyo bhrāmayanti ca

However many the stars may be, so many are its (the Pole Star's) rays; all of them, bound to the Pole Star, both revolve and cause revolving.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.17

तैलपीडं यथा चक्रं भ्रमते भ्रामयन्ति वै तथा भ्रमन्ति ज्योतींषि वातबद्धानि सर्वशः

tailapīḍaṃ yathā cakraṃ bhramate bhrāmayanti vai tathā bhramanti jyotīṃṣi vātabaddhāni sarvaśaḥ

As the wheel of an oil-press turns and (its parts) make (it) turn, so the luminaries, bound by the winds, revolve in every direction.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.18

अलातचक्रवद्यान्ति वातचक्रेरितानि तु यस्मात्प्रवहते तानि प्रवहस्तेन स स्मृतः

alātacakravadyānti vātacakreritāni tu yasmātpravahate tāni pravahastena sa smṛtaḥ

They move like a whirling firebrand-circle, driven by the wheel of wind; and because it bears them onward (pravahate), it is therefore called Pravaha.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.19

एवं ध्रुवे नियुक्तो ऽसौ भ्रमते ज्योतिषां गणः एष तारामयः प्रोक्तः शिशुमारे ध्रुवो दिवि

evaṃ dhruve niyukto 'sau bhramate jyotiṣāṃ gaṇaḥ eṣa tārāmayaḥ proktaḥ śiśumāre dhruvo divi

Thus, fastened to the Pole Star, this host of luminaries revolves; this Pole Star, made of stars, is declared (to be) in the Śiśumāra (the Porpoise constellation) in the sky.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.20

यदह्ना कुरुते पापं तं दृष्ट्वा निशि मुञ्चति शिशुमारशरीरस्था यावत्यस्तारकास्तु ताः

yadahnā kurute pāpaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā niśi muñcati śiśumāraśarīrasthā yāvatyastārakāstu tāḥ

Whatever sin one commits by day, he is freed from it by seeing it (the Śiśumāra) at night; and as many as are the stars situated in the body of the Śiśumāra—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.21

वर्षाणि दृष्ट्वा जीवेत तावदेवाधिकानि तु शिशुमाराकृतिं ज्ञात्वा प्रविभागेन सर्वशः

varṣāṇi dṛṣṭvā jīveta tāvadevādhikāni tu śiśumārākṛtiṃ jñātvā pravibhāgena sarvaśaḥ

—so many years, and more, would he live who has seen it, having come to know the form of the Śiśumāra fully, part by part.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.22

उत्तानपादस्तस्याथ विज्ञेयः सोत्तरो हनुः यज्ञो ऽधरस्तु विज्ञेयो धर्मो मूर्धानमाश्रितः

uttānapādastasyātha vijñeyaḥ sottaro hanuḥ yajño 'dharastu vijñeyo dharmo mūrdhānamāśritaḥ

Now Uttānapāda is to be known as its upper jaw, Yajña (Sacrifice) as the lower jaw, and Dharma as resting on its head.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.23

हृदि नारायणः साध्या अश्विनौ पूर्वपादयोः वरुणश्चार्यमा चैव पश्चिमे तस्य सक्थिनी

hṛdi nārāyaṇaḥ sādhyā aśvinau pūrvapādayoḥ varuṇaścāryamā caiva paścime tasya sakthinī

Nārāyaṇa is in its heart, the Sādhyas and the two Aśvins in its forefeet; Varuṇa and Aryaman are its two hind thighs.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.24

शिश्ने संवत्सरो ज्ञेयो मित्रश्चापानमाश्रितः पुच्छे ऽग्निश्च महेन्द्रश्च मरीचिः कश्यपो ध्रुवः

śiśne saṃvatsaro jñeyo mitraścāpānamāśritaḥ pucche 'gniśca mahendraśca marīciḥ kaśyapo dhruvaḥ

The Year is to be known in its penis, Mitra abides in its anus; in its tail are Agni, Mahendra, Marīci, Kaśyapa and Dhruva.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.25

एष तारामयः स्तम्भो नास्तमेति न वोदयम् नक्षत्रचन्द्रसूर्याश्च ग्रहास्तारागणैः सह

eṣa tārāmayaḥ stambho nāstameti na vodayam nakṣatracandrasūryāśca grahāstārāgaṇaiḥ saha

This pillar made of stars neither sets nor rises; and the lunar mansions, the moon and the sun, and the planets together with the throngs of stars—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.26

तन्मुखाभिमुखाः सर्वे चक्रभूता दिवि स्थिताः ध्रुवेणाधिष्ठिताश्चैव ध्रुवमेव प्रदक्षिणम्

tanmukhābhimukhāḥ sarve cakrabhūtā divi sthitāḥ dhruveṇādhiṣṭhitāścaiva dhruvameva pradakṣiṇam

—all of them, facing toward its mouth, stand in the sky formed into a wheel; presided over by the Pole Star, they keep the Pole Star itself on the right.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 127.27

परियान्ति सुरश्रेष्ठं मेढीभूतं ध्रुवं दिवि आग्नीध्रकाश्यपानां तु तेषां स परमो ध्रुवः

pariyānti suraśreṣṭhaṃ meḍhībhūtaṃ dhruvaṃ divi āgnīdhrakāśyapānāṃ tu teṣāṃ sa paramo dhruvaḥ

They circle around Dhruva, best of the gods, who serves as the central post in the sky; and among those Āgnīdhras and Kāśyapas he is the supreme Dhruva.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 127.28

एक एव भ्रमत्येष मेरोरन्तरमूर्धनि ज्योतिषां चक्रमादाय आकर्षंस्तमधोमुखः मेरुमालोकयन्नेव प्रतियाति प्रदक्षिणम्

eka eva bhramatyeṣa merorantaramūrdhani jyotiṣāṃ cakramādāya ākarṣaṃstamadhomukhaḥ merumālokayanneva pratiyāti pradakṣiṇam

This one alone revolves within, at the summit of Meru, taking up the wheel of luminaries and, facing downward, drawing it along; gazing upon Meru, he moves round keeping it on the right.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain