Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 188

Devanagari script

अतो ऽस्या लक्षणं गात्रे शैल नास्ति महामते यथाहमुक्तवानस्या ह्य् उत्तानकरतां सदा //

Transliteration

ato 'syā lakṣaṇaṃ gātre śaila nāsti mahāmate yathāhamuktavānasyā hy uttānakaratāṃ sadā //

Translation

لذلك، أيها العظيم الرأي، لا علامةَ مميِّزةَ أخرى تُظهَر على جسدها في الحجر؛ وكما قلتُ، ينبغي أن تُصاغ يدا هذه الصورة دائمًا والكفّان متجهتان إلى أعلى.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore

• asyāḥ: of her/this (female deity/image)

• lakṣaṇam: characteristic mark, iconographic feature

• gātre: on the body/limbs

• śaile: in stone (in a stone image)

• nāsti: is not/there is none

• mahāmate: O great-minded one

• yathā: as

• aham: I

• uktavān: have said

• asyā: for her/for this

• hi: indeed

• uttāna-karatām: the state of having upturned hands (palms upward)

• sadā: always.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Pratima (icon/image)
• Shaila (stone image)

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Vastu Shastra
• Temple Art
• Mudra

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the iconography/śilpa context, prescribing how a deity’s image should be formed—specifically the upturned hands—rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it guides patrons (kings/householders) who commission temple images: correct iconographic compliance is treated as dharmic responsibility, ensuring worship is performed with a properly defined, scripturally aligned form.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It gives a pratima-lakṣaṇa rule for stone sculpture: no additional bodily ‘mark’ is required/allowed beyond what was stated, and the key specification is the constant depiction of upturned palms (uttāna-hasta), a ritual-meaningful gesture in temple icons.