Matsya Purana — Code of Conduct and Vow-Procedure for Courtesans, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तास्तमर्घ्येण सम्पूज्य प्रणिपत्य पुनः पुनः लालप्यमाना बहुशो बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणाः //

Transliteration

tāstamarghyeṇa sampūjya praṇipatya punaḥ punaḥ lālapyamānā bahuśo bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇāḥ //

Translation

তাঁরা অর্ঘ্য নিবেদন করে তাঁকে যথাবিধি পূজা করলেন এবং বারংবার প্রণাম করলেন; বহুবার করুণ বাক্যে নিবেদন করতে করতে তাঁদের চোখ অশ্রুতে আচ্ছন্ন ও ব্যাকুল হয়ে উঠল।

Word by Word

• ताः (tāḥ): those women/they (feminine plural)

• तम् (tam): him

• अर्घ्येण (arghyeṇa): with arghya (ritual offering of respect)

• सम्पूज्य (sampūjya): having worshipped/honored

• प्रणिपत्य (praṇipatya): having prostrated/bowed down

• पुनः पुनः (punaḥ punaḥ): again and again

• लालप्यमाना (lālapyamānā): speaking plaintively/crying out beseechingly

• बहुशः (bahuśaḥ): many times/repeatedly

• बाष्प (bāṣpa): tears

• पर्याकुल-ईक्षणाः (paryākula-īkṣaṇāḥ): with agitated/overwhelmed eyes (glances).

Speaker

• Narrator (Sūta/paurāṇika narrative voice) describing the devotees’/women’s actions toward the revered figure in the Pralaya episode (likely Lord Matsya or the divinely protected leader such as Manu, depending on immediate context).

Entities Mentioned

• Arghya (ritual offering)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Ritual
• Bhakti
• Manu-Matsya
• Arghya

FAQs

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

It shows the human emotional and devotional response during the Pralaya narrative—people seek refuge in the divine/protected leader, honoring him with arghya and repeated prostrations amid grief.

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

It highlights dharmic conduct in crisis: offering respectful hospitality (arghya) and humble submission to rightful spiritual authority—values expected in household and royal etiquette in the Matsya Purana’s ethical culture.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual point is arghya—an honor-offering used in pūjā and reception rites—paired with repeated praṇipāta, indicating formal worship protocol rather than Vāstu or temple-construction rules.