Matsya Purana — Brahmā’s Four Faces, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

*मत्स्य उवाच तपश् चचार प्रथमम् अमराणां पितामहः आविभूतास् तथा वेदाः साङ्गोपाङ्गपदक्रमाः //

Transliteration

*matsya uvāca tapaś cacāra prathamam amarāṇāṃ pitāmahaḥ āvibhūtās tathā vedāḥ sāṅgopāṅgapadakramāḥ //

Translation

Der Herr Matsya sprach: Zu Beginn übte der Großvater der Unsterblichen (Brahmā) zuerst tapas (Askese und geistige Disziplin); danach traten die Veden hervor—mitsamt ihren Gliedern und Hilfslehren sowie der geordneten Folge von Wörtern und Rezitation.

Word by Word

• मत्स्य उवाच (matsya uvāca): Matsya said

• तपः (tapaḥ): austerity, ascetic heat

• चचार (cacāra): performed, practiced

• प्रथमम् (prathamam): first, at the beginning

• अमराणाम् (amarāṇām): of the immortals (gods)

• पितामहः (pitāmahaḥ): the Grandfather (Brahmā)

• आविभूताः (āvibhūtāḥ): became manifest, appeared

• तथा (tathā): then/also

• वेदाः (vedāḥ): the Vedas

• साङ्गोपाङ्ग (sāṅgopāṅga): with the Vedāṅgas and subsidiary branches (auxiliary sciences/traditions)

• पदक्रमाः (padakramāḥ): word-by-word arrangement/sequence (pada-pāṭha), ordered recitational arrangement.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Brahma
• Vedas
• Devas (Amaras)

Tags

• Creation
• Vedas
• Tapas
• Cosmogony
• Revelation

FAQs

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

It highlights a creation principle: after Brahmā’s tapas (creative austerity), the Vedas manifest in an ordered form—implying that cosmic order begins with disciplined, revelatory knowledge rather than randomness.

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

By grounding dharma in revealed Vedic knowledge “with limbs and subsidiary disciplines,” the verse implies that righteous governance and household life should be guided by properly transmitted Vedic tradition—study, correct recitation, and reliance on the auxiliary sciences that clarify practice.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it stresses correct Vedic transmission—padakrama (word-order recitation) and the sāṅgopāṅga framework—foundational for accurate mantra use in yajña and later śāstras (including Vāstu and temple rites) that depend on Vedic authority.