Matsya Purana — Devayānī–Śarmiṣṭhā Dialogue: Yayāti’s Transgression, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

*शुक्र उवाच धर्मज्ञस्त्वं महाराज यो ऽधर्मम् अकृथाः प्रियम् तस्माज्जरा त्वाम् अचिराद् धर्षयिष्यति दुर्जया //

Transliteration

*śukra uvāca dharmajñastvaṃ mahārāja yo 'dharmam akṛthāḥ priyam tasmājjarā tvām acirād dharṣayiṣyati durjayā //

Translation

Śukra sprach: „O großer König, obwohl du die Dharma kennst, hast du das Unrecht zu deiner Freude gemacht. Darum wird dich bald das unbesiegbare Alter (jarā) überwältigen.“

Word by Word

• śukra uvāca: Śukra said

• dharma-jñaḥ tvam: you are a knower of dharma

• mahā-rāja: O great king

• yaḥ: yet/indeed (one who)

• adharmaṃ: unrighteousness, adharma

• akṛthāḥ: you have made (you have done/turned into)

• priyam: dear, pleasing, a chosen delight

• tasmāt: therefore

• jarā: old age, senescence

• tvām: you

• acirāt: soon, before long

• dharṣayiṣyati: will assail, overpower, violate/overwhelm

• durjayā: hard to conquer, invincible.

Speaker

• Śukra (Śukrācārya)

Entities Mentioned

• Śukra
• Jarā (Old Age)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Dharma
• Adharma
• Karma
• Nīti

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya directly; it teaches moral causality—adharma brings inevitable decline, symbolized here by the overpowering force of jarā (old age).

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

It warns that even a dharma-knowing ruler falls if he chooses adharma as “pleasant.” Rajadharma requires restraint and righteous preference, because personal vice becomes political and spiritual downfall.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu/temple-building or ritual procedure is mentioned; the focus is nīti—ethical discipline and the karmic consequence of wrongdoing.