Matsya Purana — Dynastic Genealogies: Paurava–Anu Lines, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो ऽथ देवर्षिस् तथास्त्वित्युक्तवान् प्रभुः स तस्य राजा स्वां भार्यां सुदेष्णां नाम प्राहिणोत् अन्धं वृद्धं च तं ज्ञात्वा न सा देवी जगाम ह //

Transliteration

evamukto 'tha devarṣis tathāstvityuktavān prabhuḥ sa tasya rājā svāṃ bhāryāṃ sudeṣṇāṃ nāma prāhiṇot andhaṃ vṛddhaṃ ca taṃ jñātvā na sā devī jagāma ha //

Translation

So angesprochen, erwiderte der göttliche ṛṣi: „So sei es.“ Darauf sandte der König seine eigene Gemahlin namens Sudeṣṇā; doch als die Königin erfuhr, dass der Mann blind und betagt war, ging sie nicht.

Word by Word

• evam-uktaḥ: thus addressed

• atha: then

• devarṣiḥ: divine seer

• tathā astu iti: “so be it”

• uktavān: said

• prabhuḥ: the venerable one/lordly person (here, the seer)

• saḥ: he

• tasya: of him/that (king)

• rājā: the king

• svām bhāryām: his own wife

• sudeṣṇām nāma: named Sudeṣṇā

• prāhiṇot: sent/dispatched

• andham: blind

• vṛddham: aged/old

• ca: and

• tam: him

• jñātvā: having known/understood

• na: not

• sā devī: that queen/noble lady

• jagāma ha: went (indeed)

Speaker

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrative voice, traditionally Sūta relating the account)

Entities Mentioned

• Devarṣi (divine seer)
• Rājā (the king)
• Queen Sudeṣṇā
• The blind aged man

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Compassion
• Royal conduct
• Ethics
• Narrative episode

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on a moral-ethical narrative where personal preference conflicts with expected duty and compassion.

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

It highlights household and royal duty: the king attempts to act through his queen, but her refusal upon hearing the man is blind and old underscores a lapse in compassion—an implicit Rajadharma lesson that service to the vulnerable should not be avoided.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned in this verse; its significance is ethical, centering on conduct toward the aged and infirm.