Matsya Purana — Secondary Creation: Appointment of Cosmic Regents and Consecration of Directi..., Shloka 11

Devanagari script

हिरण्यरोमाणम् उदग्दिगीशं प्रजापतिर् देवसुतं चकार अद्यापि कुर्वन्ति दिशाम् अधीशाः शत्रून् दहन्तस्तु भुवो ऽभिरक्षाम् //

Transliteration

hiraṇyaromāṇam udagdigīśaṃ prajāpatir devasutaṃ cakāra adyāpi kurvanti diśām adhīśāḥ śatrūn dahantastu bhuvo 'bhirakṣām //

Translation

Prajāpati setzte Hiraṇyaromā als Herrn des Nordens ein und machte ihn zum deva-suta, „göttlich Geborenen“. Noch heute schützen die Hüter der Richtungen die Erde, indem sie Feinde verbrennen, während sie die Welt bewahren.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यरोमाणम् (hiraṇyaromāṇam): Hiraṇyaromā (a named deity/guardian)

• उदग्दिगीशम् (udag-dig-īśam): lord of the northern direction

• प्रजापतिः (prajāpatiḥ): Prajāpati, the progenitor (Brahmā/creator-function)

• देवसुतम् (deva-sutam): divine-born, son of a god

• चकार (cakāra): made/appointed

• अद्यापि (adyāpi): even today, still

• कुर्वन्ति (kurvanti): they perform/do

• दिशाम् (diśām): of the directions

• अधीशाः (adhīśāḥ): overlords, sovereign guardians

• शत्रून् (śatrūn): enemies

• दहन्तः (dahantaḥ): burning, consuming

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• भुवः (bhuvaḥ): the earth/world

• अभिरक्षाम् (abhirakṣām): protection, guarding

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s cosmological account; framed within the Matsya–Manu dialogue tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Hiraṇyaromā
• Prajāpati
• Dikpālas (Directional Lords)

Tags

• Cosmology
• Dikpālas
• Creation
• Protection
• Prajāpati

FAQs

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

It highlights cosmic administration rather than Pralaya: Prajāpati appoints a guardian for the northern direction, showing how the created world is maintained through directional lords who protect the earth.

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

By analogy, as the Dikpālas protect the world and neutralize threats, a king must defend his realm and uphold order; a householder should also protect dependents and maintain righteous boundaries in their sphere.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It supports direction-based sacred planning: the north (udak/uttara) has a presiding guardian, a principle used in Vastu and ritual orientation—aligning spaces and rites with the deities of the quarters.