Matsya Purana — The Tale of Brahmadatta: Past-life Memory, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

द्विजेभ्यः श्रावयेद्यो वा शृणोत्यथ पठेत्तु वा कल्पकोटिशतं साग्रं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते //

Transliteration

dvijebhyaḥ śrāvayedyo vā śṛṇotyatha paṭhettu vā kalpakoṭiśataṃ sāgraṃ brahmaloke mahīyate //

Translation

Wer es den zweimal Geborenen vortragen lässt, oder es anhört, oder es selbst rezitiert, wird in Brahmās Welt für volle hundert Koṭi Kalpas (und darüber hinaus) geehrt.

Word by Word

• द्विजेभ्यः (dvijebhyaḥ): to the twice-born (Brahmins and other initiated varṇas)

• श्रावयेत् (śrāvayet): should cause to be heard/recited, have it read aloud

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• वा (vā): or

• शृणोति (śṛṇoti): listens/hears

• अथ (atha): then/also

• पठेत् (paṭhet): recites/reads

• तु (tu): indeed/even

• कल्प (kalpa): an aeon, a day of Brahmā

• कोटि (koṭi): a crore (ten million)

• शतम् (śatam): hundred

• साग्रम् (sāgram): with an excess, plus more

• ब्रह्मलोके (brahmaloke): in Brahmaloka, the world/realm of Brahmā

• महीयते (mahīyate): is honored, is greatly revered.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative voice) conveying the phalaśruti of the Matsya Purana

Entities Mentioned

• Dvija
• Brahmaloka
• Brahma

Tags

• Phalashruti
• Shravana
• Patha
• Punya
• Brahmaloka

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses cosmic time units (kalpa) to express the vast, creation-scale duration of the spiritual reward gained by hearing/reciting the Purana.

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

It frames śravaṇa (listening), pāṭha (recitation), and śrāvaṇa/adhyāpana (arranging a learned recitation for qualified dvijas) as dharmic acts—practices a householder or patron-king can support through sponsorship, public readings, and personal study.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated; the ritual takeaway is the efficacy of Purāṇa-śravaṇa and pāṭha as a meritorious religious observance leading to exalted posthumous honor in Brahmaloka.