Shloka 35

Matsya Purana — Agastya’s Origin

Devanagari script

अथ ब्रह्मण आदेशाल् लोचनेष्ववसन्निमिः निमेषाः स्युश्च लोकानां तद्विश्रामाय नारद //

Transliteration

atha brahmaṇa ādeśāl locaneṣvavasannimiḥ nimeṣāḥ syuśca lokānāṃ tadviśrāmāya nārada //

Translation

Then, by Brahmā’s command, Nimi settled in the eyes; and the blinking of the eyelids came to be among living beings, O Nārada, for their repose.

Word by Word

• atha: then

• brahmaṇaḥ ādeśāt: by the command of Brahmā

• locaneṣu: in the eyes

• avasat: dwelt/settled

• nimiḥ: (King) Nimi (personified as Nimi)

• nimeṣāḥ: blinks/winks (closing of the eyelids)

• syuḥ: came to be/occur

• ca: and

• lokānām: of the worlds/of living beings

• tat-viśrāmāya: for that rest/repose

• nārada: O Nārada

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) speaking to the sages (with a direct address to Nārada within the cited tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahmā
• Nimi
• Nārada

Tags

• Sarga
• Cosmic order
• Etiology
• Time units
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

It presents a creation-side (sarga) etiological detail: Brahmā institutes a bodily rhythm—blinking—by placing Nimi in the eyes, establishing rest and regulation in living beings rather than describing dissolution.

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

By framing blinking as divinely instituted for rest, the verse supports a dharmic ethic of measured exertion—kings and householders should balance effort with necessary repose to sustain order and wellbeing.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-rule instruction appears here; the ritual takeaway is broader—Purāṇic texts often ground even small bodily rhythms in cosmic ordinance, reinforcing reverence for regulated timing in rites.