Shloka 54

Matsya Purana — Brahmā–Gāyatrī as a Divine Pair and the Early Genealogies of Creation

Devanagari script

जनयामास धर्मात्मा म्लेच्छान्सर्वाननेकशः स सृष्ट्वा मनसा दक्षः स्त्रियः पश्चादजीजनत् //

Transliteration

janayāmāsa dharmātmā mlecchānsarvānanekaśaḥ sa sṛṣṭvā manasā dakṣaḥ striyaḥ paścādajījanat //

Translation

That righteous one brought forth all the Mlecchas in many varieties; and Dakṣa—having first created them by his mind (manasā)—afterwards generated women.

Word by Word

• janayāmāsa: brought forth/produced

• dharmātmā: righteous-souled, devoted to dharma

• mlecchān: Mlecchas (non-Vedic/foreign peoples, outsiders)

• sarvān: all

• anekaśaḥ: in many ways, in numerous kinds

• sa: he

• sṛṣṭvā: having created

• manasā: by the mind, mentally

• dakṣaḥ: Dakṣa (Prajāpati)

• striyaḥ: women

• paścāt: afterwards

• ajījanat: generated/produced (gave birth to).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting cosmogonic genealogy within Matsya Purana’s creation discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Dakṣa
• Mleccha

Tags

• Creation
• Genealogy
• Prajapati
• Dharma
• Human groups

FAQs

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

This verse concerns sarga (creation), not pralaya: it describes Dakṣa’s mental creation and subsequent generation of women, indicating orderly emanation of beings rather than dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it grounds social life in progeny and regulated generation: the emergence of women and human groups frames later dharma teachings on marriage, lineage, and governance over diverse peoples.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the verse is genealogical/cosmogonic, serving as background to later ritual and societal prescriptions in the Matsya Purana.