Shloka 16

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

वाराहकल्पवृत्तान्तम् अधिकृत्य पराशरः यत्प्राह धर्मानखिलांस् तद्युक्तं वैष्णवं विदुः //

Transliteration

vārāhakalpavṛttāntam adhikṛtya parāśaraḥ yatprāha dharmānakhilāṃs tadyuktaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ viduḥ //

Translation

Taking the account of the Varāha-kalpa as his subject, Parāśara taught the entire body of dharma in full; know that this is properly aligned with the true Vaiṣṇava tradition.

Word by Word

• वाराह-कल्प-वृत्तान्तम्: the narrative/account of the Varāha Kalpa

• अधिकृत्य: having taken up as the topic/ground

• पराशरः: Parāśara (the sage)

• यत्: whatever/that which

• प्राह: said/taught

• धर्मान्: dharmas, duties, religious laws

• अखिलान्: all, entire, without remainder

• तत्-युक्तम्: properly joined/consistent/accordant (with it)

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (pertaining to Viṣṇu)

• विदुः: (the wise) know/understand

Speaker

• Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) summarizing/endorsing Parāśara’s teaching within the Matsya Purana’s discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Parāśara
• Varāha-kalpa
• Viṣṇu (Vaiṣṇava)

Tags

• Dharma
• Vaiṣṇavism
• Kalpa
• Purana-classification
• Parāśara

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it frames Parāśara’s dharma-teaching as grounded in the Varāha-kalpa account, implying a cosmic-era (kalpa) context for religious law rather than a flood/dissolution narrative.

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

By stating that Parāśara taught “all dharmas” and that these are truly Vaiṣṇava, it authorizes a comprehensive dharma framework—ethics, ritual duty, governance norms, and household conduct—as legitimate when aligned with devotion and principles centered on Viṣṇu.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No specific Vāstu or temple rule is stated; the verse functions as a legitimacy marker—ritual procedures (and by extension temple practices) are to be regarded as properly ‘Vaiṣṇava’ when consistent with the dharma taught in the Varāha-kalpa-based tradition.