Shloka 4

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

पुराणमेकमेवासीत् तदा कल्पान्तरे ऽनघ त्रिवर्गसाधनं पुण्यं शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् //

Transliteration

purāṇamekamevāsīt tadā kalpāntare 'nagha trivargasādhanaṃ puṇyaṃ śatakoṭipravistaram //

Translation

O sinless one, at the close of a former aeon there existed only a single Purāṇa—holy in nature, a means to accomplish the three aims of life (dharma, artha, and kāma), and vast in extent, spreading over a hundred koṭi (of verses).

Word by Word

• पुराणम् (purāṇam): the Purāṇa/ancient sacred lore

• एकम् (ekam): one

• एव (eva): alone/indeed

• आसीत् (āsīt): existed/was

• तदा (tadā): then

• कल्पान्तरे (kalpāntare): at another time-cycle / at the end of a kalpa

• अनघ (anagha): O sinless one (vocative)

• त्रिवर्गसाधनम् (trivarga-sādhanam): the means of attaining the three puruṣārthas—dharma, artha, kāma

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam): meritorious, sacred

• शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् (śata-koṭi-pravistaram): expanded to a hundred crores in extent (traditionally, verses/ślokas).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Purana
• Trivarga (Dharma-Artha-Kama)
• Kalpa

Tags

• Purana Mahatmya
• Trivarga
• Kalpa
• Scriptural Authority
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It points to kalpa-cycle transitions (kalpānta), implying that at an earlier cosmic turning-point the Purāṇic knowledge was preserved as a single, primordial corpus.

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

By calling the Purāṇa a means to achieve the trivarga (dharma, artha, kāma), it frames Purāṇic instruction as practical guidance for righteous living, prosperity, and regulated enjoyment—central concerns for both rulers and householders.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct vāstu/temple rule appears in this verse; its ritual takeaway is broader—Purāṇic teaching is presented as inherently meritorious (puṇya) and authoritative, forming a foundation upon which later ritual and iconographic instructions stand.