Shloka 30

Matsya Purana — Characteristics of Dvāpara and Kali Yugas

Devanagari script

हिंसा स्तेयानृतं माया दम्भश्चैव तपस्विनाम् एते स्वभावाः पुष्यस्य साधयन्ति च ताः प्रजाः //

Transliteration

hiṃsā steyānṛtaṃ māyā dambhaścaiva tapasvinām ete svabhāvāḥ puṣyasya sādhayanti ca tāḥ prajāḥ //

Translation

Violence, theft, falsehood, deceit, and hypocrisy—these become the very dispositions of ascetics. Such are the innate tendencies of the Puṣya age, and they come to govern and shape the people accordingly.

Word by Word

• hiṃsā: violence, injury

• steya: theft

• anṛtam: untruth, falsehood

• māyā: deceit, trickery, delusion

• dambhaḥ: hypocrisy, pretence

• ca eva: and indeed

• tapasvinām: of ascetics, of those practicing austerity

• ete: these

• svabhāvāḥ: natural dispositions, inherent traits

• puṣyasya: of (the time/age characterized by) Puṣya

• sādhayanti: accomplish, bring about, control, effect

• ca: and

• tāḥ: those

• prajāḥ: the people, subjects.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Puṣya (nakṣatra/age-marker)
• tapasvin (ascetic)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Kali-yuga signs
• Ethics
• Asceticism
• Social decline

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe cosmic dissolution; it describes moral and social deterioration in a particular time-condition, where harmful traits spread through society.

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

It warns that even those outwardly religious may act violently, deceitfully, or hypocritically; therefore a king must protect subjects through impartial justice, and a householder should practice discernment, truthfulness, and non-violence rather than trusting mere appearances.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-ritual rule is stated; the takeaway is ethical—ritual or ascetic display without integrity becomes 'dambha' (hypocrisy), undermining genuine dharma.