Shloka 44

Matsya Purana — Characteristics of Dvāpara and Kali Yugas

Devanagari script

उपहत्य तथान्योन्यं साधयन्ति तदा प्रजाः दुःखप्रचुरताल्पायुर् देशोत्सादः सरोगता //

Transliteration

upahatya tathānyonyaṃ sādhayanti tadā prajāḥ duḥkhapracuratālpāyur deśotsādaḥ sarogatā //

Translation

Then the people, injuring one another, pursue their own ends; sorrow becomes abundant, lifespans grow short, the land falls into ruin, and disease becomes widespread.

Word by Word

• upahatya: having harmed, after injuring

• tathā: likewise, indeed

• anyonyam: one another, mutually

• sādhayanti: accomplish, carry out, pursue (their aims)

• tadā: then

• prajāḥ: the subjects, people

• duḥkha: sorrow, suffering

• pracuratā: abundance, prevalence

• alpa-āyuḥ: short-lived, of little lifespan

• deśa: land, region

• utsādaḥ: ruin, devastation, decline

• sa-rogatā: with disease, diseased condition, prevalence of illness

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, describing symptoms of yuga-decline)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Prajāḥ (subjects/people)

Tags

• Kali-yuga
• Dharma decline
• Social violence
• Disease
• Short lifespan

FAQs

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

It is not a cosmic pralaya verse; it describes moral and social “decline” (dharma-ksaya) where violence, disease, and reduced lifespan afflict a region—an inner-world deterioration rather than universal dissolution.

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

By portraying mutual harm and widespread suffering as marks of decline, it implies the king’s duty to restrain violence, protect subjects, and uphold dharma, while householders should avoid exploitation and cultivate non-injury and social responsibility.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual rule is stated; the practical takeaway is contextual—when a land is “ruined” and “diseased,” purification, public welfare measures, and dharmic governance become urgent prerequisites for stable settlement and temple/ritual life.