Shloka 57

Matsya Purana — Characteristics of Dvāpara and Kali Yugas

Devanagari script

गान्धारान्पारदांश्चैव पह्लवान्यवनाञ्छकान् तुषारान्बर्बराञ्छ्वेतान् हलिकान्दरदान्खसान् //

Transliteration

gāndhārānpāradāṃścaiva pahlavānyavanāñchakān tuṣārānbarbarāñchvetān halikāndaradānkhasān //

Translation

He also mentions the Gāndhāras and the Pāradas, the Pahlavas, the Yavanas and the Śakas; the Tuṣāras, the Barbarians, the Śvetas, the Halikas, the Daradas, and the Khaśas.

Word by Word

• gāndhārān: the Gandhāra people

• pāradān: the Pāradas (Parada tribe/people)

• ca eva: and indeed/also

• pahlavān: the Pahlavas (often identified with western/Iranian groups)

• yavanān: the Yavanas (Greeks/foreigners)

• śakān: the Śakas (Scythians)

• tuṣārān: the Tuṣāras (Tokharians/Tuṣāra people)

• barbarān: barbarians/foreign tribes (non-Vedic outsiders)

• śvetān: the Śvetas (the ‘White’ people/tribe-name)

• halikān: the Halikas (a named tribe/people)

• daradān: the Daradas (Dardic/hill people)

• khasān: the Khaśas (Khasas, Himalayan people)

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the Matsya Purana’s regional/tribal catalogue (contextual attribution)

Entities Mentioned

• Gandharas
• Paradas
• Pahlavas
• Yavanas
• Sakas
• Tusaras
• Barbaras
• Svetas
• Halikas
• Daradas
• Khasas

Tags

• Geography
• Tribes
• Frontier peoples
• Genealogy-context
• Puranic ethnography

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it is part of a geographic/ethnographic catalogue naming frontier peoples and regions known to the Purana’s compilers.

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

Indirectly, such catalogues inform a king’s worldview—who lies on the borders, which peoples are considered external/foreign, and the broader political geography relevant for diplomacy, defense, and taxation narratives in Puranic discourse.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it functions as a naming list of peoples (janapada/tribal groups) within the Purana’s descriptive geography.