Shloka 82

Matsya Purana — Characteristics of Dvāpara and Kali Yugas

Devanagari script

ततः प्रजास्तु सम्भूय कन्दमूलमथो ऽखनन् फलमूलाशनाः सर्वे अनिकेतास्तथैव च //

Transliteration

tataḥ prajāstu sambhūya kandamūlamatho 'khanan phalamūlāśanāḥ sarve aniketāstathaiva ca //

Translation

Then the people gathered together and dug up bulbs and roots; all of them lived on fruits and roots, and likewise remained without fixed dwellings.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter

• prajāḥ: the subjects/people

• tu: indeed

• sambhūya: assembling together

• kanda-mūlam: tubers (bulbs) and roots

• atha: then

• akhanan: they dug up

• phala-mūla-aśanāḥ: those whose food was fruits and roots

• sarve: all

• aniketāḥ: without a house/shelter, homeless

• tathaiva: likewise/just so

• ca: and

Speaker

• Narratorial voice within the Matsya Purana’s Manu–Matsya discourse (describing the condition of the people)

Entities Mentioned

• Prajā (people/subjects)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Survival
• Post-deluge
• Austerity
• Social conditions

FAQs

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

It depicts the immediate post-dissolution hardship: society is reduced to subsistence foraging—digging roots and eating fruits—showing a breakdown of settled life after a catastrophic upheaval.

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

By implying homelessness and scarcity, it highlights why kingship (protection, settlement, provisioning) and householder stability (food storage, shelter, agriculture) are central dharmic aims once order is restored.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is prescribed directly; the key takeaway is the absence of dwellings (aniketāḥ), a contrast point that later supports the need for planned settlement and building norms.