Shloka 86

Matsya Purana — Characteristics of Dvāpara and Kali Yugas

Devanagari script

मिथुनानि तु ताः सर्वा ह्य् अन्योन्यं सम्प्रजज्ञिरे ततस्तास्तु म्रियन्ते वै पूर्वोत्पन्नाः प्रजास्तु याः //

Transliteration

mithunāni tu tāḥ sarvā hy anyonyaṃ samprajajñire tatastāstu mriyante vai pūrvotpannāḥ prajāstu yāḥ //

Translation

All those beings, forming into pairs, generated offspring with one another; and then, indeed, the earlier-born creatures among them die.

Word by Word

• mithunāni: pairs/couples

• tu: indeed/and

• tāḥ: those (feminine plural, referring to beings/creatures)

• sarvāḥ: all

• hi: surely/indeed

• anyonyam: mutually/with one another

• samprajajñire: they procreated/produced offspring

• tataḥ: thereafter/then

• tāḥ tu: those indeed

• mriyante: die

• vai: indeed

• pūrvotpannāḥ: earlier-born/previously produced

• prajāḥ: creatures/offspring/beings

• tu: and/indeed

• yāḥ: which/that (feminine plural).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (probable narrative frame of Matsya Purana teachings)

Tags

• Creation
• Procreation
• Cycles of life
• Sarga
• Mortality

FAQs

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

It describes a basic cosmic-law pattern within creation: beings multiply through pairing, and generational turnover follows—earlier-born creatures inevitably die, showing mortality as built into the created order (a prerequisite for cyclical dissolution and renewal).

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

By emphasizing lineage through procreation and the inevitability of death, it supports the householder’s duty to sustain family and society responsibly (praja/continuity), and reminds rulers to govern with awareness of impermanence—prioritizing dharma and orderly succession over personal permanence.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the takeaway is thematic: temple-building and rites in the Matsya Purana are framed within cosmic order and continuity—human works and lineages persist through succession even as individuals pass away.