Shloka 38

Matsya Purana — Code of Conduct and Vow-Procedure for Courtesans

Devanagari script

मानसायेति वै मौलिं विलोलायेति मूर्धजम् सर्वात्मने च सर्वाङ्गं देवदेवस्य पूजयेत् //

Transliteration

mānasāyeti vai mauliṃ vilolāyeti mūrdhajam sarvātmane ca sarvāṅgaṃ devadevasya pūjayet //

Translation

Reciting “mānasāya,” one should worship the crown of the Lord; reciting “vilolāya,” one should worship His hair. And with the mantra “sarvātmane,” one should worship the entire body (all the limbs) of Devadeva, the God of gods.

Word by Word

• mānasāya: (with the utterance) “mānasāya” (a mantra-epithet)

• iti: thus

• vai: indeed

• maulim: the crown/topknot/diadem region of the head

• vilolāya: (with the utterance) “vilolāya” (a mantra-epithet, ‘the gracefully wavy/flowing one’)

• iti: thus

• mūrdhajam: the hair (on the head)

• sarvātmane: to the All-Self / the indwelling Self of all

• ca: and

• sarvāṅgam: the whole body, all limbs collectively

• devadevasya: of Devadeva, the God of gods

• pūjayet: one should worship, honor ritually.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu

Entities Mentioned

• Devadeva
• Sarvatman (All-Self)

Tags

• Iconography
• Puja Vidhi
• Mantra Nyasa
• Ritual Procedure
• Vishnu Worship

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches a ritual method of worship (mantra-linked honoring of specific parts of the deity’s form), emphasizing Devadeva as the all-pervading “Sarvatman.”

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

It frames daily or occasional worship as a dharmic duty: a king or householder should perform orderly, mantra-guided pūjā, honoring the deity’s form systematically (head, hair, then the whole body) as part of righteous conduct.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it reflects mantra-nyāsa/anga-pūjā logic—assigning specific mantras to specific limbs of the deity during pūjā—used in temple worship and in consecrated image-ritual sequences described in Purāṇic tradition.