Shloka 18

Matsya Purana — Conclusion of the Prayaga Mahatmya: Kingship Restored

Devanagari script

*नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच इत्युक्त्वा स महाभागो मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः युधिष्ठिरस्य नृपतेस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत //

Transliteration

*nandikeśvara uvāca ityuktvā sa mahābhāgo mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ yudhiṣṭhirasya nṛpates tatraivāntaradhīyata //

Translation

Nandikeśvara said: Having spoken thus, that most fortunate sage Mārkaṇḍeya—of great austerities—then vanished from that very place before King Yudhiṣṭhira.

Word by Word

• नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच: Nandikeśvara said

• इति-उक्त्वा: having said thus

• स: he

• महा-भागः: greatly blessed/illustrious

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya

• महा-तपाः: possessing great austerity

• युधिष्ठिरस्य: of Yudhiṣṭhira

• नृपतेः: of the king

• तत्र-एव: right there/at that very place

• अन्तरधीयत: disappeared/vanished from sight

Speaker

• Nandikeśvara

Entities Mentioned

• Nandikeśvara
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Tags

• Dialogue
• Rishi
• Conclusion
• Dharma
• Itihasa

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it marks the closure of a teaching episode, using the common Purāṇic motif of a perfected sage vanishing after delivering instruction.

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

By placing Yudhiṣṭhira as the listener, the verse underscores the ideal king’s role as a humble recipient of dharma-upadeśa; it frames royal duty as guided by sages and scripture rather than mere power.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the significance is structural—signaling the end of a discourse section within the Matsya Purāṇa’s broader instructional material.