Shloka 61

Matsya Purana — Cosmography of Śākadvīpa and Successive Dvīpas: Mountains

Devanagari script

मन्दरः सैव विज्ञेयः सर्वधातुमयः शुभः मन्द इत्येष यो धातुर् अपामर्थे प्रकाशकः //

Transliteration

mandaraḥ saiva vijñeyaḥ sarvadhātumayaḥ śubhaḥ manda ityeṣa yo dhātur apāmarthe prakāśakaḥ //

Translation

That substance is to be understood as “Mandara”—auspicious and composed of all metals and minerals. The verbal root “mand” here is taught as conveying the sense of “Apāmārtha” (dispelling harm and warding off misfortune), thus indicating its protective, beneficent nature.

Word by Word

• मन्दरः (mandaraḥ): Mandara (a named stone/substance

• स एव (sa eva): that indeed

• विज्ञेयः (vijñeyaḥ): should be understood/known

• सर्वधातुमयः (sarvadhātumayaḥ): consisting of all dhātus (metals/minerals/ores)

• शुभः (śubhaḥ): auspicious

• मन्द (manda): ‘mand’ (root/term)

• इति (iti): thus

• एषः (eṣaḥ): this

• यः (yaḥ): which

• धातुः (dhātuḥ): verbal root / constituent element

• अपामर्थे (apāmarthe): in the sense of removing harm/evil, averting misfortune (also resonant with ‘Apāmārga’ as a purificatory/warding plant)

• प्रकाशकः (prakāśakaḥ): illuminating/indicating/explaining.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Mandara

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Temple Architecture
• Sacred Materials
• Etymology
• Ritual Protection

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to Vastuvidya and explains an auspicious, protective material (“Mandara”) and its etymological sense of averting harm.

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

It supports the householder/kingly duty of establishing secure, auspicious dwellings and temples by choosing materials believed to be protective and fault-removing, aligning construction with dharma and public welfare.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It assigns “Mandara” a technical value as an auspicious, ‘all-mineral/all-metal’ substance and links its name to a harm-dispelling function—useful for selecting protective materials in temple building and consecratory contexts.