Shloka 72

Matsya Purana — Description of Atri’s Hermitage: Sacred Grove Planning

Devanagari script

तदाश्रमं समन्ताच्च हिमसंरुद्धकन्दरैः शैलवाटैः परिवृतम् अगम्यं मनुजैः सदा //

Transliteration

tadāśramaṃ samantācca himasaṃruddhakandaraiḥ śailavāṭaiḥ parivṛtam agamyaṃ manujaiḥ sadā //

Translation

That hermitage was enclosed on every side by mountain ramparts, whose caves and ravines were blocked with snow, and thus it was ever inaccessible to human beings.

Word by Word

• tad-āśramam: that hermitage

• samantāt ca: and on all sides

• hima-saṃruddha-kandaraiḥ: with caves/gorges obstructed by snow

• śaila-vāṭaiḥ: by rocky mountain-enclosures/ramparts

• parivṛtam: surrounded, encircled

• agam्यम् (agamyaṃ): not to be reached, inaccessible

• manujaiḥ: by men/humans

• sadā: always, ever

Speaker

• Suta (narrating the Matsya Purana account; descriptive narration within the Manu–Matsya cycle)

Entities Mentioned

• Ashrama (hermitage)
• Himalaya (implied by snow-bound caves and mountain ramparts)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Manu-Matsya narrative
• Himalayan hermitage
• Tapas
• Sacred geography

FAQs

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

It sets the secluded, protected setting of the Pralaya-era narrative: an ashrama hidden by snow-sealed mountain caves, emphasizing remoteness and preservation amid cosmic upheaval.

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

By highlighting an inaccessible hermitage, it underscores the Purāṇic ideal that rulers and householders should honor and protect ascetic sanctuaries—spaces reserved for tapas and spiritual counsel—rather than treat them as ordinary human habitations.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse is primarily about sacred geography rather than Vāstu rules; ritually, it signals a consecrated retreat (āśrama) chosen for isolation—an ideal condition for austerities and safeguarded rites away from worldly disturbance.