Shloka 31

Matsya Purana — Description of Gomedaka and Puṣkara Dvīpas; the Lokāloka Boundary; Ocean Tide...

Devanagari script

आपूर्यमाणो ह्युदधिर् आत्मनैवाभिपूर्यते ततो वै क्षीयमाणे तु स्वात्मन्येव ह्य् अपां क्षयः //

Transliteration

āpūryamāṇo hyudadhir ātmanaivābhipūryate tato vai kṣīyamāṇe tu svātmanyeva hy apāṃ kṣayaḥ //

Translation

For the ocean, even while it is being filled, is truly filled by its own nature alone; and when it begins to diminish, the depletion of the waters likewise occurs within itself—by its own intrinsic cause.

Word by Word

• āpūryamāṇaḥ: being filled, increasing

• hi: indeed

• udadhiḥ: ocean, great reservoir of waters

• ātmanā eva: by itself alone, by its own nature

• abhipūryate: becomes fully filled, is replenished

• tataḥ vai: then indeed, thereafter

• kṣīyamāṇe: when diminishing, when waning

• tu: but/and

• sva-ātmani eva: within its own self alone

• hi: indeed

• apām: of waters

• kṣayaḥ: depletion, loss, diminution

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) to Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within the Pralaya discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Udadhi (Ocean)
• Ap (Waters)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Cosmology
• Elements
• Self-causation
• Matsya-Avatara Context

FAQs

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

It frames pralaya-like change as intrinsic and self-regulating: the cosmic waters do not depend on an external agent for increase or decrease; their filling and depletion occur “within themselves,” emphasizing an internal causal order in dissolution and re-manifestation.

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

By analogy, it supports the Matsya Purana’s ethic of self-discipline: stability and decline arise from one’s own conduct. A king or householder should cultivate inner restraint and right order (dharma), since prosperity and loss are portrayed as rooted in one’s own nature and actions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct vastu or ritual rule is stated; however, the verse reinforces a key Vastu-Shastra principle used in Purāṇic architecture: balance and harmony are maintained by internal proportion and regulation—suggesting that sacred spaces and rites should be designed to preserve equilibrium rather than forcing excess.