Shloka 6

Matsya Purana — Description of Pralaya: Drying

Devanagari script

ततो देवगणाः सर्वे भूतान्येव च यानि तु गन्धो घ्राणं शरीरं च पृथिवीं संश्रिता गुणाः //

Transliteration

tato devagaṇāḥ sarve bhūtānyeva ca yāni tu gandho ghrāṇaṃ śarīraṃ ca pṛthivīṃ saṃśritā guṇāḥ //

Translation

Then all the divine hosts—and likewise all beings—came to be established in the Earth-element, whose inherent qualities are fragrance, the faculty of smell, and bodily form.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon

• devagaṇāḥ: groups of gods/divine hosts

• sarve: all

• bhūtāni: beings/creatures

• eva ca: and indeed/also

• yāni tu: whatever (they are)

• gandhaḥ: smell/fragrance (the sensible quality)

• ghrāṇam: nose/olfactory faculty

• śarīram: body/embodiment

• pṛthivīm: in/unto the earth-element

• saṃśritāḥ: resorted to/established in

• guṇāḥ: qualities/attributes

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Devagaṇa
• Pṛthivī (Earth element)
• Gandha (fragrance)
• Ghrāṇa (smell faculty)
• Śarīra (body)

Tags

• Sarga
• Mahabhutas
• Tanmātras
• Pralaya
• Sankhya

FAQs

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

It states a core cosmological mapping: beings become grounded in the Earth-element, whose defining markers are smell (gandha), the olfactory faculty (ghrāṇa), and embodied form (śarīra)—a framework used when describing re-creation after dissolution.

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

By linking embodiment to the Earth-element, it underlines the material basis of human life—food, land, and bodily welfare—supporting dharmic governance (protecting land/resources) and household duties (sustaining the body through pure livelihood and provisioning).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse highlights Earth (pṛthivī) as the locus of solidity and embodied form; in Vastu and ritual practice, this supports earth-related considerations such as stable foundations, proper soil selection, and grounding rites that harmonize the panchabhuta balance.