Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā’s Quarrel

Devanagari script

एष मे दक्षिणो राजन् पाणिस् ताम्रनखाङ्गुलिः समुद्धर गृहीत्वा मां कुलीनस्त्वं हि मे मतः //

Transliteration

eṣa me dakṣiṇo rājan pāṇis tāmranakhāṅguliḥ samuddhara gṛhītvā māṃ kulīnastvaṃ hi me mataḥ //

Translation

O King, here is my right hand, with fingers and copper-hued nails—take hold of me and lift me up; for in my judgment, you are truly noble.

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this

• me: my

• dakṣiṇaḥ: right (hand)

• rājan: O king

• pāṇiḥ: hand

• tāmra: copper-colored/reddish

• nakha: nail

• aṅguliḥ/aṅgulīḥ: finger(s)

• samuddhara: lift up, rescue, raise

• gṛhītvā: having taken/after taking hold

• mām: me

• kulīnaḥ: noble, of good lineage and conduct

• tvam: you

• hi: indeed

• me: in my

• mataḥ: considered/held to be

Speaker

• A supplicant being rescued (addressing King Manu within the Matsya Purana flood-episode dialogue frame)

Entities Mentioned

• King (Manu)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Matsya–Manu dialogue
• Rescue motif
• Dharma
• Kingship ethics

FAQs

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

It carries the rescue motif central to the Pralaya narrative—amid danger and upheaval, the righteous king is invoked to protect and lift up a vulnerable being.

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

The appeal ‘lift me up’ frames kingship as guardianship: a noble ruler is expected to extend protection and aid to those seeking refuge, reflecting rajadharma through compassion and readiness to act.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual prescription appears in this verse; its significance is ethical—highlighting protection and upliftment as a dharmic act, a value later echoed in ritual patronage and temple-building charity.