Shloka 15

Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship

Devanagari script

*देवयान्युवाच केन चार्थेन नृपते ह्य् एनं देशं समागतः जिघृक्षुर्वारि यत्किंचिद् अथवा मृगलिप्सया //

Transliteration

*devayānyuvāca kena cārthena nṛpate hy enaṃ deśaṃ samāgataḥ jighṛkṣurvāri yatkiṃcid athavā mṛgalipsayā //

Translation

Devayānī said: “For what purpose, O King, have you come to this region—have you arrived seeking a little water to drink, or else out of desire to hunt game?”

Word by Word

• देवयानी उवाच: Devayānī said

• केन: by what/for what

• च: and

• अर्थेन: purpose/object

• नृपते: O king

• हि: indeed

• एनम्: this

• देशम्: region/country

• समागतः: you have come/arrived

• जिघृक्षुः: wishing to take/obtain

• वारि: water

• यत् किञ्चित्: some little/any amount

• अथवा: or else

• मृग-लिप्सया: with desire for deer/game (i.e., for hunting)

Speaker

• Devayānī

Entities Mentioned

• Devayānī
• King (nṛpati)

Tags

• Royal encounter
• Dialogue
• Hunting
• Water-seeking
• Genealogy narrative

FAQs

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

Nothing directly: this verse is a narrative question in a royal episode, focusing on a king’s intent (water or hunting), not on cosmic creation or pralaya.

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

It frames two typical royal motives—seeking basic sustenance (water) versus hunting—implicitly inviting scrutiny of a king’s purpose and conduct, a recurring ethical concern in Purāṇic royal narratives.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

None is stated. The verse is situational (arrival in a region) and does not mention Vāstu, temple rules, or ritual procedure.