Shloka 31

Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship

Devanagari script

*देवयान्युवाच राजायं नाहुषस्तात दुर्गमे पाणिमग्रहीत् नमस्ते देहि मामस्मै लोके नान्यं पतिं वृणे //

Transliteration

*devayānyuvāca rājāyaṃ nāhuṣastāta durgame pāṇimagrahīt namaste dehi māmasmai loke nānyaṃ patiṃ vṛṇe //

Translation

Devayānī said: “O dear father, this king Nahuṣa has taken my hand in marriage in a time of hardship. I bow to you—give me to him; in this world I choose no other husband.”

Word by Word

• devayānī uvāca: Devayānī said

• rājā: king

• ayaṃ nāhuṣaḥ: this is Nahusha

• tāta: dear one / beloved (address)

• durgame: in a hard-to-cross situation / in distressing circumstances

• pāṇim: the hand (as a sign of marriage)

• agrahīt: took / seized

• namaḥ te: salutations to you

• dehi: give (grant)

• mām: me

• asmai: to him

• loke: in the world

• na anyam: no other

• patim: husband

• vṛṇe: I choose.

Speaker

• Devayānī

Entities Mentioned

• Devayānī
• Nahusha

Tags

• Dynasties
• Genealogy
• Marriage
• Royal lineages
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it belongs to a dynastic narrative where Devayānī asserts her marital choice and the legitimacy of Nahusha taking her hand.

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

It reflects the social-legal idea of marriage as a formal “taking of the hand” (pāṇigrahaṇa) and emphasizes exclusive marital commitment—key to household dharma and dynastic continuity in Puranic ethics.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual element is implicit: “taking the hand” (pāṇim agrahīt) points to the marriage rite (pāṇigrahaṇa), but there is no Vastu or temple-architecture instruction in this verse.