Shloka 27

Matsya Purana — Dialogue of Aṣṭaka and Yayāti: Exhaustion of Merit

Devanagari script

इति दद्यादिति यजेद् इत्यधीयीत मे श्रुतम् इत्येतान्यभयान्याहुस् तान्य् अवर्ज्यानि नित्यशः //

Transliteration

iti dadyāditi yajed ityadhīyīta me śrutam ityetānyabhayānyāhus tāny avarjyāni nityaśaḥ //

Translation

“Thus one should give; thus one should sacrifice; thus one should study; thus one should heed what I have taught.” These, they say, are acts that bring fearlessness, and therefore they are never to be neglected—always.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• dadyāt: one should give/offer (charity)

• iti: thus

• yajet: one should perform sacrifice/worship

• iti: thus

• adhīyīta: one should study/recite (the Veda and sacred teaching)

• me: my

• śrutam: what is heard/taught (authoritative instruction)

• iti: thus

• etāni: these

• abhayāni: fearlessness-giving acts/causes of security

• āhuḥ: they say/declare

• tāni: those

• avarjyāni: not to be avoided/never to be omitted

• nityaśaḥ: always, regularly.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (didactic narration typical of Matsya Purana)

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu

Tags

• Dharma
• Dana
• Yajna
• Svadhyaya
• Nitya-karma

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya directly; it teaches that steady dharmic practice—charity, sacrifice, and sacred study—creates “abhaya” (fearlessness), a spiritual protection valued even amid cosmic uncertainty.

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

It summarizes core obligations: a householder sustains society through dāna (support), yajña (public-sacred duty), and svādhyāya (learning). A king likewise must fund and protect these institutions; neglecting them is portrayed as a continual lapse in dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architectural rules are not stated here, but ritual significance is explicit: yajña and disciplined svādhyāya are “never-to-be-omitted” daily pillars, implying regular maintenance of sacred rites and their supporting spaces (altars, worship settings) as part of nitya-karma.