Shloka 10

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

आयतस्तु कुमारीतो गङ्गायाः प्रवहावधिः तिर्यगूर्ध्वं तु विस्तीर्णः सहस्राणि दशैव तु //

Transliteration

āyatastu kumārīto gaṅgāyāḥ pravahāvadhiḥ tiryagūrdhvaṃ tu vistīrṇaḥ sahasrāṇi daśaiva tu //

Translation

From the region of Kumārī onward extends the limit of the Gaṅgā’s flowing course; and its spread—horizontally and upward—is said to be exactly ten thousand yojanas.

Word by Word

• āyataḥ: in extent/lengthwise

• tu: indeed

• kumārītaḥ (kumārīto): from Kumārī (Kanyākumārī region)

• gaṅgāyāḥ: of the Gaṅgā

• pravāha-avadhiḥ: the limit/boundary of the flow/current

• tiryak: horizontally

• ūrdhvam: upward/vertically

• tu: and/indeed

• vistīrṇaḥ: expanded/spread out

• sahasrāṇi: thousands

• daśa eva: ten exactly

• tu: indeed

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Gaṅgā
• Kumārī (Kanyākumārī)

Tags

• Sacred Geography
• Tirtha
• Cosmography
• Measurements
• Matsya Purana Vastu

FAQs

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

This verse is not describing Pralaya; it gives a cosmographic/sacred-geographic measurement of the Gaṅgā’s flowing extent and its vast spatial spread.

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

By locating and quantifying sacred geography, the text supports dharmic duties such as tīrtha-yātrā, patronage of ghāṭas/temples, and orderly settlement planning near sacred waters—activities often undertaken or sponsored by kings and householders.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The emphasis on measured extent aligns with Vāstu-style thinking: sacred sites and riverfront ritual spaces (ghāṭas, temples, pilgrimage infrastructure) are ideally planned with attention to canonical dimensions and the perceived sacred “field” of the river.