Shloka 19

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

अभिज्ञातास्ततश्चान्ये विपुलाश्चित्रसानवः अन्ये तेभ्यः परिज्ञाता ह्रस्वा ह्रस्वोपजीविनः //

Transliteration

abhijñātāstataścānye vipulāścitrasānavaḥ anye tebhyaḥ parijñātā hrasvā hrasvopajīvinaḥ //

Translation

And then there were other peoples as well—well-known and numerous, dwelling on varied ridges and uplands. Others, known from among them, were of short stature, living by modest (small) means.

Word by Word

• abhijñātāḥ: well-known, recognized

• tataḥ: then, thereafter

• ca: and

• anye: others

• vipulāḥ: numerous, abundant

• citra: varied, diverse, multiform

• sānavaḥ: ridge-dwellers, people of uplands/slopes

• anye: others

• tebhyaḥ: from among them/than them

• parijñātāḥ: well-identified, distinctly known

• hrasvāḥ: short (in stature)

• hrasva-upajīvinaḥ: those who subsist on little, living by small means

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Tags

• Genealogies
• Manvantara
• Peoples and Regions
• Ancient Indian ethnography
• Matsya Purana lineages

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; it functions as a descriptive catalogue of human groups—contrasting numerous upland dwellers with other identified communities of shorter stature and simpler livelihoods.

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

By distinguishing communities by habitat and means of subsistence, the verse supports a king’s dharma of governance adapted to regional conditions—protecting diverse populations and ensuring fair provisioning and order according to their livelihoods.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu or ritual rule is stated; however, the mention of ridge/upland dwellers (sānavaḥ) implicitly reflects settlement geography, a factor later used in Vastu-oriented site selection (desa/kshetra suitability).