Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

गोमती धौतपापा च बाहुदा च दृषद्वती कौशिकी तु तृतीया च निश्चला गण्डकी तथा //

Transliteration

gomatī dhautapāpā ca bāhudā ca dṛṣadvatī kauśikī tu tṛtīyā ca niścalā gaṇḍakī tathā //

Translation

Gomatī, Dhautapāpā, Bāhudā, and Dṛṣadvatī; and as the third, Kauśikī; likewise Niścalā and also Gaṇḍakī—these are counted among the sacred rivers.

Word by Word

• गोमती (gomatī): the Gomati river

• धौतपापा (dhautapāpā): ‘washer of sins’, a sacred river named Dhautapāpā

• च (ca): and

• बाहुदा (bāhudā): the Bahuda river

• दृषद्वती (dṛṣadvatī): the Drishadvati river

• कौशिकी (kauśikī): the Koshiki/Koshi river

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• तृतीया (tṛtīyā): the third (in the sequence being listed)

• निश्चला (niścalā): the Nishchala river

• गण्डकी (gaṇḍakī): the Gandaki river

• तथा (tathā): likewise/also

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) reporting the Matsya Purana’s tirtha-river catalogue (within the Matsya–Manu discourse framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Gomati
• Dhautapapa
• Bahuda
• Drishadvati
• Kaushiki (Koshi)
• Nishchala
• Gandaki

Tags

• Tirtha
• Sacred Rivers
• Pilgrimage
• Punya
• Geography

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya; it functions as a tirtha-geography catalogue, emphasizing rivers as purifying sacred realities within the living cosmos.

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

By naming rivers renowned for purification, the text supports the householder and ruler’s dharma of tirtha-yatra, ritual bathing, and merit-making acts that reinforce social-religious order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, these rivers are invoked as places for snāna (sacred bathing) and related rites; the verse itself does not give Vastu rules but underpins temple/ghat ritual culture tied to river tirthas.