Shloka 23

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

इक्षुर्लौहितम् इत्येता हिमवत्पार्श्वनिःसृताः वेदस्मृतिर् वेत्रवती वृत्रघ्नी सिन्धुरेव च पर्णाशा नर्मदा चैव कावेरी महती तथा //

Transliteration

ikṣurlauhitam ityetā himavatpārśvaniḥsṛtāḥ vedasmṛtir vetravatī vṛtraghnī sindhureva ca parṇāśā narmadā caiva kāverī mahatī tathā //

Translation

‘Ikṣu’ and ‘Lauhita’—these rivers arise from the flanks of the Himalaya; so too are Veda-smṛti, Vetravatī, Vṛtraghnī, and the Sindhu; likewise Parṇāśā, the Narmadā, the Kāverī, and the great river Mahatī.

Word by Word

• ikṣuḥ: (a river named) Ikṣu

• lauhitam: (a river named) Lauhita

• iti: thus/so named

• etāḥ: these (rivers)

• himavat-pārśva: the side/flank of the Himalayas

• niḥsṛtāḥ: issuing forth, flowing out

• veda-smṛtiḥ: (a river named) Veda-smṛti

• vetravatī: (a river named) Vetravatī

• vṛtra-ghnī: (a river named) Vṛtraghnī

• sindhuḥ: the Sindhu (Indus)

• eva: indeed/also

• ca: and

• parṇāśā: (a river named) Parṇāśā

• narmadā: the Narmadā

• caiva: and also

• kāverī: the Kāverī

• mahatī: the great (river)/Mahatī (as a proper name)

• tathā: likewise

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the Matsya Purana’s sacred geography in discourse form

Entities Mentioned

• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Sindhu (Indus)
• Narmada
• Kaveri
• Ikshu (river)
• Lauhita (river)
• Vetravati (river)
• Vṛtraghnī (river)
• Parṇāśā (river)
• Mahatī (river)

Tags

• Sacred Rivers
• Himalayas
• Tirtha
• Puranic Geography
• Nadi-Mahatmya

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it catalogs sacred rivers and states that several are said to originate from the Himalayan region.

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

Indirectly, by identifying revered rivers central to tīrtha practice—kings and householders are encouraged in Purāṇic ethics to support pilgrimage, river-protection, and merit-making rites connected with such waters.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, the verse functions as a tīrtha-geography reference: these named rivers are traditional locations for bathing (snāna), offerings (tarpaṇa), and vows (vrata), often linked to temple-sites and pilgrimage circuits.