Shloka 41

Matsya Purana — Division of Bhārata-varṣa

Devanagari script

गान्धारा यवनाश्चैव सिन्धुसौवीरमद्रकाः शका द्रुह्याः पुलिन्दाश्च पारदाहारमूर्तिकाः //

Transliteration

gāndhārā yavanāścaiva sindhusauvīramadrakāḥ śakā druhyāḥ pulindāśca pāradāhāramūrtikāḥ //

Translation

Also (there are) the Gāndhāras and the Yavanas; the Sindhus, the Sauvīras, and the Madrakas; the Śakas, the Druhyas, and the Pulindas; and likewise the Pāradas, the Hāras, and the Mūrtikas.

Word by Word

• गान्धाराः (gāndhārāḥ): the Gandhāra people/region

• यवनाः (yavanāḥ): Yavanas (Ionian/Greek and later western foreign groups)

• च (ca): and

• एव (eva): indeed/also

• सिन्धु (sindhu): Sindhu people/land (Indus region)

• सौवीर (sauvīra): Sauvīra people/kingdom

• मद्रकाः (madrakāḥ): Madrakas (Madra people)

• शकाः (śakāḥ): Śakas (Scythian groups)

• द्रुह्याः (druhyāḥ): Druhyas (a people/tribal lineage name)

• पुलिन्दाः (pulindāḥ): Pulindas (forest/hill tribes)

• पारदाः (pāradāḥ): Pāradas (northwestern people)

• हार (hāra): Hāras (a people/tribe name)

• मूर्तिकाः (mūrtikāḥ): Mūrtikas (a people/tribe name)

Speaker

• Suta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) describing the world’s peoples/regions in the Matsya Purana’s geographic catalogue

Entities Mentioned

• Gandharas
• Yavanas
• Sindhus
• Sauvīras
• Madrakas
• Śakas
• Druhyas
• Pulindas
• Pāradas
• Hāras
• Mūrtikas

Tags

• Matsya Purana geography
• Ancient Indian tribes
• Janapada list
• Northwest India
• Mleccha references

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this verse is a geographic/ethnographic catalogue, naming peoples and regions rather than describing pralaya, cosmogenesis, or dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it supports rajadharma by mapping the known world: a king’s diplomacy, frontier policy, and protection of trade routes depend on knowing neighboring janapadas such as the Gandharas, Yavanas, and Śakas.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule appears here; the verse functions as a regional listing that can serve as contextual background for where rites, temples, and royal patronage might be situated across different lands.