Shloka 17

Matsya Purana — Duties of the Four Āśramas and the Power of Mauna

Devanagari script

अथ लोकमिमं जित्वा लोकं चापि जयेत्परम् आस्येन तु यदाहारं गोवन्मृगयते मुनिः अथास्य लोकैः सर्वो यः सो ऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते //

Transliteration

atha lokamimaṃ jitvā lokaṃ cāpi jayetparam āsyena tu yadāhāraṃ govanmṛgayate muniḥ athāsya lokaiḥ sarvo yaḥ so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate //

Translation

Then, having conquered this world, he also conquers the higher world. The sage who seeks his food only by his mouth—wandering and foraging like a cow—becomes fit for immortality; indeed, all the worlds become his.

Word by Word

• अथ (atha): then

• लोकम् (lokam): world

• इमम् (imam): this

• जित्वा (jitvā): having conquered/overcome

• लोकम् (lokam): world

• च अपि (ca api): and also

• जयेत् (jayet): he conquers/should conquer

• परम् (param): the higher/supreme

• आस्येन (āsyena): by the mouth

• तु (tu): indeed

• यत् (yat): which

• आहारम् (āhāram): food/sustenance

• गोवत् (govat): like a cow

• मृगयते (mṛgayate): seeks/forages for

• मुनिः (muniḥ): sage

• अथ (atha): then

• अस्य (asya): of him/for him

• लोकैः (lokaiḥ): by/with the worlds (i.e., among the worlds)

• सर्वः (sarvaḥ): all

• यः (yaḥ): who/which

• सः (saḥ): he

• अमृतत्वाय (amṛtatvāya): for immortality

• कल्पते (kalpate): becomes fit/is suitable.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, continuing a didactic discourse on dharma and liberation)

Entities Mentioned

• Muni
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Lord Matsya

Tags

• Moksha
• Tapas
• Sannyasa
• Ahimsa
• Asceticism

FAQs

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

It does not describe pralaya directly; it teaches a moksha-oriented principle: mastery over desire and disciplined living is portrayed as a conquest of “worlds,” culminating in fitness for immortality.

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

Indirectly, it sets an ideal of restraint: even for householders and rulers, reducing greed and practicing moderated consumption supports dharma; for renunciants, the verse points to radical simplicity (living by humble foraging) as a path toward liberation.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu Shastra or temple-ritual rule is stated here; the focus is ascetic discipline and the spiritual “fruit” (immortality) attributed to extreme simplicity in sustenance.