Shloka 5

Matsya Purana — Dynastic Genealogies: Paurava–Anu Lines

Devanagari script

पाण्ड्यश्च केरलश्चैव चोलः कर्णस्तथैव च तेषां जनपदाः स्फीताः पाण्ड्याश्चोलाः सकेरलाः //

Transliteration

pāṇḍyaśca keralaścaiva colaḥ karṇastathaiva ca teṣāṃ janapadāḥ sphītāḥ pāṇḍyāścolāḥ sakeralāḥ //

Translation

The Pāṇḍyas and the Keralas, the Colas, and likewise the Karṇas—these are flourishing provinces; thus are counted the prosperous lands of the Pāṇḍyas and Colas, together with the Keralas.

Word by Word

पाण्ड्यः (pāṇḍyaḥ)the Pāṇḍya people/kingdom

केरलः (keralaḥ)the Kerala people/region

च एव (ca eva)and indeed

चोलः (colaḥ)the Cola people/kingdom

कर्णः (karṇaḥ)Karṇa/Karṇas (a named people/region, traditionally identified among southern janapadas)

तथा एव (tathā eva)likewise

तेषाम् (teṣām)of them

जनपदाः (janapadāḥ)provinces/territorial states

स्फीताः (sphītāḥ)thriving, prosperous, well-established

पाण्ड्याः (pāṇḍyāḥ)the Pāṇḍyas (plural)

चोलाः (colāḥ)the Colas (plural)

सकेरलाः (sa-keralāḥ)together with the Keralas

Speaker

Suta (narrator) describing Bharata-varsha janapadas in the Matsya Purana’s geographical catalogue

Entities Mentioned

PāṇḍyaKeralaCola (Chola)Karṇa (Karṇas)

FAQs

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

Nothing directly: this verse is part of the Matsya Purana’s geographical catalogue, listing prosperous southern janapadas, not the pralaya narrative.

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

Indirectly, it frames the ideal of a ‘sphīta’ (flourishing) janapada—implying good governance, stability, and prosperity as the expected outcome of righteous rule, though no explicit rajadharma instruction appears in this verse.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu, temple-building, or ritual rule is stated; the verse functions as regional enumeration within Bharata-varsha’s descriptive geography.