Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — Emergence of Brahmā from the Golden Lotus and the Lotus-Form Earth

Devanagari script

एभ्यो यत्स्रवते तोयं दिव्यामृतरसोपमम् दिव्यास्तीर्थशताधाराः सुरम्याः सरितः स्मृताः //

Transliteration

ebhyo yatsravate toyaṃ divyāmṛtarasopamam divyāstīrthaśatādhārāḥ suramyāḥ saritaḥ smṛtāḥ //

Translation

From these, the water that flows forth is like the divine nectar in taste; these are remembered as delightful, sacred rivers—streams that support hundreds of holy bathing-places (tīrthas).

Word by Word

• एभ्यः (ebhyaḥ): from these (sources)

• यत् (yat): which

• स्रवते (sravate): flows, issues forth

• तोयम् (toyam): water

• दिव्य (divya): divine, celestial

• अमृत-रस-उपमम् (amṛta-rasa-upamam): comparable to the taste/essence of nectar

• दिव्याः (divyāḥ): divine, sacred

• तीर्थ-शत-आधाराः (tīrtha-śata-ādhārāḥ): supports/abodes of hundreds of tīrthas

• सुरम्याः (suramyāḥ): very beautiful, exceedingly pleasant

• सरितः (saritaḥ): rivers/streams

• स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ): are remembered/declared.

Speaker

• Suta Goswami (narrating Purana tradition; likely reporting the Matsya Purana’s tirtha discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Tirtha
• Sarita (Sacred Rivers)
• Amrita (Nectar)

Tags

• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Sacred Rivers
• Pilgrimage
• Ritual Bathing
• Punya

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it emphasizes the sanctity of river-water as nectar-like and the presence of many tīrthas supported by sacred rivers, highlighting ritual purity rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

It supports the dharmic duty of maintaining purity and earning merit through pilgrimage and tīrtha-snāna (holy bathing); rulers and householders are encouraged to protect sacred waterways and facilitate access to tīrthas as part of public dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it points to tīrtha-snāna and the sacred status of river confluences/ghāṭas; by implication for temple culture, such rivers become preferred sites for ghāṭa construction and tīrtha infrastructure (steps, bathing platforms, shrines).