Shloka 39

Matsya Purana — Genealogy and Classification of Sacred Fires

Devanagari script

प्रवर्ग्यः क्षेमवांश्चैव इत्यष्टौ च प्रकीर्तिताः शुच्यग्नेस्तु प्रजा ह्येषा अग्नयश्च चतुर्दश //

Transliteration

pravargyaḥ kṣemavāṃścaiva ityaṣṭau ca prakīrtitāḥ śucyagnestu prajā hyeṣā agnayaśca caturdaśa //

Translation

“Pravargya” and “Kṣemavān”—thus these eight have been declared. And these are said to be the progeny of the pure Fire (Śucy-agni); the fires of this group are fourteen in number.

Word by Word

• pravargyaḥ: ‘Pravargya’ (a named/ritual fire or fire-aspect)

• kṣemavān: ‘Kṣemavān’ (the auspicious/beneficent one

• ca eva: and indeed

• iti: thus

• aṣṭau: eight

• ca: also

• prakīrtitāḥ: are proclaimed/declared

• śuci-agneḥ: of the pure fire (Śuci/Śucy-agni)

• tu: and/but (emphatic)

• prajā: progeny/offspring/class

• hi: indeed

• eṣā: this

• agnayaḥ: fires

• ca: and

• caturdaśa: fourteen.

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) relaying the Matsya Purana’s ritual taxonomy (Agni-bheda) within the Manu–Matsya teaching stream

Entities Mentioned

• Agni
• Śuci (Śucy-agni)
• Pravargya
• Kṣemavān

Tags

• Agni-bheda
• Vedic ritual
• Pravargya rite
• Dharma
• Sacred fires

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it classifies sacred fires as lineages/progeny of a ‘pure’ fire (Śuci), showing ritual cosmology rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By enumerating named fires and their counts, it supports correct performance of yajña and domestic/royal rites—key duties of householders and kings who uphold Dharma through regulated sacrifices.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it encodes an Agni-taxonomy used to organize specific offerings and fire-rites (including Pravargya). Such classifications guide how priests select/identify fires for particular procedures in Vedic-Puranic worship.