Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — Genealogy of the Śūra–Vasudeva

Devanagari script

जरा नाम निषादो ऽभूत् प्रथमः स धनुर्धरः सौभद्रश्च भवश्चैव महासत्त्वौ बभूवतुः //

Transliteration

jarā nāma niṣādo 'bhūt prathamaḥ sa dhanurdharaḥ saubhadraśca bhavaścaiva mahāsattvau babhūvatuḥ //

Translation

There was a Niṣāda (forest-dwelling hunter) named Jarā—the first of them—who bore the bow. And Saubhadra and Bhava likewise became men of great prowess.

Word by Word

• jarā: Jarā (name)

• nāma: named

• niṣādaḥ: Niṣāda, hunter/tribal forester

• abhūt: became/was

• prathamaḥ: the first

• saḥ: he

• dhanurdharaḥ: bow-bearer, archer

• saubhadraḥ: Saubhadra (a person named thus)

• ca: and

• bhavaḥ: Bhava (a person named thus)

• caiva: and indeed/also

• mahā-sattvau: two of great strength/heroic spirit

• babhūvatuḥ: the two became/rose to be

Speaker

• Likely Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) recounting Matsya Purana’s genealogical/episode material (dialogue background traditionally Matsya ↔ Manu, but this verse reads as narrative listing).

Entities Mentioned

• Jarā
• Niṣāda
• Saubhadra
• Bhava

Tags

• Dynasties
• Ancient Indian genealogy
• Heroic figures
• Puranic narrative
• Tribal lineages

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it functions as a genealogical/character notice, naming Jarā (a Niṣāda archer) and two mighty figures, Saubhadra and Bhava.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic habit of recording lineages and notable persons—material often used to frame dharma through exemplars of prowess, social groups (like Niṣādas), and the roles of warriors/archers within a kingdom’s broader social order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, iconography, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it is a narrative identification of persons and their prowess.