Shloka 34

Matsya Purana — Glory of Tīrtha-Śrāddha: Best Times

Devanagari script

शतरुद्रा शताह्वा च तथा विश्वपदं परम् अङ्गारवाहिका तद्वन् नदौ तौ शोणघर्घरौ //

Transliteration

śatarudrā śatāhvā ca tathā viśvapadaṃ param aṅgāravāhikā tadvan nadau tau śoṇaghargharau //

Translation

There are rivers named Śatarudrā and Śatāhvā; likewise (the river called) Viśvapada, the supreme holy station; and Aṅgāravāhikā. In the same way, the two rivers are known as Śoṇa and Gharghara.

Word by Word

śatarudrā(the river) Śatarudrā

śatāhvā(the river) Śatāhvā

caand

tathālikewise

viśvapadamViśvapada (lit. 'universal step/abode', a sacred name)

paramsupreme, highest

aṅgāravāhikāAṅgāravāhikā (lit. 'coal/ember-bearing', a river-name)

tadvatin the same manner, similarly

nadautwo rivers (dual)

tauthose two

śoṇaŚoṇa (river-name, also 'reddish')

ghargharauGharghara (river-name

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s sacred geography in the dialogue tradition)

Entities Mentioned

Śatarudrā (river)Śatāhvā (river)Viśvapada (sacred designation/river name)Aṅgāravāhikā (river)Śoṇa (river)Gharghara (river)

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it catalogs sacred river-names, indicating the Purana’s tirtha-focused mapping of holy landscapes rather than cosmological dissolution.

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

By preserving and publicizing sacred geography, the text supports dharmic life: householders gain guidance for pilgrimage and ritual bathing, while kings are implicitly encouraged to protect tirthas and riverine routes that sustain religious practice.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual takeaway is tirtha-orientation: these named rivers function as sanctioned sites for snāna (ritual bathing), dāna (charity), and pilgrimage observances, which often anchor temple and ghat traditions along their banks.