Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — Hiranyakashipu’s Boons

Devanagari script

ऋषयो वा न मां शापैः शपेयुः प्रपितामह यदि मे भगवान्प्रीतो वर एष वृतो मया //

Transliteration

ṛṣayo vā na māṃ śāpaiḥ śapeyuḥ prapitāmaha yadi me bhagavānprīto vara eṣa vṛto mayā //

Translation

O Great‑Grandfather, if the Blessed Lord is pleased with me, then let this be the boon I have chosen: may the sages not curse me with their imprecations.

Word by Word

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages

• vā: indeed/alternatively

• na: not

• mām: me

• śāpaiḥ: with curses

• śapeyuḥ: may they curse (optative)

• prapitāmaha: O great‑grandfather/forefather

• yadi: if

• me: (with) me/of me

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord

• prītaḥ: pleased, satisfied

• varaḥ: boon

• eṣaḥ: this

• vṛtaḥ: chosen, selected

• mayā: by me

Speaker

• A petitioner addressing an elder progenitor (prapitāmaha), within an ancestral/royal narrative frame of the Matsya Purana

Entities Mentioned

• Rishis
• Bhagavan (the Lord)
• Prapitamaha (great-grandfather/forefather)

Tags

• Boons
• Curses
• Bhakti
• Lineages
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it highlights a Puranic principle relevant across cycles of time: divine favor (bhagavat-prīti) can avert calamities such as the consequences of a sage’s curse.

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

It underscores the dharmic duty to maintain respectful conduct toward ṛṣis and spiritual authorities; for kings and householders, safeguarding social and cosmic order includes avoiding actions that invite a rishi’s curse and seeking divine approval through righteous behavior.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated here; the ritual takeaway is the emphasis on winning divine pleasure and living in a way that avoids śāpa (curse), a common prerequisite theme before major rites and undertakings in Puranic guidance.