Shloka 65

Matsya Purana — Hiranyakashipu’s Boons

Devanagari script

अशोकाश्च तमालाश्च नानागुल्मलतावृताः मधूकाः सप्तपर्णाश्च बहवः क्षीरका द्रुमाः //

Transliteration

aśokāśca tamālāśca nānāgulmalatāvṛtāḥ madhūkāḥ saptaparṇāśca bahavaḥ kṣīrakā drumāḥ //

Translation

There were aśoka trees and tamāla trees, covered all around with many kinds of shrubs and creepers; there were also madhūka and saptaparṇa trees, and many milk-yielding (latex-bearing) trees as well.

Word by Word

• अशोकाः (aśokāḥ): aśoka trees

• च (ca): and

• तमालाः (tamālāḥ): tamāla trees

• च (ca): and

• नाना (nānā): various, many kinds

• गुल्म (gulma): shrubs, thickets

• लता (latā): creepers, vines

• आवृताः (āvṛtāḥ / vṛtāḥ): covered, surrounded

• मधूकाः (madhūkāḥ): madhūka/mahua trees

• सप्तपर्णाः (saptaparṇāḥ): saptaparṇa (seven-leaved) trees

• च (ca): and

• बहवः (bahavaḥ): many

• क्षीरकाः (kṣīrakāḥ): milk/latex-bearing trees

• द्रुमाः (drumāḥ): trees

Speaker

• Suta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s account in descriptive passage)

Entities Mentioned

• Aśoka
• Tamāla
• Madhūka
• Saptaparṇa
• Kṣīraka (latex-bearing trees)

Tags

• Matsya Purana
• Sacred geography
• Forest description
• Tirtha context
• Flora

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it is a landscape catalogue describing a flourishing grove with specific tree species, emphasizing abundance and sacred natural setting rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By praising well-wooded, creeper-covered groves, the verse supports the Purāṇic ideal of protecting forests and maintaining sacred landscapes—an implied duty for kings (conservation, tirtha protection) and householders (supporting groves, planting and preserving auspicious trees).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

While no direct building rule is stated, such tree-lists commonly function as indicators of an auspicious tirtha/temple environment; in Vastu-oriented reading, maintaining sacred groves with auspicious species (like aśoka and saptaparṇa) aligns with site sanctity and ritual ambience.