Shloka 61

Matsya Purana — Inquiry into Taraka’s Slaying and the Prelude to Guha

Devanagari script

ततः सो ऽन्तर्जले चक्रे कालं वर्षसहस्रकम् जलान्तरं प्रविष्टस्य तस्य पत्नी महाव्रता //

Transliteration

tataḥ so 'ntarjale cakre kālaṃ varṣasahasrakam jalāntaraṃ praviṣṭasya tasya patnī mahāvratā //

Translation

Then he spent a period of a thousand years within the waters; and while he had entered the depths, his wife—steadfast in her great vow (mahāvrata)—endured and remained devoted.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter

• saḥ: he

• antar-jale: within the water/in the midst of the waters

• cakre: made/spent (time)

• kālam: a period of time

• varṣa-sahasrakam: a thousand years

• jala-antaram: the interior/depths of the water

• praviṣṭasya: of (him) who had entered

• tasya: his

• patnī: wife

• mahā-vratā: one of great vow, highly devoted/steadfast

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana account to the sages)

Entities Mentioned

• Manu
• Manu’s wife (mahāvratā)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Lord Matsya and King Manu story
• Tapas
• Devotion
• Puranic chronology

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the prolonged, extraordinary duration associated with the deluge context—“a thousand years” spent within the waters—highlighting the vast scale and time-depth typical of Pralaya narratives.

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

It implicitly praises steadfast dharma during crisis: the devoted wife (mahāvratā) remains firm while her husband is absent in the waters, reflecting the householder ideal of loyalty, endurance, and commitment to vows amid upheaval.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its focus is the Pralaya setting and the ethical ideal of vow-bound steadfastness rather than temple-building or iconography rules.