Shloka 57

Matsya Purana — Inquiry into Yayāti’s Story and the Kacha–Devayānī Episode

Devanagari script

*शौनक उवाच गुरोः सकाशात्समवाप्य विद्यां भित्त्वा कुक्षिं निर्विचक्राम विप्रः प्रालेयाद्रेः शुक्लमुद्भिद्य शृङ्गं रात्र्यागमे पौर्णमास्यामिवेन्दुः //

Transliteration

*śaunaka uvāca guroḥ sakāśātsamavāpya vidyāṃ bhittvā kukṣiṃ nirvicakrāma vipraḥ prāleyādreḥ śuklamudbhidya śṛṅgaṃ rātryāgame paurṇamāsyāmivenduḥ //

Translation

Śaunaka said: Having obtained sacred knowledge in the presence of his guru, the brāhmaṇa burst forth, splitting the womb, appearing like the full moon on the night of the full-moon day, breaking out in shining whiteness from the snowy mountain’s peak.

Word by Word

• शौनकः: Śaunaka

• उवाच: said

• गुरोः सकाशात्: from the guru’s presence/near the guru

• समवाप्य: having obtained

• विद्याम्: knowledge, sacred learning

• भित्त्वा: having split/broken through

• कुक्षिम्: womb/belly

• निर्विचक्राम: came out/emerged forth

• विप्रः: brāhmaṇa, learned priest

• प्रालेय-अद्रेः: of the snowy mountain (Himālaya-like)

• शुक्लम्: white, bright

• उद्भिद्य: breaking forth/piercing out

• शृङ्गम्: peak/summit

• रात्रि-आगमे: at the coming of night

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon night

• इव: like

• इन्दुः: the moon.

Speaker

• Śaunaka

Entities Mentioned

• Śaunaka
• Guru (teacher)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Indu (Moon)
• Prāleyādri (snowy mountain)

Tags

• Rishi-Dialogue
• Birth-Miracle
• Guru-Shishya
• Poetic-Simile
• Puranic-Legend

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it uses cosmological imagery (the full moon emerging) to poetically depict a miraculous emergence/birth connected to receiving knowledge from a guru.

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

Indirectly, it elevates vidyā gained through the guru as transformative—supporting the Purāṇic ethic that rulers and householders should honor teachers, pursue disciplined learning, and uphold brahminical counsel in dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule appears here; the key takeaway is ritual-cultural: the guru’s proximity and transmission of knowledge are portrayed as potent enough to ‘bring forth’ a new state of being.