Shloka 10
Matsya Purana — Lineage of the Pitṛs
*ऋषय ऊचुः कस्माद्दाक्षायणी पूर्वं ददाहात्मानमात्मना हिमवद्दुहिता तद्वत् कथं जाता महीतले //
*ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kasmāddākṣāyaṇī pūrvaṃ dadāhātmānamātmanā himavadduhitā tadvat kathaṃ jātā mahītale //
The sages said: For what reason did Dakṣāyaṇī (Satī) formerly burn herself by her own resolve? And how did she, as the daughter of Himavat, come to be born again upon the earth in that same manner?
FAQs
This verse is not about pralaya; it introduces a moral-cosmic narrative of death and rebirth—Sati’s self-immolation and her reappearance as Himavat’s daughter—showing continuity of divine purpose across lifetimes rather than cosmic dissolution.
Indirectly, it frames the ethical gravity of honor, insult, and righteous conduct in ritual settings: the sages’ question points to consequences arising from adharma and disrespect, themes the Matsya Purana often uses to guide householders and rulers toward restraint, reverence, and proper ritual behavior.
The ritual backdrop is implied (the famous Dakṣa-yajña context for Sati’s self-immolation), emphasizing that sacrifices and ceremonies must be performed with proper respect and eligibility; no Vāstu or temple-construction rule is stated in this specific verse.