Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — Lineage of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

संहरन्ती किमुक्तासौ सुता वा ब्रह्मसूनुना दक्षेण लोकजननी सूत विस्तरतो वद //

Transliteration

saṃharantī kimuktāsau sutā vā brahmasūnunā dakṣeṇa lokajananī sūta vistarato vada //

Translation

O Sūta, explain in detail: when Dakṣa—the son of Brahmā—spoke of the World-Mother, did he call her “Saṃharantī” (the Dissolver), or did he declare her to be his daughter?

Word by Word

• संहरन्ती (saṃharantī): the dissolving one, she who withdraws/ends (creation)

• किम् (kim): whether/what

• उक्ता (uktā): was said/called

• असौ (asau): that (woman/deity)

• सुता (sutā): daughter

• वा (vā): or

• ब्रह्मसूनुना (brahmasūnunā): by the son of Brahmā

• दक्षेण (dakṣeṇa): by Dakṣa

• लोकजननी (lokajananī): the mother of the world, World-Mother

• सूत (sūta): O Sūta

• विस्तरतो (vistarataḥ): in detail, at length

• वद (vada): tell, explain

Speaker

• The sages (Ṛṣis/Shaunaka’s assembly) addressing Sūta

Entities Mentioned

• Suta
• Brahma
• Daksha
• Lokajananī (World-Mother)
• Saṃharantī (as an epithet/title)

Tags

• Cosmogony
• Genealogy
• Prajapati-Daksha
• Devi
• Pralaya

FAQs

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

It preserves a technical epithet—“Saṃharantī,” ‘she who dissolves/withdraws’—suggesting the World-Mother is also understood as a cosmic power of dissolution, not only of creation.

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

Indirectly, it frames Purāṇic ethics within cosmic order: kings and householders sustain dharma while remembering that dissolution is inevitable; governance and ritual are meant to align society with the larger cycle of creation–maintenance–withdrawal.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-rule is stated; however, identifying the World-Mother’s titles is foundational for ritual invocation (nāma/epithet precision) when later sections prescribe deity-names for worship and consecration.