Shloka 43

Matsya Purana — Lineage of the Pitṛs

Devanagari script

देवमाता सरस्वत्यां पारावारतटे मता महालये महाभागा पयोष्ण्यां पिङ्गलेश्वरी //

Transliteration

devamātā sarasvatyāṃ pārāvārataṭe matā mahālaye mahābhāgā payoṣṇyāṃ piṅgaleśvarī //

Translation

She is revered as Devamātā on the Sarasvatī; on the shore of the Western Ocean she is known as Matā; at Mahālaya she is the greatly fortunate Mahābhāgā; and on the Payosṇī river she is Piṅgaleśvarī.

Word by Word

• devamātā: Mother of the gods (a title of the Goddess)

• sarasvatyām: on/at the Sarasvatī (river/region)

• pārāvāra-taṭe: on the seashore, the bank of the ocean (lit. farther-and-nearer waters)

• matā: (she is) regarded/known as ‘Matā’ (Mother)

• mahālaye: at Mahālaya (a sacred place)

• mahābhāgā: greatly fortunate/auspicious lady

• payoṣṇyām: on/at the Payosṇī (river)

• piṅgaleśvarī: Piṅgaleśvarī, ‘the tawny/golden-hued Lady’ (a local name of the Goddess).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (tirtha and Devi-name enumeration context)

Entities Mentioned

• Devamātā
• Sarasvatī
• Pārāvāra (Ocean)
• Mahālaya
• Mahābhāgā
• Payosṇī
• Piṅgaleśvarī

Tags

• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Shakti
• Sacred Geography
• Devi Names
• Pilgrimage

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it catalogs the Goddess’s regional epithets, emphasizing her presence across sacred landscapes rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By mapping revered Devi-sites to rivers and coasts, it supports the Purāṇic ideal of dharmic life—kings and householders uphold Dharma through pilgrimage, patronage of shrines, and honoring local forms of the Goddess.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual takeaway is place-specific worship: the Goddess is approached under distinct names at distinct tirthas, a common basis for temple naming, consecration titles, and localized liturgical invocation.