Shloka 53

Matsya Purana — Manvantaras

Devanagari script

संन्यासः कर्मणां न्यासः कृतानामकृतैः सह कुशलाकुशलाभ्यां तु प्रहाणं न्यास उच्यते //

Transliteration

saṃnyāsaḥ karmaṇāṃ nyāsaḥ kṛtānāmakṛtaiḥ saha kuśalākuśalābhyāṃ tu prahāṇaṃ nyāsa ucyate //

Translation

Renunciation (saṃnyāsa) is the laying down of actions—both those already done and those yet to be done; and the abandonment of both the meritorious (kuśala) and the unmeritorious (akuśala) is what is called ‘laying down’ (nyāsa).

Word by Word

• संन्यासः (saṃnyāsaḥ): renunciation, the life of relinquishment

• कर्मणाम् (karmaṇām): of actions, of deeds/rites

• न्यासः (nyāsaḥ): laying down, relinquishing, setting aside

• कृतानाम् (kṛtānām): of those done/already performed

• अकृतैः (akṛtaiḥ): with those not done, yet to be performed

• सह (saha): along with, together with

• कुशलाकुशलाभ्याम् (kuśalākuśalābhyām): from/with both good (meritorious) and bad (demeritorious)

• तु (tu): indeed, and

• प्रहाणम् (prahāṇam): abandonment, giving up

• न्यासः (nyāsaḥ): relinquishment

• उच्यते (ucyate): is said, is called

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Matsya Purana’s dharma discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Manu

Tags

• Dharma
• Sannyasa
• Karma
• Renunciation
• Moksha

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya directly; it defines saṃnyāsa as inner relinquishment—giving up attachment to actions and to both merit and demerit—aimed at liberation rather than cosmology.

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

It frames the transition-point where duty-bound action (for a householder or king) is ultimately to be surpassed by renunciation: one must eventually relinquish not only wrongful acts but also attachment to ‘good’ merit, treating both performed and unperformed obligations as laid down when entering saṃnyāsa.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu or temple-building rule is stated here; the ritual takeaway is conceptual—‘nyāsa’ is defined as abandoning the entire field of karmic accounting (puṇya/pāpa), rather than prescribing a specific rite.