Shloka 72

Matsya Purana — Narasimha’s Victory over Hiraṇyakaśipu and the Catalogue of Apocalyptic Omens

Devanagari script

सुराष्ट्राश्च सबाह्लीकाः शूराभीरास्तथैव च भोजाः पाण्ड्याश्च वङ्गाश्च कलिङ्गास्ताम्रलिप्तकाः //

Transliteration

surāṣṭrāśca sabāhlīkāḥ śūrābhīrāstathaiva ca bhojāḥ pāṇḍyāśca vaṅgāśca kaliṅgāstāmraliptakāḥ //

Translation

Also (are mentioned) the people of Saurāṣṭra, along with the Bāhlīkas; likewise the Śūras and Ābhīras; the Bhojas; the Pāṇḍyas; the Vaṅgas; the Kaliṅgas; and those of Tāmraliptā.

Word by Word

• surāṣṭrāḥ: the Saurāṣṭras (people of Saurashtra)

• ca: and

• sa-bāhlīkāḥ: together with the Bāhlīkas (Bactrians/people of Bahlika)

• śūrābhīrāḥ: the Śūras and the Ābhīras

• tathā eva: likewise/indeed

• ca: and

• bhojāḥ: the Bhojas

• pāṇḍyāḥ: the Pāṇḍyas

• ca: and

• vaṅgāḥ: the Vaṅgas (Bengal region)

• ca: and

• kaliṅgāḥ: the Kaliṅgas (Kalinga region)

• tāmraliptakāḥ: the people of Tāmraliptā (Tamralipti, coastal/port region)

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this section)

Entities Mentioned

• Surāṣṭra
• Bāhlīka
• Śūra
• Ābhīra
• Bhoja
• Pāṇḍya
• Vaṅga
• Kaliṅga
• Tāmraliptā

Tags

• Geography
• Janapadas
• Ancient India
• Genealogy-Context
• Puranic Ethnography

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it is a geographic-ethnographic enumeration of janapadas (regions/peoples) known to the Purana’s worldview.

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

Indirectly, such janapada lists support a king’s rajadharma by mapping realms and peoples—useful for understanding borders, alliances, tribute networks, and proper governance across diverse regions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the verse functions as a catalog of regions, which elsewhere can contextualize regional temple traditions, pilgrimage circuits, and localized rites.