Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

अगस्त्यभवनं चैव यदगम्यं कृतं पुरा सिद्धचारणसंघश्च विप्रकीर्णं मनोहरम् //

Transliteration

agastyabhavanaṃ caiva yadagamyaṃ kṛtaṃ purā siddhacāraṇasaṃghaśca viprakīrṇaṃ manoharam //

Translation

And also the dwelling of Agastya—made in ancient times as a place hard to approach—was charming, with hosts of Siddhas and Cāraṇas scattered about.

Word by Word

• अगस्त्य-भवनम् (agastya-bhavanam): Agastya’s abode/dwelling

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed/also

• यत्-अगम्यम् (yad-agamyam): which is difficult to reach/inaccessible

• कृतम् (kṛtam): made/constructed/established

• पुरा (purā): formerly/in ancient times

• सिद्ध-चारण-संघः (siddha-cāraṇa-saṅghaḥ): a multitude of Siddhas and Cāraṇas (semi-divine perfected beings and celestial bards)

• च (ca): and

• विप्रकीर्णम् (viprakīrṇam): dispersed/scattered all around

• मनोहरम् (manoharam): delightful/beautiful/charming.

Speaker

• Suta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s account; the verse functions as descriptive narration rather than direct dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Agastya
• Siddhas
• Cāraṇas

Tags

• Tirtha
• Ashrama
• Sacred Geography
• Rishi Traditions
• Pilgrimage

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it highlights a timeless sacred locale—Agastya’s hard-to-reach abode—suggesting continuity of holy sites and perfected beings across ages.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ideal of honoring ṛṣis and sacred places: kings protect pilgrimage routes and hermitages, while householders gain merit through reverent visitation and support of ascetic communities.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key idea is a deliberately ‘inaccessible’ (yad-agamya) hermitage—emphasizing seclusion as a sacred design principle for āśramas—along with the ritual aura of siddha-presence, marking the site as spiritually charged.