Shloka 14

Matsya Purana — Nārāyaṇa as Haṃsa in the Cosmic Ocean: Vedic Yajña-Puruṣa and Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vi...

Devanagari script

गीर्णो भगवतस्तस्य कुक्षावेव महामुनिः बहुवर्षसहस्रायुस् तस्यैव वरतेजसा //

Transliteration

gīrṇo bhagavatastasya kukṣāveva mahāmuniḥ bahuvarṣasahasrāyus tasyaiva varatejasā //

Translation

Swallowed by that Blessed Lord, the great sage remained within His very belly, sustained for many thousands of years by the supreme radiance of that Lord alone.

Word by Word

• gīrṇaḥ: swallowed

• bhagavataḥ: of the Blessed Lord

• tasya: of that (Lord)

• kukṣau: in the belly

• eva: indeed/only

• mahāmuniḥ: the great sage

• bahu-varṣa-sahasra-āyuḥ: having a lifespan/endurance of many thousands of years

• tasya eva: by Him alone

• vara-tejasā: by excellent/supreme divine splendor (tejas).

Speaker

• Sūta (narratorial voice recounting the Pralaya episode; dialogue context ultimately tied to Lord Matsya’s account to Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhagavān (Lord Vishnu/Matsya)
• Mahāmuni (great sage)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Matsya Avatara
• Divine Preservation
• Flood Narrative
• Purana Cosmology

FAQs

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

It highlights pralaya-survival as an act of divine preservation: during dissolution, a sage can be sustained beyond ordinary time by the Lord’s own tejas (radiant power).

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

Indirectly, it underlines reliance on dharma and divine order in times of crisis—kings and householders are to protect life and uphold righteousness, while recognizing that ultimate preservation rests with the Lord.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule appears in this verse; its takeaway is theological—divine tejas as the sustaining principle—often invoked ritually as protective power in prayers.