Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

अहं सांख्यमहं योगो ऽप्यहं तत्परमं पदम् अहमिज्या क्रिया चाहम् अहं विद्याधिपः स्मृतः //

Transliteration

ahaṃ sāṃkhyamahaṃ yogo 'pyahaṃ tatparamaṃ padam ahamijyā kriyā cāham ahaṃ vidyādhipaḥ smṛtaḥ //

Translation

I am Sāṃkhya; I am Yoga; and I am that supreme state (the highest goal). I am worship and sacred action as well; I am remembered as the Lord of knowledge.

Word by Word

• aham: I (the Supreme)

• sāṃkhyam: Sāṃkhya (the path of discriminative knowledge)

• aham: I

• yogaḥ api: Yoga also (the path of disciplined union/meditation)

• tat: that

• paramam: supreme

• padam: state/abode/goal

• aham: I

• ijyā: worship, sacrificial adoration

• kriyā: prescribed rite/action (religious duty)

• ca: and

• aham: I

• vidyā-adhipaḥ: master/lord of knowledge

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/declared

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vishnu
• Sankhya
• Yoga
• Vidyā (Knowledge)

Tags

• Moksha
• Jnana
• Yoga
• Sankhya
• Ritual

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it frames the Supreme (identified with Lord Matsya/Vishnu) as the ground of all paths—knowledge, yoga, and ritual—implying that even cosmic processes like pralaya are encompassed by the one highest reality (parama padam).

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

It validates both contemplative disciplines (Sāṃkhya, Yoga) and active duties (ijyā, kriyā). For a king or householder, it teaches that governance and daily rites can be performed as sacred action rooted in the Supreme, while still aiming at the highest goal.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it explicitly names ijyā (worship) and kriyā (prescribed rites), presenting them as divine in essence—useful for framing temple worship and procedural ritual correctness as a direct participation in the Supreme.