Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

वक्त्रमाहृतवानाशु मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम् ततो भगवतः कुक्षिं प्रविष्टो मुनिसत्तमः //

Transliteration

vaktramāhṛtavānāśu mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahāmunim tato bhagavataḥ kukṣiṃ praviṣṭo munisattamaḥ //

Translation

Swiftly drawing the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya into his mouth, the Blessed Lord (Bhagavān) then received him; and that best of sages entered into the Lord’s belly.

Word by Word

• वक्त्रम् (vaktram): mouth/face

• आहृतवान् (āhṛtavān): drew in, took in

• आशु (āśu): quickly

• मार्कण्डेयं (mārkaṇḍeyaṃ): Markandeya

• महामुनिम् (mahāmunim): the great sage

• ततः (tataḥ): then/thereupon

• भगवतः (bhagavataḥ): of the Blessed Lord

• कुक्षिं (kukṣiṃ): belly/womb/abdomen

• प्रविष्टः (praviṣṭaḥ): entered

• मुनिसत्तमः (munisattamaḥ): the best among sages

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing Markandeya’s vision/experience within the Lord during Pralaya

Entities Mentioned

• Markandeya
• Bhagavan (Vishnu/Narayana)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Markandeya
• Vishnu
• MysticVision
• PuranaNarrative

FAQs

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

It presents Pralaya as a state where the cosmos is reabsorbed into Bhagavān; the sage’s entry into the Lord’s belly symbolizes shelter and re-integration into the divine during dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic that in times of crisis one should take refuge in dharma and the Divine; for kings/householders, this translates into steadiness, devotion, and protection of righteous order even amid upheaval.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple rule is stated; the ritual takeaway is the motif of divine refuge (śaraṇāgati) and the Lord as the ultimate ‘container’ of the world, often reflected in devotional rites and meditation on Viṣṇu’s cosmic form.