Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — Pitṛ Worlds

Devanagari script

सुमूर्तिमन्तः पितरो वसिष्ठस्य सुताः स्मृताः नाम्ना तु मानसाः सर्वे सर्वे ते धर्ममूर्तयः //

Transliteration

sumūrtimantaḥ pitaro vasiṣṭhasya sutāḥ smṛtāḥ nāmnā tu mānasāḥ sarve sarve te dharmamūrtayaḥ //

Translation

The Pitṛs are remembered as embodied beings of proper and fair form, and as the sons of Vasiṣṭha; by name they are all called the Mānasas, and every one of them is an embodiment of Dharma.

Word by Word

• su-mūrtimantaḥ: well-formed/embodied

• pitaraḥ: the Pitṛs (ancestral beings)

• vasiṣṭhasya: of Vasiṣṭha

• sutāḥ: sons

• smṛtāḥ: are remembered/declared in tradition

• nāmnā: by name

• tu: indeed

• mānasāḥ: Mānasas (a class of Pitṛs)

• sarve: all

• sarve te: all of them

• dharma-mūrtayaḥ: embodiments/forms of Dharma (righteous order)

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purāṇa dialogue/tradition; within the broader frame attributed to Lord Matsya’s teaching to Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs
• Vasiṣṭha
• Mānasas
• Dharma

Tags

• Pitrs
• Genealogy
• Dharma
• Vedic-Ancestors
• Cosmology

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it presents a stable cosmic-ritual order: the Pitṛs (ancestral powers) persist as Dharma-embodiments, supporting continuity of lineage and rites across cycles, rather than describing Pralaya events explicitly.

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

By identifying the Pitṛs as Dharma-forms, it reinforces that śrāddha and ancestor offerings are not mere customs but dharmic obligations for householders and rulers, sustaining lineage, social order, and merit according to Purāṇic ethics.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it supports Pitṛ-yajña/śrāddha: the Pitṛs are worthy recipients because they are ‘Dharma embodied.’ The verse itself does not state Vāstu rules, but it underpins the legitimacy of prescribed ancestral rites often performed in properly consecrated domestic/ritual spaces.