Shloka 28

Matsya Purana — Pitṛ Worlds

Devanagari script

नर्मदा नाम तेषां तु कन्या तोयवहा सरित् भूतानि या पावयति दक्षिणापथगामिनी //

Transliteration

narmadā nāma teṣāṃ tu kanyā toyavahā sarit bhūtāni yā pāvayati dakṣiṇāpathagāminī //

Translation

Among them is the maiden named Narmadā—a river that bears waters—who purifies living beings as she flows along the southern route (the Dakṣiṇāpatha).

Word by Word

• नर्मदा (narmadā): Narmada

• नाम (nāma): named/called

• तेषाम् (teṣām): among them/of those

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• कन्या (kanyā): maiden/daughter

• तोय-वहा (toya-vahā): water-bearing, carrying waters

• सरित् (sarit): river/stream

• भूतानि (bhūtāni): beings/creatures/living beings

• या (yā): who/which

• पावयति (pāvayati): purifies/makes pure

• दक्षिणापथ-गामिनी (dakṣiṇāpatha-gāminī): going along the southern path, flowing through the Deccan/southern route

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Matsya Purana’s narrative frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Narmada
• Dakshinapatha

Tags

• Tirtha
• Sacred Rivers
• Purification
• Pilgrimage
• Dakshinapatha

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; it highlights the sanctifying, purificatory nature of the Narmadā as a sacred river in the world-order where tīrthas cleanse beings.

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

It supports the Purāṇic ethic that householders and rulers should uphold dharma by honoring tīrthas—through pilgrimage, reverence to sacred waters, and facilitating public access to holy rivers—seen as means of moral and ritual purification.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it points to river-based purification (snāna, tīrtha-sevā). Architecturally, it implicitly supports establishing ghāṭas, shrines, and pilgrimage infrastructure along sacred rivers like the Narmadā.