Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — Prayaga Mahatmya: Trimurti Presence

Devanagari script

उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानाच् छद्मना ब्रह्म तिष्ठति वेणीमाधवरूपी तु भगवांस्तत्र तिष्ठति //

Transliteration

uttareṇa pratiṣṭhānāc chadmanā brahma tiṣṭhati veṇīmādhavarūpī tu bhagavāṃstatra tiṣṭhati //

Translation

To the north of Pratiṣṭhāna, Brahmā abides in a concealed (incognito) manner; and there too the Blessed Lord dwells, taking the form known as Veṇī-Mādhava.

Word by Word

• uttareṇa: to the north

• pratiṣṭhānāt: from/of Pratiṣṭhāna (the city/region)

• chadmanā: in disguise, concealed, incognito

• brahma (brahmā): Brahmā

• tiṣṭhati: stands, abides, resides

• veṇī-mādhava-rūpī: having the form of Veṇī-Mādhava (a regional form-name of Mādhava/Vişṇu)

• tu: and/indeed

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord (Vişṇu)

• tatra: there

• tiṣṭhati: dwells.

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing kṣetra-devatās within a tīrtha-māhātmya-style passage

Entities Mentioned

• Pratiṣṭhāna
• Brahmā
• Bhagavān (Viṣṇu/Mādhava)
• Veṇī-Mādhava

Tags

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Sacred Geography
• Vishnu Forms
• Brahma
• Pilgrimage

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it is a tīrtha-oriented statement identifying where Brahmā and the Lord (as Veṇī-Mādhava) are said to reside, emphasizing sacred presence in geography rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ethic of dharma through pilgrimage and patronage: kings and householders are encouraged to honor such kṣetras (supporting worship, maintenance, and pilgrim welfare), thereby gaining merit and stabilizing social-religious order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse implies a fixed sacred locus (north of Pratiṣṭhāna) associated with specific deities—useful for temple identification and ritual mapping: a shrine or worship-point for Brahmā and a Viṣṇu icon/form titled Veṇī-Mādhava would be ritually appropriate at that location.