Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — Prologue to the Matsya Purana and the Manu–Pralaya Rescue Narrative

Devanagari script

ततः स कूपे तं मत्स्यं प्राहिणोद् रविनन्दनः यदा न माति तत्रापि कूपे मत्स्यः सरोवरे //

Transliteration

tataḥ sa kūpe taṃ matsyaṃ prāhiṇod ravinandanaḥ yadā na māti tatrāpi kūpe matsyaḥ sarovare //

Translation

Then the son of the Sun (Manu) placed that fish into a well. When the fish could not be contained even there in the well, he moved the fish to a lake.

Word by Word

• ततः (tataḥ): then, thereafter

• स (sa): he

• कूपे (kūpe): in a well

• तं (taṃ): that

• मत्स्यं (matsyaṃ): fish

• प्राहिणोद् (prāhiṇot): sent/placed/put (there)

• रविनन्दनः (ravinandanaḥ): the son of Ravi (the Sun), i.e., Vaivasvata Manu

• यदा (yadā): when

• न (na): not

• माति (māti): fits/is contained

• तत्रापि (tatrāpi): even there

• कूपे (kūpe): in the well

• मत्स्यः (matsyaḥ): the fish

• सरोवरे (sarovare): in a lake/pond

Speaker

• Narrator (Suta/Paurnic narrator describing Vaivasvata Manu’s actions)

Entities Mentioned

• Vaivasvata Manu
• Matsya (the fish)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Lord Matsya and King Manu story
• Compassion
• Miraculous growth
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

It shows the prelude to Pralaya: the fish grows beyond normal limits, signaling a divine, world-scale event about to unfold rather than an ordinary incident.

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

Manu’s careful relocation of the fish models protection of the vulnerable and responsible stewardship—core ideals for rulers and householders in Purāṇic ethics.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught directly here; the verse is narrative, highlighting graded relocation (well → lake) as the setting for the forthcoming Pralaya teaching.