Shloka 15

Matsya Purana — Pṛthu

Devanagari script

तथैव साब्रवीद् भूमिर् दुदोह स नराधिपः स्वके पाणौ पृथुर्वत्सं कृत्वा स्वायम्भुवं मनुम् //

Transliteration

tathaiva sābravīd bhūmir dudoha sa narādhipaḥ svake pāṇau pṛthurvatsaṃ kṛtvā svāyambhuvaṃ manum //

Translation

So too did the Earth speak. Then that lord of men milked her, having made Svāyambhuva Manu the calf, and taking Pṛthu as the milker in his own hand (as the instrument of milking).

Word by Word

• तथैव (tathaiva): likewise/so indeed

• सा (sā): she (the Earth)

• अब्रवीत् (abravīt): spoke/said

• भूमिः (bhūmiḥ): the Earth

• दुदोह (dudoha): milked/drew forth

• सः (saḥ): he

• नराधिपः (narādhipaḥ): king/lord of men

• स्वके (svake): in his own

• पाणौ (pāṇau): hand

• पृथुः (pṛthuḥ): King Pṛthu

• वत्सम् (vatsam): calf (symbolic calf used in milking)

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā): having made

• स्वायम्भुवम् (svāyambhuvam): Svāyambhuva

• मनुम् (manum): Manu

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the episode

Entities Mentioned

• Bhūmi (Earth)
• King Pṛthu
• Svāyambhuva Manu

Tags

• Creation
• Kingship
• Royal Dharma
• Prosperity
• Mythic Agriculture

FAQs

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

It reflects a creation-and-order motif: the Earth yields resources when properly approached under dharma, emphasizing cosmic order rather than Pralaya.

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

It presents the ideal king as one who lawfully ‘draws forth’ prosperity from the land—organizing resources for the people without violence or exploitation, with Manu (law/order) as the guiding principle.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple rule is stated; the key ritual-symbolic idea is the structured ‘milking’ metaphor (calf, milker, vessel), often used to frame orderly extraction and offering of Earth’s produce.