Shloka 23

Matsya Purana — Pṛthu

Devanagari script

प्रेतरक्षोगणैर्दुग्धा धरा रुधिरमुल्बणम् रौप्यनाभो ऽभवद्दोग्धा सुमाली वत्स एव तु //

Transliteration

pretarakṣogaṇairdugdhā dharā rudhiramulbaṇam raupyanābho 'bhavaddogdhā sumālī vatsa eva tu //

Translation

Then the Earth was ‘milked’ by hosts of Pretas and Rākṣasas, and what flowed forth was thick, abundant blood. Raupyanābha became the milker, and Sumālī indeed was the calf.

Word by Word

• प्रेत-रक्षः-गणैः: by groups/hosts of pretas and rakṣasas

• दुग्धा: was milked

• धरा: the Earth

• रुधिरम्: blood

• उल्बणम्: swollen/thick/abundant

• रौप्यनाभः: Raupyanābha (proper name)

• अभवत्: became

• दोग्धा: the milker

• सुमाली: Sumālī (proper name)

• वत्सः: calf

• एव: indeed

• तु: and/then

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic account (within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Dharā (Earth)
• Pretas
• Rākṣasas
• Raupyanābha
• Sumālī

Tags

• Creation
• Cosmic myth
• Earth as cow
• Genealogies
• Puranic symbolism

FAQs

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

Rather than describing Pralaya directly, this verse presents a creation-era cosmological motif: different beings “milk” the Earth to draw out substances aligned with their nature—here, pretas and rākṣasas obtain blood, a symbol of their tamasic, violent association.

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

By contrastive symbolism: a ruler or householder should “draw” resources from the Earth through dharmic means (nurturing, protection, right governance). When exploitative or impure agents dominate, the yield becomes destructive (blood), implying that extraction without dharma harms society and the land.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated; the ritual-cosmological idea is that substances used in rites (milk, ghee, soma, etc.) have mythic origins. This verse specifically explains a blood-yield variant in the Earth-milking cycle, useful for interpreting Purāṇic ritual symbolism rather than construction procedure.