Shloka 31

Matsya Purana — Pṛthu

Devanagari script

धनुष्कोट्या च शैलेन्द्रान् उत्सार्य स महाबलः भुवस्तलं समं चक्रे लोकानां हितकाम्यया //

Transliteration

dhanuṣkoṭyā ca śailendrān utsārya sa mahābalaḥ bhuvastalaṃ samaṃ cakre lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā //

Translation

With the tip of his bow, that mighty one thrust the great mountains aside and made the surface of the earth level, desiring the welfare of all beings.

Word by Word

• धनुष्कोट्या: with the tip/end of the bow

• च: and

• शैलेन्द्रान्: lordly mountains, great mountains

• उत्सार्य: pushing aside, driving away

• स: he

• महाबलः: the very powerful one

• भुवस्तलम्: the earth’s surface, ground-plane

• समम्: even, level

• चक्रे: made, rendered

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds/people

• हितकाम्यया: with the wish/desire for welfare (benefit).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing a primordial deed (contextually attributable to a divine/royal cosmic agent in creation narratives)

Entities Mentioned

• Mahābala (the mighty one)
• Śailendra (great mountains)
• Bhuvastala (earth)

Tags

• Creation
• Earth-formation
• Cosmic order
• Welfare of beings
• Mythic geography

FAQs

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

It reflects a creation-ordering motif: a powerful cosmic agent reshapes the earth by moving mountains and leveling the ground to establish a stable world for living beings (a sarga-style act rather than a pralaya event).

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

The governing ethic is loka-hita (public welfare): just as the mighty one makes the earth habitable, a king should remove obstacles and create orderly conditions for society; a householder similarly supports stability and well-being through responsible, beneficial action.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The idea of making the ground “level” (samam) underpins later Vāstu logic: stable, even land is a prerequisite for settlement and temple construction, aligning built space with order and welfare.