Shloka 21

Matsya Purana — Purūravas Beholds the Divine Himalayan River

Devanagari script

सतामरसपानीयां सतारगगनामलाम् स तां पश्यन्ययौ राजा सतामीप्सितकामदाम् //

Transliteration

satāmarasapānīyāṃ satāragaganāmalām sa tāṃ paśyanyayau rājā satāmīpsitakāmadām //

Translation

That king, beholding that sacred water—lotus-sweet to the taste, pure as the star-strewn sky—went toward it, for it grants to the virtuous the fulfillment of their cherished desires.

Word by Word

• sā: that (feminine, referring to the sacred water/place)

• tām: that (object)

• rājā: the king

• paśyan: seeing, beholding

• yayau: went, proceeded

• satām: of the good/virtuous

• arasa-pānīyām: having water pleasant/sweet in taste (lit. ‘tasteful-drinkable’)

• tāraka-gagana-amalām: spotless/pure like the starry sky

• īpsita-kāma-dām: giver of desired wishes/boons

• satām īpsita-kāma-dām: bestower of wished-for aims to the righteous

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the king’s approach to a sacred tirtha

Entities Mentioned

• a king (rājā)
• a sacred tirtha/lake/stream (implied)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Pilgrimage
• Sacred Waters
• Phala-śruti
• Punya

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya; it belongs to tirtha-mahātmya style praise, emphasizing the purity and boon-giving power of sacred waters.

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

It presents the king as a model pilgrim: a ruler (and by extension a householder) seeks dharmic merit by approaching and honoring a pure tirtha believed to fulfill righteous aims.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is primary: the verse praises a holy water-body as ‘pure’ and ‘wish-fulfilling,’ implying tirtha-darśana and likely स्नान (sacred bathing) as merit-producing acts, though no explicit Vāstu/temple rule is stated here.