Shloka 6

Matsya Purana — Purūravas Beholds the Divine Himalayan River

Devanagari script

सुशीतशीघ्रपानीयां द्विजसंघनिषेविताम् सुतां हिमवतः श्रेष्ठां चञ्चद्वीचिविराजिताम् //

Transliteration

suśītaśīghrapānīyāṃ dvijasaṃghaniṣevitām sutāṃ himavataḥ śreṣṭhāṃ cañcadvīcivirājitām //

Translation

Her waters are delightfully cool and swiftly flowing; she is frequented by assemblies of twice-born sages. She is the excellent daughter of Himavat, radiant with her restless, shimmering waves.

Word by Word

• su-śīta: very cool, pleasantly cold

• śīghra-pānīyām: having swift-flowing water / waters that run quickly

• dvija-saṃgha: assemblies of the twice-born (Brahmins and Vedic sages)

• niṣevitām: resorted to, frequented, inhabited

• sutām: daughter (river as feminine)

• himavataḥ: of Himavat (the हिमालय, personified)

• śreṣṭhām: best, excellent, foremost

• cañcat: restless, flickering, moving to and fro

• vīci: wave

• virājitām: shining, resplendent, adorned

Speaker

• Likely Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing a tīrtha/river within the Matsya Purana’s sacred-geography discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Himavat
• Dvijas (twice-born sages)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Himalaya
• River-Praise
• Pilgrimage
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a tīrtha-style eulogy of a Himalayan river, emphasizing purity, coolness, swift flow, and sanctity validated by sage visitation.

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

Indirectly, it supports dharma through tīrtha-sevā: a householder (and a king) upholds religious life by honoring sacred places, supporting Brahmins and sages, and engaging in purifying practices such as pilgrimage and ritual bathing.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, the river is presented as fit for स्नान (bathing), ācamana, and offerings because it is cool, swift, and sage-frequented—classic markers of a powerful tīrtha suitable for purification rites.