Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — Solar–Lunar Motions

Devanagari script

तस्याश्चार्धप्रमाणं च मेरोश्चैवोत्तरोत्तरम् मेरोर्मध्ये प्रतिदिशं कोटिरेका तु सा स्मृता //

Transliteration

tasyāścārdhapramāṇaṃ ca meroścaivottarottaram merormadhye pratidiśaṃ koṭirekā tu sā smṛtā //

Translation

And its measure is taken as a half; and likewise, with Mount Meru, the measure increases successively toward the north. In the middle of Meru, in each direction, that line is remembered as extending by an extra koṭi.

Word by Word

• tasyaḥ: of that (region/extent)

• ca: and

• ardha-pramāṇam: half-measure, half in extent

• ca: also

• meroḥ: of (Mount) Meru

• ca eva: and indeed/likewise

• uttara-uttaram: progressively northward, in successive northern degrees

• meroḥ madhye: in the middle of Meru

• prati-diśam: in each direction

• koṭi-rekā: a ‘koti-line’/a line measured by a koti (a very large unit, ten million)

• tu: indeed

• sā: that (line/measure)

• smṛtā: is remembered/declared in tradition

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (cosmographic teaching context)

Entities Mentioned

• Mount Meru

Tags

• Cosmography
• Mount Meru
• Bhuvanakosha
• Puranic geography
• Measurements

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the cosmographic mapping of the world-system, describing how measures around Mount Meru are reckoned (half-measures and progressive northern increase).

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

Directly, it does not prescribe royal or household duties; indirectly, such cosmography frames the Purana’s sacred worldview that supports dharma by situating rituals, pilgrimages, and sacred geography within an ordered cosmos.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally it is not a Vastu rule, but the idea of directional measurement (prati-diśam) and a central axis (meror madhye) echoes the sacred ‘center-and-directions’ logic used in temple orientation and ritual space-planning.