Shloka 4

Matsya Purana — The Ārdrānandakarī Tṛtīyā Vrata: Ritual Procedure

Devanagari script

वासुदेव्यै नमः पादौ शंकराय नमो हरम् जङ्घे शोकविनाशिन्यै आनन्दाय नमः प्रभो //

Transliteration

vāsudevyai namaḥ pādau śaṃkarāya namo haram jaṅghe śokavināśinyai ānandāya namaḥ prabho //

Translation

Salutations to the feet—as Vāsudevī. Salutations to Śaṅkara, to Hara. Salutations to the shanks that destroy sorrow. Salutations to Ānanda, O Lord.

Word by Word

वासुदेव्यै (vāsudevyai)to Vāsudevī / to the power of Vāsudeva

नमः (namaḥ)salutations

पादौ (pādau)the two feet

शंकराय (śaṃkarāya)to Śaṅkara (the auspicious one)

नमो (namo)salutations

हरम्/हर (haram/hara)to Hara (the remover, Śiva epithet) / to the remover

जङ्घे (jaṅghe)the shanks/legs

शोक-विनाशिन्यै (śoka-vināśinyai)to (her/that) which destroys grief

आनन्दाय (ānandāya)to Bliss / to Ānanda

प्रभो (prabho)O Lord

Speaker

Suta (narratorial voice presenting a devotional anga-stotra within the Matsya Purana tradition)

Entities Mentioned

Vasudeva/Vishnu (Vāsudeva)Shankara (Śiva epithet)Hara (Śiva epithet)

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it is a devotional salutation (namaskāra) that praises the Lord’s auspicious, sorrow-destroying nature rather than describing cosmic dissolution.

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

By emphasizing reverence, humility, and remembrance of the divine as the destroyer of grief, it supports the Matsya Purana’s ethical ideal that rulers and householders should begin acts with devotion and self-discipline, seeking inner steadiness (ānanda) rather than ego.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The structure resembles ritual limb-salutations (anga-namaskāra/nyāsa style), useful in pūjā recitation; it does not give Vastu or temple-measurement rules, but functions as a preparatory devotional formula in worship.