Shloka 21

Matsya Purana — The Episode of Madhu and Kaiṭabha: Gunas

Devanagari script

स्वपन्नेव ततः श्रीमान् बहुयोजनविस्तृतम् बाहुं नारायणो ब्रह्मा कृतवानात्ममायया //

Transliteration

svapanneva tataḥ śrīmān bahuyojanavistṛtam bāhuṃ nārāyaṇo brahmā kṛtavānātmamāyayā //

Translation

Then, as if in a dream, the glorious Nārāyaṇa—Brahmā himself—by his own māyā, fashioned an arm extending across many yojanas.

Word by Word

• svapanneva: as if in a dream

• tataḥ: then/thereupon

• śrīmān: glorious, auspicious one

• bahu-yojana-vistṛtam: spread/extended over many yojanas

• bāhum: an arm

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa (Vishnu)

• brahmā: Brahmā (here identified with the cosmic lord)

• kṛtavān: made/created

• ātma-māyayā: by his own intrinsic power of māyā.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the divine act within the Matsya–Manu Pralaya account

Entities Mentioned

• Narayana
• Brahma
• Maya

Tags

• Pralaya
• Divine Power
• Maya
• Cosmic Form
• Matsya Purana Narrative

FAQs

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

It highlights that during cosmic crisis the divine can instantly manifest vast forms through māyā, implying sovereignty over space and scale even amid dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces reliance on dharma and divine order in times of upheaval: rulers and householders should act steadily, recognizing that ultimate protection and cosmic regulation rest with the supreme lord.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule appears; the key idea is “measure beyond measure” (many yojanas), a cosmological motif later echoed in temple iconography where deities are depicted with superhuman proportions (viśvarūpa-style grandeur).