Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — The Glory of Prayaga: Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

अधर्मेणावृतो लोको नैव गच्छति तत्पदम् स्वल्पमल्पतरं पापं यदा ते स्यान्नराधिप प्रयागं स्मरमाणस्य सर्वमायाति संक्षयम् //

Transliteration

adharmeṇāvṛto loko naiva gacchati tatpadam svalpamalpataraṃ pāpaṃ yadā te syānnarādhipa prayāgaṃ smaramāṇasya sarvamāyāti saṃkṣayam //

Translation

A world veiled by unrighteousness does not reach that supreme state. Yet, O king, when even a small—indeed, the slightest—sin arises in you, by merely remembering Prayāga it all comes to complete destruction.

Word by Word

• अधर्मेण (adharmeṇa): by unrighteousness

• आवृतः (āvṛtaḥ): covered/veiled

• लोकः (lokaḥ): the world/people

• नैव (naiva): never

• गच्छति (gacchati): goes/attains

• तत्पदम् (tatpadam): that state/that highest abode

• स्वल्पम् (svalpam): small

• अल्पतरम् (alpataraṃ): even smaller/slightest

• पापम् (pāpam): sin/evil deed

• यदा (yadā): when

• ते (te): to you/for you

• स्यात् (syāt): may occur/arise

• नराधिप (narādhipa): O king/lord of men

• प्रयागम् (prayāgam): Prayaga (the sacred confluence)

• स्मरमाणस्य (smaramāṇasya): of one who remembers

• सर्वम् (sarvam): all

• आयाति (āyāti): comes/goes toward

• संक्षयम् (saṃkṣayam): destruction/complete exhaustion.

Speaker

• Likely Sūta (narrator) conveying a tirtha-mahātmya instruction addressed to a king (narādhipa); traditional dialogic frame often runs Sūta → sages, with embedded addresses to a ruler.

Entities Mentioned

• Prayaga

Tags

• Tirtha
• Prayaga
• Dharma
• Sin-destruction
• Smriti (remembrance)

FAQs

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

It does not discuss pralaya; it teaches a moral-spiritual principle: adharma blocks attainment of the highest state, while the sacred power of Prayaga (even by remembrance) is said to exhaust sins.

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

Addressing a “narādhipa,” it warns that adharma prevents reaching the supreme goal; it also recommends tirtha-smaraṇa (remembering a sacred place) as a purificatory aid—supporting a ruler’s duty to remain morally clean and uphold dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu/temple-building rule is stated; the ritual takeaway is tirtha-smaraṇa: remembering Prayaga itself is presented as a powerful act of purification.