Shloka 19

Matsya Purana — The Glory of Prayaga: Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता समागता महाभागा यमुना तत्र निम्नगा तत्र संनिहितो नित्यं साक्षाद्देवो महेश्वरः //

Transliteration

tapanasya sutā devī triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā samāgatā mahābhāgā yamunā tatra nimnagā tatra saṃnihito nityaṃ sākṣāddevo maheśvaraḥ //

Translation

There, the goddess Yamunā—daughter of Tapana (the Sun), renowned in the three worlds—has arrived as the auspicious river-stream. And there, eternally present, is Mahēśvara himself, the manifest Lord.

Word by Word

• tapanasya: of Tapana (the Sun)

• sutā: daughter

• devī: goddess

• triṣu: in the three

• lokeṣu: worlds

• viśrutā: celebrated, renowned

• samāgatā: has come, has arrived

• mahābhāgā: most fortunate/auspicious, greatly blessed

• yamunā: Yamunā

• tatra: there

• nimnagā: river/stream (lit. ‘flowing downward’)

• saṃnihitaḥ: present, stationed nearby

• nityam: always, eternally

• sākṣāt: directly, manifestly

• devaḥ: the god

• maheśvaraḥ: Mahēśvara (Śiva)

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in dialogue with Vaivasvata Manu), continuing the tirtha-mahātmya narration

Entities Mentioned

• Yamuna
• Tapana (Surya)
• Maheshvara (Shiva)

Tags

• TirthaMahatmya
• Yamuna
• Shiva
• SacredRivers
• Pilgrimage

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it belongs to tīrtha-māhātmya material, asserting the sanctity of Yamunā and the perpetual, manifest presence of Mahēśvara at that sacred river-site.

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

By highlighting a renowned tīrtha with a deity’s abiding presence, it supports the Purāṇic ethic that householders and rulers should honor sacred geography through pilgrimage, worship, and patronage of holy places as part of dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it frames the Yamunā-tīrtha as a place fit for snāna (holy bathing), śiva-pūjā, and tīrtha-rites; architecturally, it implies suitability for establishing/maintaining a Śiva shrine due to Mahēśvara’s ‘nitya saṃnihiti’ (perpetual presence).