Shloka 1
Matsya Purana — The Gods Seek Śiva’s Refuge: The Cosmic Chariot Prepared for the Burning of T...
*सूत उवाच ब्रह्माद्यैः स्तूयमानस्तु देवैर्देवो महेश्वरः प्रजापतिमुवाचेदं देवानां क्व भयं महत् //
*sūta uvāca brahmādyaiḥ stūyamānastu devairdevo maheśvaraḥ prajāpatimuvācedaṃ devānāṃ kva bhayaṃ mahat //
Sūta said: While the gods—beginning with Brahmā—were praising him, the divine Mahādeva (Maheśvara) said this to Prajāpati: “Where, indeed, does this great fear of the gods come from?”
FAQs
This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it sets a narrative frame where the gods experience “great fear,” prompting Maheshvara to ask its cause—often a prelude to cosmic disturbance, conflict, or imbalance in dharma.
Indirectly, it models governance through inquiry: before acting, a leader asks the root cause of fear or disorder. In dharma literature, diagnosing the source of anxiety (bhaya) is the first step toward restoring stability and righteous order.
No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated in this verse; the ritual element present is stuti (praise), indicating a common Purāṇic pattern where worship and eulogy precede divine counsel or intervention.