Shloka 62

Matsya Purana — The Gods Seek Śiva’s Refuge: The Cosmic Chariot Prepared for the Burning of T...

Devanagari script

शेषश्च भगवान्नागो ऽनन्तो ऽनन्तकरो ऽरिणाम् शरहस्तो रथं पाति शयनं ब्रह्मणस्तदा //

Transliteration

śeṣaśca bhagavānnāgo 'nanto 'nantakaro 'riṇām śarahasto rathaṃ pāti śayanaṃ brahmaṇastadā //

Translation

And Śeṣa—the blessed Nāga, Ananta, who consigns foes to endlessness—holding arrows in his hand, then protected the chariot, and likewise the couch of Brahmā.

Word by Word

• śeṣaḥ: Śeṣa

• ca: and

• bhagavān: the blessed/divine one

• nāgaḥ: serpent-lord (Nāga)

• anantaḥ: Ananta, the Endless

• ananta-karaḥ: maker of endlessness / one who makes (the end) unending

• ariṇām: of enemies/foes

• śara-hastaḥ: with arrows in (his) hand

• ratham: the chariot

• pāti: protects/guards

• śayanam: the bed/couch

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā

• tadā: then/at that time.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu on cosmic order and divine supports (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana’s dialogue frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Śeṣa
• Ananta
• Nāga
• Brahmā

Tags

• Pralaya
• Cosmic Order
• Vishnu Tattva
• Ananta-Śeṣa
• Protection

FAQs

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

It highlights the preservation-side of the cosmic cycle: Śeṣa/Ananta functions as a divine protector and support, guarding Brahmā’s resting-place and the cosmic “vehicle,” implying order is maintained even around dissolution and re-creation.

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

By analogy, it presents the ideal of guardianship: just as Ananta protects what sustains the world-order (Brahmā’s seat/rest), a king or householder must protect the foundations of dharma—institutions, sacred duties, and dependents—so stability persists through crisis.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

While not a direct Vāstu rule, the verse uses royal/ritual imagery (ratha, śayana) to stress protected sacred space and sanctified “seats” of authority—ideas later mirrored in temple/altar planning where the deity’s seat and resting-places are treated as ritually guarded zones.