Shloka 23

Matsya Purana — The Greatness and Procedure of the Aṅgāra

Devanagari script

यस्माच्च भक्त्या धरणीसुतस्य विनिन्द्यमानेन गवादिदानम् आलोकितं तेन सुरारिगर्भे सम्भूतिरेषा तव दैत्य जाता //

Transliteration

yasmācca bhaktyā dharaṇīsutasya vinindyamānena gavādidānam ālokitaṃ tena surārigarbhe sambhūtireṣā tava daitya jātā //

Translation

And because, with devotion to the “son of the Earth” (the king), you merely looked upon the gift of cows and the like while it was being disparaged, therefore you have taken birth from the womb of an enemy of the gods—born now as a Daitya.

Word by Word

• yasmāt ca: and because

• bhaktyā: with devotion

• dharaṇī-sutasya: of the son of the Earth (i.e., the king / a ruler connected with Bhūmi)

• vinindyamānena: while being censured / disparaged

• gav-ādi-dānam: the gift of cows and other charitable gifts

• ālokitam: (was) looked at / beheld

• tena: by that (act)

• sura-ari-garbhe: in the womb of an enemy of the gods

• sambhūtiḥ eṣā: this birth / this arising

• tava: your

• daitya: as a Daitya (demonic clan)

• jātā: has occurred / is born.

Speaker

• Narrator/teacher voice within the Rajadharma–dāna discourse (traditionally Sūta conveying the Purāṇic teaching; exact interlocutors not explicit from the single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• dharaṇīsuta (king / Earth’s son)
• Daitya
• sura-ari (enemy of the gods)

Tags

• Dana
• Rajadharma
• Karma
• Merit and Rebirth
• Gavādi-dāna

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it teaches karmic causality—how one’s attitude toward sacred charity influences rebirth, even resulting in birth among Daityas.

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

It supports Rajadharma and gṛhastha-dharma by elevating dāna (especially gifting cows) as a protected religious act: honoring such gifts brings merit, while disparaging or participating in their denigration leads to negative karmic outcomes.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual emphasis is on dāna—particularly gavādi-dāna—and the ethical injunction not to insult or undermine acts of sacred giving.