Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of Prayaga and Allied Tirthas

Devanagari script

प्रभावात्सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभवत्यधिकं विभो दश तीर्थसहस्राणि तिस्रः कोट्यस्तथा पराः //

Transliteration

prabhāvātsarvatīrthebhyaḥ prabhavatyadhikaṃ vibho daśa tīrthasahasrāṇi tisraḥ koṭyastathā parāḥ //

Translation

O mighty one, by its spiritual potency it surpasses all other sacred fords (tīrthas): it yields merit greater than ten thousand tīrthas, and even beyond three crores besides.

Word by Word

• प्रभावात् (prabhāvāt): by (its) potency/efficacy

• सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः (sarva-tīrthebhyaḥ): than all sacred places of pilgrimage

• प्रभवति (prabhavati): it becomes effective/it bestows (fruit)

• अधिकम् (adhikam): more, greater

• विभो (vibho): O mighty lord/O powerful one

• दश (daśa): ten

• तीर्थसहस्राणि (tīrtha-sahasrāṇi): thousands of tīrthas (i.e., ten thousand tīrthas)

• तिस्रः (tisraḥ): three

• कोट्यः (koṭyaḥ): crores (ten-millions)

• तथा (tathā): and likewise/also

• पराः (parāḥ): higher, beyond, surpassing (others).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu (likely, given the common dialogue frame in Matsya Purana tirtha-passages)

Entities Mentioned

• Tirtha (sacred ford/place of pilgrimage)

Tags

• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Pilgrimage
• Punya (Merit)
• Sacred Geography
• Ritual Efficacy

FAQs

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

It does not discuss pralaya directly; it focuses on tirtha-mahātmya—how a particular sacred place, by its inherent prabhāva (spiritual efficacy), grants exceptionally high merit compared to other pilgrimage sites.

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

It supports the dharmic duty of undertaking tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) and performing meritorious acts; for kings and householders, such high-efficacy tirthas are presented as efficient means to accumulate punya and uphold religious life.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architectural rules are not stated; the ritual takeaway is that some tirthas are believed to multiply the fruit of rites (bathing, offerings, vows) many-fold due to their prabhāva, exceeding the merit of visiting vast numbers of other sites.