Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of the Vibhūti-Dvādaśī Vow: Pushkara

Devanagari script

अभिसंगता परमभीष्टतमा विमुखी महीश तव योषिदियम् अभूदनावृष्टिरतीव रौद्रा कदाचिदाहारनिमित्तमस्मिन् क्षुत्पीडितेनाथ तदा न किंचिद् आसादितं धान्यफलामिषाद्यम् //

Transliteration

abhisaṃgatā paramabhīṣṭatamā vimukhī mahīśa tava yoṣidiyam abhūdanāvṛṣṭiratīva raudrā kadācidāhāranimittamasmin kṣutpīḍitenātha tadā na kiṃcid āsāditaṃ dhānyaphalāmiṣādyam //

Translation

O King, this woman—once closely united with you and exceedingly dear—has turned away. A fearsome drought arose; and once, when she went in search of food, tormented by hunger, she found nothing at all—no grain, no fruit, no meat, nor anything of the kind.

Word by Word

• abhisaṃgatā: closely united/consorted

• paramabhīṣṭatamā: most beloved/most desired

• vimukhī: turned away, averse

• mahīśa: O lord of the earth (king)

• tava: your

• yoṣit: woman/wife

• iyaṃ: this

• abhūt: arose/occurred

• anāvṛṣṭiḥ: drought/lack of rain

• atīva: exceedingly

• raudrā: fierce/terrible

• kadācit: at some time/once

• āhāra-nimittam: for the sake of food

• asmin: in this situation/therein

• kṣut-pīḍitena: by one afflicted with hunger

• atha: then

• tadā: at that time

• na kiṃcit: nothing at all

• āsāditam: obtained/found

• dhānya: grain

• phala: fruit

• āmiṣa: meat/flesh-food

• ādyam: and the like.

Speaker

• Likely a narrator or courtly speaker addressing the king within a famine/drought episode (Mahīśa-sambodhana indicates direct address to the king).

Entities Mentioned

• Mahīśa (King)
• Yoṣit (the woman/wife)

Tags

• Anavrishti
• Famine
• Rajadharma
• Calamity
• Householder-Duty

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic pralaya; it depicts a worldly calamity—anāvṛṣṭi (drought)—showing how the absence of rain leads to famine and social distress.

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

By highlighting extreme scarcity (no grain, fruit, or meat), it implicitly frames the king’s rajadharma: to prevent famine where possible, organize relief, protect dependents, and stabilize society when natural calamities strike.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu/temple-architecture or ritual procedure is stated; the verse’s focus is on drought-driven food scarcity, a context in which later prescriptions may recommend charities, rain-invoking rites, or public welfare measures.