Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

अथाभिदृष्टं महदम्बुजाढ्यं सरोवरं पङ्कपरीतरोधः पद्मान्यथादाय ततो बहूनि गतः पुरं वैदिशनामधेयम् //

Transliteration

athābhidṛṣṭaṃ mahadambujāḍhyaṃ sarovaraṃ paṅkaparītarodhaḥ padmānyathādāya tato bahūni gataḥ puraṃ vaidiśanāmadheyam //

Translation

Then he beheld a vast lake rich with great lotuses, its banks encircled by mire; and, gathering many lotus-flowers from there, he went on to the city known by the name Vaidiśa (Vidishā).

Word by Word

• atha: then

• abhidṛṣṭam: was seen/beheld

• mahat: great, vast

• ambuja: lotus (lit. ‘water-born’)

• āḍhyaṃ: abundant, rich

• sarovaram: lake

• paṅka: mud, mire

• parīta: surrounded

• rodhaḥ: bank, shore

• padmāni: lotuses

• atha-ādāya: then having taken/gathered

• tataḥ: from there

• bahūni: many

• gataḥ: went

• puram: city

• vaidiśa-nāmadheyam: bearing the name Vaidiśa (Vidishā).

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the action within the Matsya Purana narrative frame

Entities Mentioned

• Vaidiśa (Vidishā)
• Sarovara (lotus-lake)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Sacred Geography
• Pilgrimage
• Lotus
• Ancient Cities

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a travel/geography passage highlighting an auspicious lotus-filled lake and the onward journey to Vaidiśa (Vidishā).

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

By depicting the gathering of lotuses, it aligns with the householder/royal practice of collecting pure offerings (flowers) for worship, hospitality, and merit-making acts while traveling through sacred regions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, lotus-flowers are classic offerings in pūjā and tīrtha contexts; architecturally, the mention of a prominent sarovara near a city echoes the Puranic ideal of settlements supported by water bodies (useful for Vastu-oriented site planning).