Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

न गृहीतं ततस्ताभ्यां बहुसत्त्वावलम्बनात् अनङ्गवत्या च पुनस् तयोरन्नं चतुर्विधम् आनीय व्याहृतं चात्र भुज्यतामिति भूपते //

Transliteration

na gṛhītaṃ tatastābhyāṃ bahusattvāvalambanāt anaṅgavatyā ca punas tayorannaṃ caturvidham ānīya vyāhṛtaṃ cātra bhujyatāmiti bhūpate //

Translation

Therefore the two did not accept it, for it depended upon (the harm of) many living beings. Then Anaṅgavatī again brought four kinds of food for them and said, “O King, let it be eaten here.”

Word by Word

• na: not

• gṛhītam: accepted/taken

• tataḥ: therefore/then

• tābhyām: by those two (the pair)

• bahu-sattva: many living beings/creatures

• avalambanāt: depending on/relying upon

• anaṅgavatyā: by Anaṅgavatī (name of a woman)

• ca: and

• punaḥ: again

• tayoḥ: for those two/of the two

• annam: food

• catur-vidham: fourfold/of four kinds

• ānīya: having brought

• vyāhṛtam: said/uttered

• ca atra: and here

• bhujyatām: let it be eaten (imperative/passive)

• iti: thus

• bhūpate: O lord of the earth/O King.

Speaker

• Narrator addressing the King (bhūpate), within a didactic/episodic narration

Entities Mentioned

• Anaṅgavatī
• bhūpati (the King)

Tags

• Atithi-dharma
• Ahimsa
• Rajadharma
• Hospitality
• Food ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it emphasizes ethical discernment in daily life—especially refusing food connected with harm to many creatures.

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

It highlights atithi-dharma and ahiṃsā: a ruler/householder should offer guests suitable food, and the righteous may refuse offerings that depend on injury to many beings; the host should then provide acceptable alternatives.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual takeaway is ethical purity in offerings—food should be fit to eat and not grounded in widespread harm to living creatures.