Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

विनष्टाशेषपापस्य तव पुष्करमन्दिरम् तस्य सत्त्वस्य माहात्म्याद् अल्पेन तपसा नृप //

Transliteration

vinaṣṭāśeṣapāpasya tava puṣkaramandiram tasya sattvasya māhātmyād alpena tapasā nṛpa //

Translation

O King, by the greatness of that sacred presence, your Puṣkara shrine becomes the means by which all sins are utterly destroyed—even through only a little austerity (tapas).

Word by Word

• vinaṣṭa-aśeṣa-pāpasya: of one whose sins without remainder are destroyed

• tava: your

• puṣkara-mandiram: the temple/shrine at Puṣkara

• tasya: of that

• sattvasya: sacred being/presence (purifying spiritual potency)

• māhātmyāt: due to the greatness/glory

• alpena: by a small measure

• tapasā: through austerity/penance

• nṛpa: O king

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing a king (nṛpa), within the Matsya Purana’s pilgrimage discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Pushkara

Tags

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Pilgrimage
• Punya
• Temple Worship
• Penance

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it teaches the purificatory power (māhātmya) of a tirtha/temple—sins are said to be destroyed through even minor tapas when connected to a highly sanctified sacred site.

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

It frames a king’s (and householder’s) dharma as supporting and approaching sacred institutions—undertaking disciplined tapas and temple/tirtha worship—so that personal and societal purity (removal of pāpa) is strengthened through righteous practice.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The emphasis is ritual rather than technical architecture: a ‘Puṣkara-mandira’ (shrine/temple at Pushkara) is presented as a powerful locus where even limited austerity and devotional observance yields major purificatory results.