Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

कल्पादौ सप्तमं द्वीपं तस्य पुष्करवासिनः लोके च पूजितं यस्मात् पुष्करद्वीपमुच्यते //

Transliteration

kalpādau saptamaṃ dvīpaṃ tasya puṣkaravāsinaḥ loke ca pūjitaṃ yasmāt puṣkaradvīpamucyate //

Translation

At the beginning of the aeon (kalpa), the seventh continent came into being. Its inhabitants are the Puṣkaravāsins; and because it is revered in the world, it is called Puṣkara-dvīpa (the Continent of Puṣkara).

Word by Word

• कल्पादौ (kalpādau): at the beginning of the kalpa/aeon

• सप्तमम् (saptamam): the seventh

• द्वीपम् (dvīpam): continent/island (one of the cosmic dvīpas)

• तस्य (tasya): of it/therein

• पुष्करवासिनः (puṣkaravāsinaḥ): the dwellers of Puṣkara (inhabitants named Puṣkaravāsins)

• लोके (loke): in the world/among people

• च (ca): and

• पूजितम् (pūjitam): honored, worshipped, revered

• यस्मात् (yasmāt): because/for the reason that

• पुष्करद्वीपम् (puṣkaradvīpam): Puṣkara-dvīpa, the continent named Puṣkara

• उच्यते (ucyate): is called/is said to be

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual default for this cosmographic narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Puṣkara-dvīpa
• Kalpa
• Puṣkaravāsins

Tags

• Cosmography
• Sacred Geography
• Dvipa System
• Puranic World Map
• Matsya Purana

FAQs

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

It situates Puṣkara-dvīpa within kalpa-time (the beginning of an aeon), emphasizing cosmic ordering rather than describing a pralaya event.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ideal that rulers and householders should honor sacred places and uphold reverence for divinely ordered geography—cultivating dharma through respect for what is “pūjita” (venerated).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple rule appears here; the key ritual takeaway is the notion of a region being “pūjita” (worthy of worship), which underlies pilgrimage, place-sanctity, and site selection in later ritual practice.