Shloka 18

Matsya Purana — The Karmic Cause of Purūravas’ Beauty and Fortune

Devanagari script

व्यवसायद्वितीयस्तु पद्भ्यम् एव महायशाः द्रष्टुं स तीर्थसदनं विषयान्ते स्वके नदीम् //

Transliteration

vyavasāyadvitīyastu padbhyam eva mahāyaśāḥ draṣṭuṃ sa tīrthasadanaṃ viṣayānte svake nadīm //

Translation

Then the illustrious one, steadfast in resolve, set out on foot to behold that sacred ford (tīrtha) and shrine, situated at the edge of his own realm beside his own river.

Word by Word

• vyavasāya-dvitīyaḥ: steadfast/firm in resolve

• tu: then/indeed

• padbhyām eva: only on foot

• mahāyaśāḥ: the greatly renowned/illustrious one

• draṣṭum: to see/to behold

• saḥ: he

• tīrtha-sadanam: the abode/shrine of a tīrtha (sacred ford)

• viṣaya-ante: at the boundary/end of the realm/territory

• svake: in his own

• nadīm: river

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) in Purāṇic narration (contextual attribution for Matsya Purana pilgrimage/mahatmya passages)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Pilgrimage
• Sacred Geography
• Dharma
• River

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on a determined journey to a tīrtha (sacred ford/shrine) connected with a river and sacred geography.

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

It highlights dharmic conduct through tīrtha-darśana (visiting holy places), emphasizing personal effort and humility—going “on foot”—a model of self-discipline applicable to both rulers and householders.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key term is tīrtha-sadana—“shrine/abode of a tīrtha”—indicating a ritually significant sacred site, typically associated with river worship and pilgrimage rites rather than detailed temple-construction rules in this specific verse.