Shloka 4

Matsya Purana — The Madana-Dvādaśī Vow and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

तदा दितिर् दैत्यमाता ऋषिरूपेण सुव्रता फलाहारा तपस् तेपे कृच्छ्रं चान्द्रायणादिकम् //

Transliteration

tadā ditir daityamātā ṛṣirūpeṇa suvratā phalāhārā tapas tepe kṛcchraṃ cāndrāyaṇādikam //

Translation

Then Diti—the mother of the Daityas—steadfast in her vows, assumed the manner of a sage. Living on fruits, she performed austerities, observing severe disciplines such as the Kṛcchra penance and rites like the Cāndrāyaṇa.

Word by Word

• tadā: then

• ditiḥ: Diti

• daityamātā: mother of the Daityas

• ṛṣi-rūpeṇa: in the form/role of a sage

• su-vratā: of good vows, steadfastly vowed

• phala-āhārā: subsisting on fruits

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance

• tepe: performed/undertook

• kṛcchram: the Kṛcchra penance (a severe expiatory observance)

• cāndrāyaṇa-ādikam: the Cāndrāyaṇa observance and similar rites

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Purāṇic narration (Matsya Purana frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Diti
• Daityas
• Rishi (sage-mode)
• Kṛcchra
• Cāndrāyaṇa

Tags

• Tapas
• Vrata
• Penance
• Daityas
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it highlights tapas (austerity) and expiatory vows as a spiritual force shaping lineage and destiny in the Purāṇic worldview.

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

It underscores disciplined observance (vrata), restraint in diet, and recognized penances (like Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa) as dharmic tools for purification—principles that also guide householders and rulers in self-governance and ethical repair.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: it names formal penances—Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa—well-known in Dharmaśāstra/Purāṇic practice as structured rites of austerity and expiation.