Shloka 2

Matsya Purana — The Observance of Ananta-Tritiya

Devanagari script

*मत्स्य उवाच यदुमायाः पुरा देव उवाच पुरसूदनः कैलासशिखरासीनो देव्या पृष्टस्तदा किल //

Transliteration

*matsya uvāca yadumāyāḥ purā deva uvāca purasūdanaḥ kailāsaśikharāsīno devyā pṛṣṭastadā kila //

Translation

Lord Matsya said: “Formerly, in response to Umā, the Lord—Purasūdana, the slayer of the demon Pura—spoke while seated upon the peak of Kailāsa, when the Goddess questioned him then indeed.”

Word by Word

मत्स्य उवाचMatsya said

यत्that/which

उमायाःof Umā (Pārvatī)

पुराformerly

देवःthe Lord (God)

उवाचspoke/said

पुरसूदनःPurasūdana (epithet of Śiva as slayer of Pura / also used as a divine epithet meaning ‘slayer of demon Pura’)

कैलास-शिखर-आसीनःseated on the summit of Kailāsa

देव्याby the Goddess

पृष्टःasked/questioned

तदाthen

किलindeed/truly (emphatic particle).

Speaker

Lord Matsya

Entities Mentioned

MatsyaUmā (Pārvatī)DevīKailāsaPurasūdana

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly describe Pralaya; it functions as a narrative preface, introducing a prior divine discourse prompted by Umā’s question on Kailāsa.

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

Indirectly, it signals that the forthcoming teaching is authoritative (spoken by the Lord in response to a formal inquiry). In the Matsya Purana, such framed dialogues often precede dharma-guidance meant to be applied by rulers and householders.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule appears in this line; it sets the setting (Kailāsa) and the question-and-answer format that commonly introduces later ritual or doctrinal instructions.