Shloka 26

Matsya Purana — The Pushkara Manifestation

Devanagari script

विश्वेशं प्रथमं तावन् महातापसमात्मजम् सर्वमन्त्रहितं पुण्यं नाम्ना धर्मं स सृष्टवान् //

Transliteration

viśveśaṃ prathamaṃ tāvan mahātāpasamātmajam sarvamantrahitaṃ puṇyaṃ nāmnā dharmaṃ sa sṛṣṭavān //

Translation

First of all, he created Viśveśa—his own son, a great ascetic—holy and auspicious, endowed with the essence of all sacred mantras, and named him Dharma.

Word by Word

• विश्वेशम् (viśveśam): Viśveśa (lord of all / a proper name)

• प्रथमम् (prathamam): first, foremost

• तावन् (tāvan): then, at that time / indeed

• महातापसम् (mahātāpasam): great ascetic, one of intense austerity

• आत्मजम् (ātmajam): own son, born of oneself

• सर्वमन्त्रहितम् (sarva-mantra-hitam): containing/benefiting from all mantras, endowed with all mantra-essence

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam): holy, meritorious, auspicious

• नाम्ना (nāmnā): by name, named as

• धर्मम् (dharmam): Dharma (righteousness / cosmic law, also a personified being)

• स (sa): he

• सृष्टवान् (sṛṣṭavān): created, brought forth.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) to Vaivasvata Manu (likely narrative frame within Matsya Purana dialogues)

Entities Mentioned

• Viśveśa
• Dharma

Tags

• Dharma
• Creation (Sarga)
• Mantra
• Asceticism (Tapas)
• Puranic genealogy

FAQs

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

It speaks to creation (sarga), not dissolution: Dharma is presented as a deliberately created, mantra-endowed principle/person, establishing cosmic-ethical order after or alongside primordial creation.

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

By portraying Dharma as primary and sacred (puṇya) and grounded in mantric authority, the verse implies that royal governance and household life must be aligned with Dharma as the first principle—law, duty, and right conduct take precedence.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

While not architectural, it is ritually significant: Dharma is described as “endowed with all mantras,” indicating that correct ritual practice (mantra-based rites) is inseparable from Dharma in Matsya Purana’s framework.