Shloka 45

Matsya Purana — The Rite and Glory of Meru-Dāna: The Tenfold ‘Gift of Meru’ and Mountain-Offe...

Devanagari script

अप्सरोगणगन्धर्वैर् आकीर्णेन विराजता विमानेन दिवः पृष्ठम् आयाति स्म निषेवित धर्मक्षये राजराज्यम् आप्नोतीह न संशयः //

Transliteration

apsarogaṇagandharvair ākīrṇena virājatā vimānena divaḥ pṛṣṭham āyāti sma niṣevita dharmakṣaye rājarājyam āpnotīha na saṃśayaḥ //

Translation

Adorned with a radiant celestial chariot, crowded with hosts of Apsarases and Gandharvas, he reaches the heights of heaven. And when that merit of dharma is exhausted, he attains sovereign kingship on earth—of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• अप्सरोगण (apsarogaṇa): groups of Apsarases (celestial nymphs)

• गन्धर्वैः (gandharvaiḥ): by/with Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

• आकीर्णेन (ākīrṇena): filled, crowded

• विराजता (virājatā): shining, resplendent

• विमानेन (vimānena): by a vimāna (celestial chariot/air-car)

• दिवः (divaḥ): of heaven

• पृष्ठम् (pṛṣṭham): surface, back, upper region (heavenly heights)

• आयाति स्म (āyāti sma): he goes/attains (narrative past)

• निषेवित (niṣevita): enjoyed, experienced, resorted to

• धर्मक्षये (dharmakṣaye): upon the exhaustion of dharma/merit

• राजराज्यम् (rājarājyam): royal sovereignty, kingship

• आप्नोति (āpnoti): attains, obtains

• इह (iha): here (in this world)

• न संशयः (na saṃśayaḥ): no doubt.

Speaker

• Suta (narratorial voice) conveying Matsya Purana’s phalaśruti-style promise of merit

Entities Mentioned

• Apsarases
• Gandharvas
• Vimāna
• Svarga (Heaven)
• Rājarājya (Sovereign Kingship)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Karma-Phala
• Svarga
• Merit
• Kingship

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches karmic results: merit leads to heavenly enjoyment, and after that merit is spent one returns to earthly life with the fruit of royal sovereignty.

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

It frames dharma as an investable moral force: by practicing righteous conduct (and allied duties such as generosity, protection, and ritual obligations), one gains svarga first and later a high birth and kingship—encouraging rulers/householders to uphold dharma for both spiritual and worldly stability.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated here; the only “technical” imagery is the vimāna as a heavenly vehicle, used to describe the prestige of svarga attained through dharma.