Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — The Rite of the Vibhūti-Dvādaśī Vow

Devanagari script

जन्मनां शतसाहस्रं न शोकफलभाग्भवेत् न च व्याधिर्भवेत्तस्य न दारिद्र्यं न बन्धनम् वैष्णवो वाथ शैवो वा भवेज्जन्मनि जन्मनि //

Transliteration

janmanāṃ śatasāhasraṃ na śokaphalabhāgbhavet na ca vyādhirbhavettasya na dāridryaṃ na bandhanam vaiṣṇavo vātha śaivo vā bhavejjanmani janmani //

Translation

For a hundred thousand births, one does not partake of the fruits of sorrow. Nor does disease befall that person—nor poverty, nor bondage. And in birth after birth, one becomes devoted either to Viṣṇu or to Śiva.

Word by Word

• जन्मनां (janmanām): of births

• शतसाहस्रं (śata-sāhasram): a hundred thousand

• न (na): not

• शोकफलभाग् (śoka-phala-bhāg): a sharer/recipient of the fruit of sorrow

• भवेत् (bhavet): would become

• न च (na ca): and not

• व्याधिः (vyādhiḥ): disease

• भवेत् (bhavet): would occur

• तस्य (tasya): for him/that person

• न (na): not

• दारिद्र्यं (dāridryam): poverty

• न (na): not

• बन्धनम् (bandhanam): bondage/imprisonment

• वैष्णवः (vaiṣṇavaḥ): a devotee of Viṣṇu

• वा (vā): or

• अथ (atha): then/indeed

• शैवः (śaivaḥ): a devotee of Śiva

• वा (vā): or

• भवेत् (bhavet): becomes

• जन्मनि जन्मनि (janmani janmani): in each birth, birth after birth

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this discourse section)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Shiva

Tags

• Dharma
• Bhakti
• Vrata-Phala
• Karma
• Freedom from Sorrow

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it teaches karmic results (phala) of devotion—freedom from sorrow, illness, poverty, and bondage across many births.

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

It frames bhakti and dharmic observance as protective merit: a householder or king who upholds devotion and righteous conduct is promised relief from social and bodily afflictions (disease, poverty, imprisonment), reinforcing ethical living as practical as well as spiritual.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the ritual takeaway is the phala of sustained devotion—becoming consistently aligned with Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva worship in successive births.