Shloka 18

Matsya Purana — The Sun-Vow

Devanagari script

धर्मसंक्षयमवाप्य भूपतिः शोकदुःखभयरोगवर्जितः द्वीपसप्तकपतिः पुनः पुनर् वर्ममूर्तिर् अमितौजसा युतः //

Transliteration

dharmasaṃkṣayamavāpya bhūpatiḥ śokaduḥkhabhayarogavarjitaḥ dvīpasaptakapatiḥ punaḥ punar varmamūrtir amitaujasā yutaḥ //

Translation

Having attained the full consummation of dharma, the king becomes free from grief, suffering, fear, and disease. Again and again he becomes the lord of the seven continents, endowed with immeasurable splendor and embodied as the very form of protective armor (varma).

Word by Word

• धर्मसंक्षयम् (dharmasaṃkṣayam): the full accumulation/consummation of dharma

• अवाप्य (avāpya): having attained

• भूपतिः (bhūpatiḥ): the king, lord of the earth

• शोक (śoka): grief

• दुःख (duḥkha): suffering

• भय (bhaya): fear

• रोग (roga): disease

• वर्जितः (varjitaḥ): devoid of, free from

• द्वीप (dvīpa): continent/island (cosmic division)

• सप्तक (saptaka): group of seven

• पतिः (patiḥ): lord

• पुनः पुनः (punaḥ punaḥ): again and again, repeatedly

• वर्म (varma): armor, protection

• मूर्तिः (mūrtiḥ): embodied form

• अमित (amita): immeasurable

• ओजसा (ojasā): with vigor/splendor/power

• युतः (yutaḥ): endowed with, joined with

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for Matsya Purana’s core dialogue frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhupati (the ideal king)
• Dvipa-saptaka (the seven continents of Puranic cosmography)
• Dharma

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Dharma
• Kingship
• Puranic Cosmography
• Phalaśruti

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; instead it presents a karmic-ethical result: through perfected dharma, a ruler gains well-being and repeated sovereignty across the Puranic world-order (the seven dvīpas).

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

It frames dharma as the foundation of rulership: when a king upholds dharma fully, he gains inner and outer stability—freedom from grief, fear, and illness—along with legitimate sovereignty. By extension, householders also learn that disciplined dharma yields protection and flourishing.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the key takeaway is the ‘protective’ motif (varma-mūrti), implying that dharma itself functions like spiritual armor—an idea often ritually reinforced through vows, gifts, and protective rites.