HomeMatsya PuranaAdh. 21Shloka 20
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Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — The Tale of Brahmadatta: Past-life Memory

*संनतिरुवाच अकस्मादतिहासस्ते किमर्थमभवन्नृप हास्यहेतुं न जानामि यदकाले कृतं त्वया //

*saṃnatiruvāca akasmādatihāsaste kimarthamabhavannṛpa hāsyahetuṃ na jānāmi yadakāle kṛtaṃ tvayā //

Saṃnati said: “O king, why did this sudden laughter arise in you? I do not know the cause of your mirth—especially since what you did was done at an improper time.”

संनतिः उवाचSaṃnati said
संनतिः उवाच:
interf. अकस्मात्suddenly, unexpectedly
interf. अकस्मात्:
इहhere/just now
इह:
हासःlaughter
हासः:
तेof you/in you
ते:
किमर्थम्for what reason, why
किमर्थम्:
अभवत्arose, happened
अभवत्:
नृपO king
नृप:
हास्य-हेतुम्the cause of laughter
हास्य-हेतुम्:
not
:
जानामिI know
जानामि:
यत्which/that
यत्:
अकालेat the wrong time, untimely
अकाले:
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
त्वयाby you.
त्वया:
Saṃnati
SaṃnatiNṛpa (the King)
RajadharmaNītiCourtly decorumEthicsDialogue

FAQs

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on human conduct—questioning sudden laughter and an action performed at an improper time.

It highlights the dharmic expectation of self-restraint and propriety: a king’s reactions (like laughter) and actions should be timely and appropriate, since public behavior sets the moral tone of the court and society.

No explicit Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the key takeaway is the principle of kāla (proper timing), which is also foundational in ritual performance even though architecture is not addressed here.