Shloka 2
Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Names Across Yugas and the Gods’ Refuge During the Tārakāmaya War
ईश्वरस्य हि तस्यैषा कर्मणां गहना गतिः संप्रत्यतीतान्भव्यांश्च शृणु राजन्यथातथम् //
īśvarasya hi tasyaiṣā karmaṇāṃ gahanā gatiḥ saṃpratyatītānbhavyāṃśca śṛṇu rājanyathātatham //
For that Lord, the course of actions (karma) is indeed profound and hard to fathom. Now listen, O King, as I relate—just as it truly is—what has occurred in the past and what is yet to come.
FAQs
It does not describe Pralaya directly; it frames the narrative by stating that the Lord’s governance of karma is inscrutable and that a truthful account of past and future events will follow—often the setup for major cosmic episodes such as deluge narratives.
By addressing the listener as “O King,” it positions royal duty within a moral universe where karmic results unfold under divine order; a ruler is urged to hear and understand history and consequence so governance aligns with dharma rather than mere expediency.
No Vastu, iconographic, or ritual rule is stated in this verse; it functions as a thematic preface to instruction, emphasizing accurate transmission (“as it truly is”)—a key Purana-style method before technical sections.