Shloka 30

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Names Across Yugas and the Gods’ Refuge During the Tārakāmaya War

Devanagari script

शीलार्थचारुगन्धाढ्यं सर्वलोकमहाद्रुमम् अव्यक्तानन्तसलिलं व्यक्ताहंकारफेनिलम् //

Transliteration

śīlārthacārugandhāḍhyaṃ sarvalokamahādrumam avyaktānantasalilaṃ vyaktāhaṃkāraphenilam //

Translation

Rich with virtue, purpose, and pleasing fragrance stands the great cosmic tree that bears all the worlds—set in the boundless waters of the Unmanifest, while the manifest ego-sense rises like foam upon it.

Word by Word

• शील (śīla): virtue, moral character

• अर्थ (artha): purpose, meaning, aim

• चारु (cāru): lovely, pleasing

• गन्ध (gandha): fragrance

• आढ्यम् (āḍhyam): abundant, rich in

• सर्व (sarva): all

• लोक (loka): worlds, realms

• महाद्रुमम् (mahā-drumam): great tree

• अव्यक्त (avyakta): the unmanifest (prakṛti/causal state)

• अनन्त (ananta): endless, infinite

• सलिलम् (salilam): waters, flood, ocean

• व्यक्त (vyakta): manifest

• अहंकार (ahaṃkāra): ego-principle, “I-maker”

• फेनिलम् (phenilam): foamy, froth-like

Speaker

• Suta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s cosmological teaching; framed as doctrine originating from Lord Matsya)

Entities Mentioned

• Avyakta (Unmanifest Prakriti)
• Ahamkara (Ego-principle)
• Sarvaloka (All worlds)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Cosmology
• Sankhya
• Metaphor
• Creation

FAQs

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

It depicts reality as rooted in the infinite “waters” of the Unmanifest (avyakta), with the manifest ego-principle (ahaṃkāra) appearing as transient foam—suggesting how manifest creation arises from, and can dissolve back into, the causal state.

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

By foregrounding śīla (virtue) and artha (right purpose), it implies that worldly roles—kingship or household life—should be grounded in moral character and meaningful aims, not in mere ego (ahaṃkāra), which is portrayed as unstable and froth-like.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule is stated; the imagery functions philosophically, yet it can inform ritual intent by urging practices that reduce ego and align the practitioner with the deeper, unmanifest ground of reality.