Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — Yadu Lineage

Devanagari script

नष्टे धर्मे तथा जज्ञे विष्णुर्वृष्णिकुले प्रभुः कर्तुं धर्मस्य संस्थानम् असुराणां प्रणाशनम् //

Transliteration

naṣṭe dharme tathā jajñe viṣṇurvṛṣṇikule prabhuḥ kartuṃ dharmasya saṃsthānam asurāṇāṃ praṇāśanam //

Translation

When dharma had declined, the Lord Vishnu was born in the Vrishni lineage, in order to re-establish righteousness and to bring about the destruction of the asuras.

Word by Word

• नष्टे (naṣṭe): when destroyed/when lost

• धर्मे (dharme): dharma, righteousness, sacred order

• तथा (tathā): then/indeed

• जज्ञे (jajñe): was born, came into manifestation

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Vishnu

• वृष्णिकुले (vṛṣṇikule): in the Vrishni clan/lineage

• प्रभुः (prabhuḥ): the Lord, sovereign

• कर्तुं (kartuṃ): to do, to accomplish

• धर्मस्य (dharmasya): of dharma

• संस्थानम् (saṃsthānam): establishment, restoration, firm re-setting

• असुराणाम् (asurāṇām): of the asuras (anti-god/demonic forces)

• प्रणाशनम् (praṇāśanam): destruction, annihilation

Speaker

• Suta (Pauranic narrator) describing Vishnu’s purpose in incarnating

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Vrishni lineage
• Asuras
• Dharma

Tags

• Dharma
• Avatara
• Krishna-Vrishni
• Asura-nigraha
• Puranic theology

FAQs

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

It does not describe pralaya directly; it presents a recurring Puranic principle that when cosmic order (dharma) collapses, Vishnu manifests to restore stability and remove destructive forces.

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

By framing dharma as something that can decline and must be re-established, the verse supports the Matsya Purana’s broader ethic that rulers and householders should protect social-religious order—restraining harmful forces and upholding righteous conduct in their spheres.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu or temple-ritual rule appears in this verse; its ritual takeaway is theological—dharma-restoration is the aim of worship and observance, aligning practice with the protection of sacred order.