Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Yayāti and His Sons: The Exchange of Youth and Old Age

Devanagari script

*शौनक उवाच जरां प्राप्य ययातिस्तु स्वपुरं प्राप्य चैव हि पुत्रं ज्येष्ठं वरिष्ठं च यदुमित्यब्रवीद्द्विजः //

Transliteration

*śaunaka uvāca jarāṃ prāpya yayātistu svapuraṃ prāpya caiva hi putraṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ variṣṭhaṃ ca yadumityabravīddvijaḥ //

Translation

Śaunaka said: When Yayāti was overtaken by old age, he returned to his own city; and indeed he addressed his eldest and most eminent son, Yadu, O twice-born one.

Word by Word

• शौनकः: Śaunaka

• उवाच: said

• जराम्: old age

• प्राप्य: having attained/being overtaken by

• ययातिः: King Yayāti

• तु: indeed/then

• स्वपुरम्: his own city

• प्राप्य: having reached

• च एव हि: and indeed

• पुत्रम्: son

• ज्येष्ठम्: eldest

• वरिष्ठम्: most excellent/foremost

• च: and

• यदुम्: Yadu (proper name)

• इति: thus

• अब्रवीत्: spoke/addressed

• द्विजः: O twice-born (address to the interlocutor, i.e., a brāhmaṇa).

Speaker

• Śaunaka

Entities Mentioned

• Śaunaka
• Yayāti
• Yadu

Tags

• Dynasties
• Genealogy
• Succession
• Royal Dharma
• Itihasa-Puranic Narrative

FAQs

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

Nothing directly: this verse is part of a dynastic narrative about King Yayāti’s old age and succession, not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) passage.

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

It frames a key dharma theme: when a ruler is weakened by age, he turns to orderly succession—approaching the eldest and most capable heir—so governance continues without disorder.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned in this verse; it functions as a narrative transition into the Yayāti–Yadu succession episode.