Shloka 5

Matsya Purana — Yayati and Indra: Counsel on Forbearance and Right Speech

Devanagari script

*ययातिरुवाच प्रकृत्यनुमते पूरुं राज्ये कृत्वेदमब्रुवम् गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये कृत्स्नो ऽयं विषयस्तव मध्ये पृथिव्यास्त्वं राजा भ्रातरो ऽन्ते ऽधिपास्तव //

Transliteration

*yayātiruvāca prakṛtyanumate pūruṃ rājye kṛtvedamabruvam gaṅgāyamunayormadhye kṛtsno 'yaṃ viṣayastava madhye pṛthivyāstvaṃ rājā bhrātaro 'nte 'dhipāstava //

Translation

Yayāti said: “With the consent of my ministers and counselors, I installed Pūru in sovereignty and declared this: ‘The entire realm lying between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā is yours. You shall be king in the central region of the earth; your brothers shall rule as subordinate lords on the frontiers.’”}]}}

Word by Word

• ययातिः (Yayāti): King Yayāti

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• प्रकृत्यनुमते (prakṛty-anumate): with the approval/consent of the ministers and leading men of the state

• पूरुम् (pūrum): Pūru

• राज्ये (rājye): in kingship/sovereignty

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā): having installed/made

• इदम् (idam): this

• अब्रुवम् (abruvam): I said/declared

• गङ्गायमुनयोः (gaṅgā-yamunayor): of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā

• मध्ये (madhye): between/in the middle

• कृत्स्नः (kṛtsnaḥ): entire/whole

• अयम् (ayam): this

• विषयः (viṣayaḥ): territory/realm

• तव (tava): yours

• पृथिव्याः (pṛthivyāḥ): of the earth

• मध्ये (madhye): in the central region

• त्वम् (tvam): you

• राजा (rājā): king

• भ्रातरः (bhrātaraḥ): brothers

• अन्ते (ante): at the ends/frontiers

• अधिपाः (adhipāḥ): rulers/lords

• तव (tava): your (under your authority)

Speaker

• King Yayāti

Entities Mentioned

• Yayāti
• Pūru
• Gaṅgā
• Yamunā

Tags

• Dynasties
• Ancient Indian genealogy
• Kingship
• Rajadharma
• Territorial division

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on political succession and the territorial settlement made by King Yayāti, indicating the Purāṇa’s genealogical-historical strand rather than cosmology.

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

It reflects rājadharma: a king should appoint a capable heir through counsel (prakṛti—ministers/state elders), define boundaries clearly, and maintain stability by placing relatives as frontier rulers under a central sovereign.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated directly; the key takeaway is administrative geography—central kingship with frontier governance—often relevant to how Purāṇas frame orderly settlement and realm management.