Shloka 20
Matsya Purana — Yayāti and the Kings’ Dialogue on Heavenly Worlds
दानं शौचं सत्यमथो ह्य् अहिंसा ह्रीः श्रीस्तितिक्षा समतानृशंस्यम् राजन्त्येतान्यथ सर्वाणि राज्ञि शिबौ स्थितान्यप्रतिमे सुबुद्ध्या एवं वृत्तं ह्रीनिषेवी बिभर्ति तस्माच्छिबिर् अभिगन्ता रथेन //
dānaṃ śaucaṃ satyamatho hy ahiṃsā hrīḥ śrīstitikṣā samatānṛśaṃsyam rājantyetānyatha sarvāṇi rājñi śibau sthitānyapratime subuddhyā evaṃ vṛttaṃ hrīniṣevī bibharti tasmācchibir abhigantā rathena //
Charity, purity, truthfulness, and indeed non-violence; modesty, prosperity, forbearance, even-mindedness, and compassion—these and all such virtues shone forth in King Śibi, peerless and wise. Living by such conduct, devoted to modesty, he upheld these qualities; therefore one should go to Śibi as an exemplar, even by chariot—that is, with earnest effort.
FAQs
This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on rajadharma—ethical virtues that should be firmly established in a ruler, exemplified by King Śibi.
It lists core dharmic disciplines—charity, purity, truth, non-violence, modesty, patience, equanimity, and compassion—as the defining traits of an ideal king; by extension, householders are also encouraged to cultivate these as foundational moral practices.
No vastu/temple-architecture rule is stated here; the significance is ethical and exemplary—presenting Śibi as a model whose conduct should be ‘approached’ with deliberate effort.