Shloka 3

Matsya Purana — Yayati’s Fall from Heaven and the Greatness of the Righteous

Devanagari script

*इन्द्र उवाच यदावमंस्थाः सदृशः श्रेयसश्च पापीयसश् चाविदितप्रभावः तस्माल्लोका ह्य् अन्तवन्तस्तवेमे क्षीणे पुण्ये पतितो ऽस्यद्य राजन् //

Transliteration

*indra uvāca yadāvamaṃsthāḥ sadṛśaḥ śreyasaśca pāpīyasaś cāviditaprabhāvaḥ tasmāllokā hy antavantastaveme kṣīṇe puṇye patito 'syadya rājan //

Translation

Indra said: Since you have judged as equal what is truly better and what is worse, not discerning their real power, therefore these worlds of yours are indeed finite; when your merit was exhausted, you have fallen today, O king.

Word by Word

• इन्द्र (indra): Indra

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• यदा (yadā): since/when

• अवमंस्थाः (avamaṃsthāḥ): you have slighted/treated with contempt/undervalued

• सदृशः (sadṛśaḥ): as equal/alike

• श्रेयसः (śreyasaḥ): the better, the auspicious, the superior good

• च (ca): and

• पापीयसः (pāpīyasaḥ): the worse, more sinful, inferior

• च (ca): and

• अविदित-प्रभावः (avidita-prabhāvaḥ): not knowing the true efficacy/power (of dharma vs adharma)

• तस्मात् (tasmāt): therefore

• लोकाः (lokāḥ): worlds/realms

• हि (hi): indeed

• अन्तवन्तः (antavantaḥ): having an end, perishable

• तव (tava): your

• इमे (ime): these

• क्षीणे (kṣīṇe): when exhausted

• पुण्ये (puṇye): merit

• पतितः (patitaḥ): fallen

• असि (asi): you are

• अद्य (adya): today/now

• राजन् (rājan): O king.

Speaker

• Indra

Entities Mentioned

• Indra

Tags

• Punya
• Svarga
• Karma
• Dharma
• Kingship

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya; it teaches a moral-cosmic principle that even heavenly worlds are finite and end when a being’s accumulated merit (puṇya) is exhausted.

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

It warns a ruler to discriminate between śreyas (true good rooted in dharma) and what is pāpīyas (worse/adharmic); confusing them leads to loss of spiritual “capital” and inevitable downfall—so right judgment and dharmic governance are essential.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-ritual rule is stated directly; the ritual takeaway is ethical: sacrifices and gifts yield results only as long as their puṇya remains, so rites must be grounded in dharma and right discernment.