Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — Yayāti’s Fall

Devanagari script

*ययातिरुवाच नास्मद्विधो ऽब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मविच्च प्रतिग्रहे वर्तते राजमुख्य यथा प्रदेयं सततं द्विजेभ्यस् तदा ददे पूर्वम् अहं नरेन्द्र //

Transliteration

*yayātiruvāca nāsmadvidho 'brāhmaṇo brahmavicca pratigrahe vartate rājamukhya yathā pradeyaṃ satataṃ dvijebhyas tadā dade pūrvam ahaṃ narendra //

Translation

Yayāti said: “O foremost of kings, a person like me is not a non-Brahmin; indeed, he is a knower of Brahman. Yet I do not live by accepting gifts. Whatever is to be given continually to the twice-born (dvija), O king, I gave that earlier.”

Word by Word

• ययातिः उवाच: Yayāti said

• न: not

• अस्मद्विधः: one like me

• अब्राह्मणः: a non-Brahmin / outside Brahminical conduct

• ब्रह्मवित्: knower of Brahman

• च: and

• प्रतिग्रहे: in accepting gifts / in the act of receiving donations

• वर्तते: lives, subsists, engages

• राजमुख्य: O chief among kings

• यथा: whatever / as

• प्रदेयम्: should be given, is fit to be given

• सततम्: always, continually

• द्विजेभ्यः: to the twice-born (Brahmins and other initiated classes)

• तदा: then/at that time

• ददौ: gave

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier

• अहम्: I

• नरेन्द्र: O lord of men, king.

Speaker

• King Yayāti

Entities Mentioned

• Yayāti
• Dvījas (the twice-born)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Dana
• Brahmavidya
• Ethics
• Genealogy

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on ethical conduct—specifically the restraint from living by gift-taking and the duty of continual giving to dvijas.

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

It frames dana (charitable giving) as a continual royal/householder obligation while warning against dependence on pratigraha (living by accepting gifts), presenting self-restraint and generosity as marks of dharmic leadership.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual-ethical takeaway is the prioritization of prescribed gifting to dvijas and the avoidance of improper livelihood through receiving donations.