Shloka 22
Matsya Purana — Yuga Durations
गन्धर्वाणामप्सरसां भुजंगानां च पार्थिव पर्वतानां नदीनां च पशूनां चैव सत्तम तिर्यग्योनिगतानां च सत्त्वानां कृमिणां तथा //
gandharvāṇāmapsarasāṃ bhujaṃgānāṃ ca pārthiva parvatānāṃ nadīnāṃ ca paśūnāṃ caiva sattama tiryagyonigatānāṃ ca sattvānāṃ kṛmiṇāṃ tathā //
“Of the Gandharvas and Apsarases, of the serpents too, O best of kings; of the mountains and rivers upon the earth; and of beasts as well—indeed, of all creatures belonging to the animal realm, including worms likewise.”
FAQs
This verse functions as a catalog of created orders—celestial beings, serpents, and earthly forms like mountains, rivers, animals, and worms—indicating the Purana’s concern with the full spectrum of manifested life rather than describing Pralaya directly.
By addressing the listener as “O best of kings,” the text frames governance as stewardship over all realms of life—humans, animals, and even natural features like rivers and mountains—supporting a dharmic ideal of protection and non-harm toward all beings.
No explicit Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the significance is contextual—temple/ritual systems in the Matsya Purana often presume such cosmic classifications when prescribing offerings, protections, and auspicious alignments for different beings and realms.