Matsya Purana — Description of Atri’s Hermitage: Sacred Grove Planning, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

शूकपत्त्रनिभैश्चान्यैः स्थलपत्त्रैश्च भागशः पञ्चवर्णैः समाकीर्णैर् बहुवर्णैस्तथैव च //

Transliteration

śūkapattranibhaiścānyaiḥ sthalapattraiśca bhāgaśaḥ pañcavarṇaiḥ samākīrṇair bahuvarṇaistathaiva ca //

Translation

Et dans d’autres parties, avec des motifs de feuilles semblables à des épis de grain, et des dessins de feuilles au sol répartis section par section—mêlés de cinq couleurs, et pareillement rendus en de multiples couleurs.

Word by Word

• śūka: an ear of grain

• pattra: leaf/petal/foliage motif

• nibhaiḥ: resembling/like

• ca: and

• anyaiḥ: with other (motifs)

• sthala: ground/surface/plane

• pattraiḥ: with leaf designs

• ca: and

• bhāgaśaḥ: by portions/section-wise

• pañca-varṇaiḥ: with five colors

• samākīrṇaiḥ: mixed/interspersed

• bahu-varṇaiḥ: with many colors/variegated

• tathā eva: likewise/also

• ca: and

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Manu

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Temple ornamentation
• Iconography
• Architectural color schemes
• Prasada-lakshana

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it focuses on Vastu/architectural aesthetics—how surfaces are decorated with leaf and grain-ear-like motifs using five and multiple colors.

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

It supports the duty of patrons (kings/householders) to sponsor and maintain sacred buildings properly—ensuring orderly, section-wise decoration and harmonious color planning as part of dharmic temple construction.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It prescribes decorative schemes for temple or sacred structures: foliage motifs (pattra) arranged by sections (bhāgaśaḥ) and executed in pañcavarṇa (five-color) and bahuvarṇa (multicolor) patterns—key for traditional Vastu-aligned visual sanctity.