Matsya Purana — Measures of Time: Caturyuga Computation, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

संहिताश्च तथा मन्त्रा ऋषिभिर् ब्रह्मणः सुतैः यज्ञः प्रवर्तितश्चैव तदा ह्येव तु दैवतैः //

Transliteration

saṃhitāśca tathā mantrā ṛṣibhir brahmaṇaḥ sutaiḥ yajñaḥ pravartitaścaiva tadā hyeva tu daivataiḥ //

Translation

Les Saṃhitā et les mantras furent pareillement établis par les ṛṣi, fils de Brahmā ; et, en ce même temps, les dieux eux-mêmes firent instituer dans la pratique le rite sacrificiel (yajña).

Word by Word

• saṃhitāḥ: Vedic collections/compendia

• ca: and

• tathā: likewise

• mantrāḥ: sacred formulas/mantras

• ṛṣibhiḥ: by the sages/seers

• brahmaṇaḥ: of Brahmā

• sutaiḥ: by the sons

• yajñaḥ: sacrifice/ritual offering

• pravartitaḥ: set in motion/initiated/established

• ca eva: and indeed

• tadā: then/at that time

• hi eva: surely/indeed at that very moment

• tu: also

• daivataiḥ: by the deities/gods

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahmā
• Ṛṣis (sons of Brahmā)
• Daivatas (gods)
• Yajña

Tags

• Vedic Revelation
• Mantras
• Yajña
• Creation
• Ritual Dharma

FAQs

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

It emphasizes restoration of cosmic and social order after upheaval: Vedic Saṃhitās, mantras, and yajña are (re)established through Brahmā’s line of ṛṣis with divine support—an indicator of dharma being re-founded after disorder such as pralaya.

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

By grounding authority in Veda and yajña, it implies that rulers and householders uphold dharma through sanctioned rites—supporting sacrificial ceremonies, patronizing learned ṛṣis, and maintaining the ritual economy that sustains society.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it asserts the divine-ṛṣi provenance of mantras and yajña, which are prerequisites for consecrations and temple rites; in Vāstu/temple practice, correct mantra and yajña procedure legitimizes construction rituals (adhiṣṭhāna, prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā) even if architecture is not named directly.