Matsya Purana — Purūravas Beholds the Divine Himalayan River, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

शक्रेभगण्डसलिलैर् देवस्त्रीकुचचन्दनैः संयुतं सलिलं तस्याः षट्पदैर् उपसेव्यते //

Transliteration

śakrebhagaṇḍasalilair devastrīkucacandanaiḥ saṃyutaṃ salilaṃ tasyāḥ ṣaṭpadair upasevyate //

Translation

Ses eaux—mêlées au suc de rut de l’éléphant d’Indra et à la pâte de santal des seins des femmes célestes—sont approchées et bues par des essaims d’abeilles.

Word by Word

• śakra: Indra

• ibha: elephant

• gaṇḍa: cheek/temple (of an elephant)

• salilaiḥ: with waters/with liquids

• deva-strī: celestial woman/apsaras

• kuca: breast

• candanaiḥ: with sandal-paste/sandal unguent

• saṃyutam: united with/mingled with

• salilam: water

• tasyāḥ: of her/of that (sacred site/river/pond)

• ṣaṭpadaiḥ: by bees (lit. ‘six-footed ones’)

• upasevyate: is frequented/served/partaken of.

Speaker

• Suta (Purana-narrator) describing the tirtha’s excellence in a laudatory style

Entities Mentioned

• Shakra (Indra)
• Indra’s elephant (Airavata implied)
• Deva-stri (Apsaras/celestial women)
• Shatpada (bees)

Tags

• Tirtha Mahatmya
• Sacred Waters
• Poetic Imagery
• Ritual Purity
• Divine Ecology

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya; it is a tirtha-mahātmya style praise of sacred waters, using divine imagery to signal extraordinary purity and sanctity.

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

Indirectly, it supports the householder ideal of pilgrimage and ritual bathing: honoring holy places, maintaining purity, and supporting dharmic travel and worship are implied duties in Purāṇic ethics.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it emphasizes the sanctity of the water-body (tīrtha) as fit for bathing and worship; the ‘sandal’ motif also echoes customary temple/puja practice of anointing with candana.