Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

ततो गतेषु देवेषु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः निशां सस्मार भगवान् स्वतनोः पूर्वसंभवाम् //

Transliteration

tato gateṣu deveṣu brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ niśāṃ sasmāra bhagavān svatanoḥ pūrvasaṃbhavām //

Translation

Puis, lorsque les dieux se furent retirés, Brahmā, le Pitāmaha, aïeul et père des mondes, se remémora la Nuit cosmique et, avec elle, l’ancienne manifestation née de son propre corps.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• gateṣu: having gone/departed

• deveṣu: when the gods

• brahmā: Brahmā

• loka-pitāmahaḥ: grandsire (pitāmaha) of the worlds

• niśām: the Night (cosmic night)

• sasmāra: remembered/recollected

• bhagavān: the revered lord

• sva-tanoḥ: from his own body

• pūrva-saṃbhavām: the earlier arising/origin/manifestation

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) / narrative voice describing Brahmā

Entities Mentioned

• Brahmā
• Devas

Tags

• Sarga
• Pratisarga
• CosmicNight
• Brahma
• CreationCycle

FAQs

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

It points to cyclical cosmology: after divine activity subsides, Brahmā recalls the ‘cosmic night’ and prior emanations, implying recurring phases of manifestation and withdrawal (pratisarga/pralaya-like rhythm).

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic of periodic reflection and restraint: just as cosmic activity has its ‘night,’ rulers and householders are urged to observe disciplined pauses (self-review, austerity, ritual regularity) within worldly action.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple rule is stated; the ritual takeaway is the emphasis on cosmic time (night/day cycles) that underlies calendrical planning for rites—an idea often used when aligning sacrifices, vows, and consecrations with auspicious temporal divisions.