Matsya Purana — Yayāti in Amarāvatī-like Splendor: Devayānī Installed, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

*ययातिरुवाच राजा प्रमाणं भूतानां स विनश्येन्मृषा वदन् अर्थकृच्छ्रमपि प्राप्य न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे //

Transliteration

*yayātiruvāca rājā pramāṇaṃ bhūtānāṃ sa vinaśyenmṛṣā vadan arthakṛcchramapi prāpya na mithyā kartumutsahe //

Translation

Yayāti dit : «Le roi est la mesure des êtres ; s’il profère le mensonge, il court à sa perte. Même pressé par la détresse des biens, je ne consens pas à agir dans la fausseté.»

Word by Word

• yayātiḥ uvāca: Yayāti said

• rājā: the king

• pramāṇam: the measure/standard/authority

• bhūtānām: of living beings/creatures

• saḥ: he (that king)

• vinaśyet: would perish/be destroyed

• mṛṣā: falsely/untruth

• vadan: speaking

• arthakṛcchram: hardship in wealth/financial distress

• api: even

• prāpya: having attained/encountering

• na: not

• mithyā: falsehood

• kartum: to do/commit

• utsahe: I am willing/I consent/I find it acceptable

Speaker

• King Yayati

Entities Mentioned

• Yayati
• Raja (the King)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Kingship
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it teaches Rajadharma—how a king’s truthfulness sustains social order, making him a ‘standard’ (pramāṇa) for all beings.

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

It states that a ruler’s words set the moral benchmark for society; therefore, even under economic pressure, a king should not resort to falsehood, since public trust and dharma depend on his integrity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is specified here; the significance is ethical—truth (satya) is presented as a foundational rule for governance rather than a technical architectural injunction.