Matsya Purana — Dynastic Genealogies: Paurava–Anu Lines, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

प्रचेतसः पुत्रशतं राजानः सर्व एव ते म्लेच्छराष्ट्राधिपाः सर्वे उदीचीं दिशम् आश्रिताः //

Transliteration

pracetasaḥ putraśataṃ rājānaḥ sarva eva te mleccharāṣṭrādhipāḥ sarve udīcīṃ diśam āśritāḥ //

Translation

प्रचेतस के सौ पुत्र—वे सभी राजा—म्लेच्छ राज्यों के अधिपति बने और सभी उत्तर दिशा में स्थापित हुए।

Word by Word

• प्रचेतसः (pracetasaḥ): of Pracetasa/Pracetas

• पुत्रशतम् (putraśatam): a hundred sons

• राजानः (rājānaḥ): kings

• सर्वे (sarve): all

• एव (eva): indeed/only

• ते (te): they/those

• म्लेच्छ-राष्ट्र-अधिपाः (mleccha-rāṣṭrādhipāḥ): overlords of Mleccha realms/foreign kingdoms

• उदीचीम् (udīcīm): northern

• दिशम् (diśam): direction/quarter

• आश्रिताः (āśritāḥ): having taken refuge in/settled in/established in

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu, within a genealogical narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Pracetasa (Pracetas)
• Hundred sons of Pracetas
• Mleccha kingdoms
• Northern direction (Udīcī)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Ancient Indian genealogy
• Political geography
• Northern kingdoms
• Mleccha

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a genealogical-geographical note describing how Pracetas’ hundred sons became rulers of northern Mleccha realms.

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

Indirectly, it frames kingship as territorial governance: rulers are identified by the realms they administer, emphasizing the Purāṇic concern with legitimate lineages and the ordering of regions under royal authority.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its significance lies in mapping dynasties to regions (especially the northern quarter), which can contextualize later references to regional customs and polities.