Matsya Purana — Manvantaras, Shloka 77
पुरे शयनात्पुरुषो ज्ञानात्क्षेत्रज्ञ उच्यते यस्माद्धर्मात्प्रसूते हि तस्माद्वै धार्मिकस्तु सः //
pure śayanātpuruṣo jñānātkṣetrajña ucyate yasmāddharmātprasūte hi tasmādvai dhārmikastu saḥ //
‘ಪುರಿ’—ದೇಹ—ಯೊಳಗೆ ಶಯನ/ವಾಸ ಮಾಡುವುದರಿಂದ ಅವನು ಪುರುಷ; ಜ್ಞಾನಸ್ವಭಾವದಿಂದ ‘ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಜ್ಞ’ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಮತ್ತು ಅವನು ಧರ್ಮದಿಂದಲೇ ಪ್ರಸೂತನೆಂದು, ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ‘ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕ’—ಧರ್ಮನಿಷ್ಠ—ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ.
FAQs
It does not describe Pralaya directly; it defines the indwelling knower (kṣetrajña) and links righteousness (dhārmika) to Dharma, implying a stable spiritual principle that persists beyond external change.
By grounding personhood in Dharma, it implies that a king or householder should govern and live as a dhārmika—aligning decisions, protection, and conduct with righteousness rather than mere power or pleasure.
The verse uses ‘city/dwelling’ imagery (pura) to frame the self as the indweller; in Vastu-oriented readings, it supports the idea that a settlement or house should be established with Dharma and right order, as habitation is not merely physical but ethically and spiritually grounded.