Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

*देवयान्युवाच दत्तां वहस्व पित्रा मां त्वं हि राजन्वृतो मया अयाचतो भयं नास्ति दत्तां च प्रतिगृह्णतः //

Transliteration

*devayānyuvāca dattāṃ vahasva pitrā māṃ tvaṃ hi rājanvṛto mayā ayācato bhayaṃ nāsti dattāṃ ca pratigṛhṇataḥ //

Translation

ദേവയാനി പറഞ്ഞു: 'എന്റെ പിതാവ് എന്നെ നൽകിയതായി കരുതി എന്നെ സ്വീകരിക്കുക. ഹേ രാജാവേ, ഞാൻ അങ്ങയെ വരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. യാചിക്കാത്തവന് ഭയമില്ല; നൽകപ്പെട്ടത് സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതിൽ തെറ്റുമില്ല.'

Word by Word

• devayānī uvāca: Devayānī said

• dattām: given (in marriage), bestowed

• vaha: take/lead away, carry (as a bride)

• sva pitrā: by (my) father

• mām: me

• tvam: you

• hi: indeed

• rājan: O king

• vṛtaḥ: chosen/selected

• mayā: by me

• ayācataḥ: of one who does not ask/beg

• bhayam: fear/blame (social reproach)

• na asti: is not

• dattām: what is given

• ca: and

• pratigṛhṇataḥ: of one who accepts/receives (formally)

Speaker

• Devayānī

Entities Mentioned

• Devayānī
• King (Yayati, implied)
• Devayānī’s father (Śukrācārya, implied)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Marriage
• Royal Dharma
• Genealogy
• Social Ethics

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this verse belongs to a royal-genealogical narrative, focusing on marriage consent and social ethics rather than Pralaya cosmology.

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

It frames marriage as a sanctioned transfer (“given by the father”) along with personal choice (“chosen by me”), implying that a king/householder should accept a legitimate alliance without impropriety, and avoid dishonorable bargaining or begging.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the closest ritual element is the implied legitimacy of a father-given bride and the formal acceptance (pratigraha) within dharmic social order.