Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

*शौनक उवाच एवमुक्तो ययातिस्तु शुक्रं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् जगाम स्वपुरं हृष्टः सो ऽनुज्ञातो महात्मना //

Transliteration

*śaunaka uvāca evamukto yayātistu śukraṃ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam jagāma svapuraṃ hṛṣṭaḥ so 'nujñāto mahātmanā //

Translation

ശൗനകൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഇങ്ങനെ ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ട യയാതി ഭക്തിയോടെ ശുക്രനെ പ്രദക്ഷിണം ചെയ്തു; മഹാത്മാവിന്റെ അനുവാദം ലഭിച്ച് ആനന്ദത്തോടെ സ്വന്തം നഗരത്തിലേക്ക് പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• शौनक उवाच (śaunaka uvāca): Śaunaka said

• एवम् (evam): thus

• उक्तः (uktaḥ): spoken to/addressed

• ययातिः (yayātiḥ): Yayāti

• तु (tu): indeed

• शुक्रम् (śukram): Śukra (Śukrācārya)

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā): having done

• प्रदक्षिणम् (pradakṣiṇam): circumambulation (clockwise reverential circling)

• जगाम (jagāma): went/departed

• स्वपुरम् (svapuram): to his own city

• हृष्टः (hṛṣṭaḥ): joyful/delighted

• सः (saḥ): he

• अनुज्ञातः (anugñātaḥ): permitted/allowed to depart

• महात्मना (mahātmanā): by the great-souled one (the noble sage)

Speaker

• Śaunaka

Entities Mentioned

• Śaunaka
• Yayāti
• Śukra (Śukrācārya)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Genealogy
• Guru-Shishya
• Ritual Etiquette
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on courtly-dharmic conduct within the Yayāti episode—showing reverence to a revered teacher (Śukra) before departing.

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

It highlights dharmic etiquette: even a king should honor spiritual authority, seek permission before leaving, and perform respectful acts (like pradakṣiṇā) toward a guru or sage.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual element is pradakṣiṇā—clockwise circumambulation as a formal act of reverence—commonly applied in temple worship, guru-veneration, and sacred spaces.