Matsya Purana — The Pushkara Manifestation, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

प्रज्वलन्निव तेजोभिर् भाभिः स्वाभिस्तमोनुदः बभासे सर्वधर्मस्थः सहस्रांशुरिवांशुभिः //

Transliteration

prajvalanniva tejobhir bhābhiḥ svābhistamonudaḥ babhāse sarvadharmasthaḥ sahasrāṃśurivāṃśubhiḥ //

Translation

സ്വന്തം തേജസ്സും പ്രഭകളും കൊണ്ട് ജ്വലിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ, തമസ്സിനെ അകറ്റുന്നവനായി, സർവ്വധർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട്, സഹസ്രകിരണ സൂര്യനെപ്പോലെ അദ്ദേഹം പ്രകാശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• प्रज्वलन् (prajvalan): blazing, flaming

• इव (iva): as if, like

• तेजोभिः (tejobhiḥ): with energies/splendours

• भाभिः (bhābhiḥ): with lights, lustres

• स्वाभिः (svābhiḥ): with his own

• तमोनुदः (tamo-nudaḥ): dispeller of darkness/ignorance

• बभासे (babhāse): shone forth, appeared radiant

• सर्वधर्मस्थः (sarva-dharma-sthaḥ): established in all dharmas, firmly rooted in righteousness

• सहस्रांशुः (sahasrāṃśuḥ): the thousand-rayed (sun)

• इव (iva): like

• अंशुभिः (aṃśubhiḥ): with rays.

Speaker

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing an exemplary, dharma-established figure; likely within Sūta’s narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Sahasrāṃśu (Sun)

Tags

• Dharma
• Tejas
• Royal-virtue
• Eulogy
• Puranic-poetics

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly describe pralaya; it uses solar imagery to convey the dispelling of darkness (tamas), a moral-spiritual metaphor rather than a cosmological dissolution event.

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

It presents the ideal of being “sarva-dharma-stha” (firm in all dharmic duties): a king/householder should embody righteousness so fully that his conduct becomes ‘sun-like’—removing social and moral darkness through just rule, self-discipline, and visible integrity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; however, the imagery of light dispelling darkness is commonly aligned with ritual purity and auspiciousness—principles that also underlie temple lighting, sanctum symbolism, and orientation toward the sun in Vāstu traditions.