Matsya Purana — Code of Conduct and Vow-Procedure for Courtesans, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तदावेक्ष्य जगन्नाथः सर्वतो ज्ञानचक्षुषा शापं वक्ष्यति ताः सर्वा वो हरिष्यन्ति दस्यवः मत्परोक्षं यतः कामलौल्यादीदृग्विधं कृतम् //

Transliteration

tadāvekṣya jagannāthaḥ sarvato jñānacakṣuṣā śāpaṃ vakṣyati tāḥ sarvā vo hariṣyanti dasyavaḥ matparokṣaṃ yataḥ kāmalaulyādīdṛgvidhaṃ kṛtam //

Translation

तेव्हा जगन्नाथ सर्वज्ञ-दृष्टीने सर्वत्र पाहून शाप देतील—“दस्यु तुमच्या सर्व स्त्रियांना पळवून नेतील; कारण माझ्या अनुपस्थितीत काम-लोलुपता इत्यादीमुळे असे आचरण केले गेले.”

Word by Word

• tadā: then

• avekṣya: having observed/seen

• jagannāthaḥ: the Lord of the world

• sarvataḥ: on all sides/everywhere

• jñāna-cakṣuṣā: with the eye of knowledge (omniscient sight)

• śāpam: a curse

• vakṣyati: will speak/declare

• tāḥ sarvāḥ: all those (women)

• vaḥ: of you/your

• hariṣyanti: will carry off/abduct

• dasyavaḥ: robbers/bandits

• mat-parokṣam: in my absence/behind my back

• yataḥ: because/since

• kāma: lust/desire

• laulya: fickleness/greedily restless craving

• ādī: and the like

• īdṛg-vidham: of this sort

• kṛtam: was done/committed.

Speaker

• Suta (narrative voice) describing the Lord’s response (Jagannatha/Vishnu)

Entities Mentioned

• Jagannatha (Vishnu)
• Dasyus (robbers)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Dharma
• Adharma
• Kama (lust)
• Divine retribution

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic Pralaya; it highlights moral causality—how lust-driven wrongdoing invites punitive outcomes and social chaos under divine oversight.

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

It warns that unchecked kāma and fickle craving lead to adharma and public disorder; a king must restrain and punish such misconduct, and a householder must practice self-control to protect family and social stability.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu/temple or ritual procedure is stated here; the focus is ethical discipline and the societal consequences of secret wrongdoing.