Matsya Purana — Manvantaras, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

ऋषिर्हिंसागतौ धातुर् विद्या सत्यं तपः श्रुतम् एष सन्निलयो यस्माद् ब्राह्मणस्तुततस् त्व् ऋषिः //

Transliteration

ṛṣirhiṃsāgatau dhātur vidyā satyaṃ tapaḥ śrutam eṣa sannilayo yasmād brāhmaṇastutatas tv ṛṣiḥ //

Translation

‘ऋष्’ हा धातू ‘गमन’ व ‘हिंसा’ अशा अर्थांनी सांगितला जातो; पण जिथे विद्या, सत्य, तप आणि श्रुती यांचा स्थिर निवास असतो—त्या स्थैर्यामुळे असा ब्राह्मण ‘ऋषि’ म्हणून स्तुत्य ठरतो।

Word by Word

• ṛṣiḥ: a seer, sage

• hiṃsā: harm, injury

• gatau: in the sense of going/moving

• dhātuḥ: verbal root

• vidyā: knowledge, learning

• satyam: truth

• tapaḥ: austerity, spiritual heat

• śrutam: Vedic revelation, sacred learning

• eṣaḥ: this

• sannilayaḥ: firm abode, settled seat, stable residence

• yasmāt: because of which/whereby

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a Brāhmaṇa (knower of Brahman/Veda)

• stutataḥ: being praised/commended

• tu: indeed

• ṛṣiḥ: (is called) a Ṛṣi

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, in the didactic flow of the Matsya Purana)

Entities Mentioned

• Ṛṣi
• Brāhmaṇa
• Vidyā
• Satya
• Tapaḥ
• Śruti

Tags

• Dharma
• Etymology
• Brāhmaṇa-dharma
• Ṛṣi-lakṣaṇa
• Vedic learning

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a dharma-style definition identifying the inner qualifications of an Ṛṣi—knowledge, truth, austerity, and śruti—rather than cosmology.

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

It implies that rulers and householders should honor and seek counsel from those Brāhmaṇas in whom vidyā, satya, tapaḥ, and śruti are firmly established—i.e., genuine sages—since such people embody authoritative dharmic guidance.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual takeaway is that śruti-based learning and tapas are presented as core credentials for priestly/sage authority in rites and instruction.