Shloka 3

Matsya Purana — Brahmā’s Four Faces

Devanagari script

पुराणसर्वशास्त्राणां प्रथमं ब्रह्मणा स्मृतम् नित्यं शब्दमयं पुण्यं शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् //

Transliteration

purāṇasarvaśāstrāṇāṃ prathamaṃ brahmaṇā smṛtam nityaṃ śabdamayaṃ puṇyaṃ śatakoṭipravistaram //

Translation

Di antara segala Purāṇa dan śāstra, inilah yang diingati terlebih dahulu oleh Brahmā—kekal abadi, tersusun daripada bunyi suci, membawa pahala kebajikan, dan amat luas, berkembang hingga seratus koṭi (rangkap).

Word by Word

• पुराण (purāṇa): Purāṇa, ancient sacred narrative

• सर्वशास्त्राणाम् (sarvaśāstrāṇām): of all treatises/scriptures

• प्रथमम् (prathamam): first, foremost

• ब्रह्मणा (brahmaṇā): by Brahmā

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): remembered, recollected, transmitted

• नित्यम् (nityam): eternal, perennial

• शब्दमयम् (śabdamayam): made of sound/word (śabda), textually constituted

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam): meritorious, holy

• शत (śata): hundred

• कोटि (koṭi): crore (ten million)

• प्रविस्तरम् (pravistaram): extensively expanded, vast in scope

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahma

Tags

• Purana-Authority
• Scriptural-Transmission
• Shabda
• Merit
• Matsya-Manu-Dialogue

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it asserts the Purāṇa’s timeless (nitya) status and Brahmā’s role in first recalling it—implying the text’s continuity across cosmic cycles.

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

By presenting the Purāṇa as a primary, meritorious authority, it frames Purāṇic teaching as a valid source for dharma-guidance that later chapters apply to royal conduct and household duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No specific Vāstu or ritual rule appears in this verse; it functions as a śāstra-pramāṇa statement, supporting the credibility of later Matsya Purāṇa sections on rites and Puranic temple architecture rules.