Matsya Purana — Manvantaras, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तैः शिष्टैश्चलितो धर्मः स्थाप्यते वै युगे युगे त्रयी वार्त्ता दण्डनीतिः प्रजावर्णाश्रमेप्सया //

Transliteration

taiḥ śiṣṭaiścalito dharmaḥ sthāpyate vai yuge yuge trayī vārttā daṇḍanītiḥ prajāvarṇāśramepsayā //

Translation

Oleh para śiṣṭa itu, Dharma yang telah digerakkan ditegakkan kembali dari zaman ke zaman—melalui triad Veda (trayi), melalui vārttā (sara hidup dan ekonomi), dan melalui daṇḍanīti (ilmu hukuman serta pemerintahan)—agar rakyat dibimbing menuju tertib varṇa dan āśrama yang sewajarnya.

Word by Word

• तैः (taiḥ): by those

• शिष्टैः (śiṣṭaiḥ): by the learned/cultured, disciplined authorities

• चलितः (calitaḥ): set in motion, activated, upheld in practice

• धर्मः (dharmaḥ): Dharma, righteous order/duty

• स्थाप्यते (sthāpyate): is established/re-established

• वै (vai): indeed

• युगे युगे (yuge yuge): in every age, from yuga to yuga

• त्रयी (trayī): the threefold Veda / Vedic learning (ṛk–yajus–sāman)

• वार्त्ता (vārttā): livelihood, economy, agriculture–trade–cattle-rearing

• दण्डनीतिः (daṇḍanītiḥ): the policy of punishment, governance, political science

• प्रजा (prajā): the people/subjects

• वर्णाश्रम-इप्सया (varṇāśrama-ipsayā): with the aim of (properly) directing/ordering society by varṇa and āśrama

Speaker

• Likely Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu) within the didactic Rajadharma/Varṇāśrama discourse of the Matsya Purāṇa

Entities Mentioned

• Śiṣṭas (learned exemplars)
• Dharma
• Trayī (Vedic triad)
• Vārttā (economy/livelihood)
• Daṇḍanīti (statecraft)
• Varṇa
• Āśrama
• Prajā (subjects)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Varṇāśrama
• Daṇḍanīti
• Vedic Dharma
• Social Order

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; instead, it emphasizes continuity across yugas—Dharma is repeatedly restored through Vedic authority (trayī), economic order (vārttā), and governance (daṇḍanīti).

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

It frames a king’s core duty as maintaining Dharma through daṇḍanīti (just punishment and administration) while supporting vārttā (stable livelihood and economy) and honoring Vedic norms—so society remains aligned with varṇa and āśrama duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No specific Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated; the ritual anchor is trayī (Vedic learning/ritual tradition), presented as one of the pillars by which Dharma is re-established.