Matsya Purana — The Tale of Brahmadatta: Past-life Memory, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अनघो नाम वैभ्राजः पाञ्चालाधिपतिः पुरा पुत्रार्थी देवदेवेशं हरिं नारायणं प्रभुम् //

Transliteration

anagho nāma vaibhrājaḥ pāñcālādhipatiḥ purā putrārthī devadeveśaṃ hariṃ nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum //

Translation

Pada zaman dahulu ada seorang pemerintah agung Pāñcāla bernama Anagha Vaibhrāja; kerana menginginkan seorang putera, baginda berlindung kepada Hari—Nārāyaṇa, Tuhan Yang Berdaulat, Dewa segala dewa.

Word by Word

• anaghaḥ: Anagha (name of the king)

• nāma: by name

• vaibhrājaḥ: Vaibhrāja (of the Vaibhrāja line/epithet)

• pāñcāla-adhipatiḥ: ruler/lord of the Pāñcālas

• purā: formerly, in ancient times

• putra-arthī: desiring a son, seeking progeny

• deva-deva-īśam: the Lord of (all) gods

• harim: Hari (Viṣṇu)

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa

• prabhum: the Supreme Lord/master

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator), within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework

Entities Mentioned

• Anagha Vaibhrāja
• Pāñcāla
• Hari
• Nārāyaṇa

Tags

• Dynasties
• Bhakti
• Putrakameṣṭi
• Kingship
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it introduces a historical king and frames a dharmic motif—seeking divine aid (Hari/Nārāyaṇa) for progeny—within the Purana’s broader narrative flow.

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

It reflects the householder-king ideal: the desire for lawful progeny (putrārtha) is pursued through devotion and reliance on the supreme deity, implying that royal aims should remain aligned with dharma and sanctioned religious practice rather than mere power.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No architectural rule is stated here; ritually, the key point is putrārthī devotion—approaching Hari/Nārāyaṇa as the grantor of boons, a common Purāṇic setup that typically leads into vows, worship procedures, or merit-bestowing observances.