Matsya Purana — Measures of Time: Caturyuga Computation, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

इतरेषु ससंध्येषु ससंध्यांशेषु च त्रिषु एकपादे निवर्तन्ते सहस्राणि शतानि च //

Transliteration

itareṣu sasaṃdhyeṣu sasaṃdhyāṃśeṣu ca triṣu ekapāde nivartante sahasrāṇi śatāni ca //

Translation

ଅନ୍ୟ ତିନି ଯୁଗରେ, ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା ଓ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାଂଶ ସହିତ, ହଜାର ଓ ଶତର ମାପ ଏକ ପାଦ (ଚତୁର୍ଥାଂଶ) ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ କମିଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• इतरेषु: in the other (remaining)

• ससंध्येषु: in the Sandhyā-junctions

• ससंध्यांशेषु: in the portions/parts of Sandhyā

• च: and

• त्रिषु: in the three

• एकपादे: to one quarter (one ‘foot’)

• निवर्तन्ते: returns/backslides, is reduced

• सहस्राणि: thousands

• शतानि: hundreds

• च: and

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Sandhya

Tags

• Sandhya
• Ritual
• Dharma
• Timekeeping
• Merit

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it addresses ritual time-junctions (Sandhyā) and states that outside the prime junction, the spiritual yield is diminished to a quarter.

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

It reinforces nitya-karma discipline: a householder (and by extension a king setting public dharma) should perform Sandhyā at the proper junction-time, since doing it in secondary portions yields only a fraction of the intended merit.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritual significance: it is a timing rule for Sandhyā observance, implying that correct temporal alignment (the Sandhyā ‘junction’) is essential for full efficacy; otherwise the result is reduced to one quarter.