Matsya Purana — Devayānī–Śarmiṣṭhā Dialogue: Yayāti’s Transgression, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

पूज्यासि मम मान्या च श्रेष्ठा ज्येष्ठा च ब्राह्मणी त्वत्तो हि मे पूज्यतरो राजर्षिः किं न वेत्सि तत् //

Transliteration

pūjyāsi mama mānyā ca śreṣṭhā jyeṣṭhā ca brāhmaṇī tvatto hi me pūjyataro rājarṣiḥ kiṃ na vetsi tat //

Translation

நீ என் வணக்கத்திற்கும் மரியாதைக்கும் உரியவள்—மேன்மையானவள், முதன்மையானவள், மூத்த பிராமணிப் பெண்; ஆயினும் என் பக்தியில் உன்னைவிட உயர்ந்தவர் ராஜரிஷி—இதை நீ அறியாதாயோ?

Word by Word

• पूज्यासि (pūjyāsi): you are worthy of worship/reverence

• मम (mama): to me / my

• मान्या (mānyā): venerable, to be honored

• च (ca): and

• श्रेष्ठा (śreṣṭhā): excellent, foremost

• ज्येष्ठा (jyeṣṭhā): elder, senior

• च (ca): and

• ब्राह्मणी (brāhmaṇī): Brahmin woman / lady of a Brahmin household

• त्वत्तः (tvattaḥ): than you

• हि (hi): indeed, for

• मे (me): to me

• पूज्यतरः (pūjyataraḥ): more worthy of reverence

• राजर्षिः (rājarṣiḥ): royal sage (kingly seer)

• किम् (kim): why / how

• न (na): not

• वेत्सि (vetsi): do you know/understand

• तत् (tat): that (fact).

Speaker

• A male advisor/elder addressing a Brahmin woman (contextual speaker within Matsya Purana’s ethical dialogue; exact named speaker not explicit from the single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Brāhmaṇī
• Rājarṣi

Tags

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Social hierarchy
• Respect
• Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on dharmic etiquette—who deserves honor and the relative hierarchy of reverence.

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

It implies a dharmic hierarchy of respect: householders should honor elders and the virtuous; a king who is a rājarṣi (a ruler guided by spiritual insight) may be regarded as especially worthy of reverence.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu/temple-building rule appears here; the ritual idea present is ‘pūjya’—worthiness of worship or formal honor—applied to social and ethical ranking.