Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

भावाभावव्यक्तिसंहारहेतुस् त्वं सो ऽनन्तस्तस्य कर्तासि चात्मन् ये ऽन्ये सूक्ष्माः सन्ति तेभ्यो ऽभिगीतः स्थूला भावाश्चावृतारश्च तेषाम् //

Transliteration

bhāvābhāvavyaktisaṃhārahetus tvaṃ so 'nantastasya kartāsi cātman ye 'nye sūkṣmāḥ santi tebhyo 'bhigītaḥ sthūlā bhāvāścāvṛtāraśca teṣām //

Translation

พระองค์ทรงเป็นเหตุแห่งภาวะและอภาวะ แห่งการปรากฏและการสลาย. พระองค์คืออนันตะนั้น เป็นทั้งผู้กระทำ/ผู้สร้าง และเป็นอาตมันผู้สถิตภายใน. หลักการละเอียดอื่นๆ ถูกสรรเสริญว่าอาศัยพระองค์; ส่วนภาวะหยาบและเครื่องหุ้มคลุมของมันย่อมเป็นของหลักการเหล่านั้น.

Word by Word

• भाव (bhāva): being/existence

• अभाव (abhāva): non-being/non-manifest state

• व्यक्ति (vyakti): manifestation/particularization

• संहार (saṃhāra): withdrawal/dissolution

• हेतु (hetu): cause

• त्वम् (tvam): you

• सः (saḥ): that (Supreme)

• अनन्तः (anantaḥ): Ananta/the Infinite

• तस्य (tasya): of that/thereof

• कर्ता (kartā): maker/doer

• असि (asi): are

• च (ca): and

• आत्मन्/आत्मा (ātman): inner Self

• ये (ye): those who/which

• अन्ये (anye): other

• सूक्ष्माः (sūkṣmāḥ): subtle

• सन्ति (santi): exist

• तेभ्यः (tebhyaḥ): from/among them

• अभिगीतः (abhigītaḥ): sung/praised/celebrated

• स्थूलाः (sthūlāḥ): gross

• भावाः (bhāvāḥ): entities/states of being

• च (ca): and

• आवृतारः (āvṛtārāḥ): coverings/envelopes/veils

• तेषाम् (teṣām): of them

Speaker

• Vaivasvata Manu (addressing Lord Matsya/Vishnu as Ananta)

Entities Mentioned

• Ananta
• Ātman
• Lord Matsya (implied addressee)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Cosmology
• Sankhya-like categories
• Vishnu as Ātman
• Manifestation

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme (addressed as Ananta) as the ultimate cause behind manifestation (vyakti) and dissolution (saṃhāra), showing that pralaya is not random but a withdrawal governed by the same transcendent source that brings forth creation.

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

By teaching that all states—subtle and gross—arise and subside under the Supreme Self, it encourages rulers and householders to act with detachment and dharmic responsibility, seeing power, wealth, and social roles as temporary manifestations rather than ultimate possessions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-rule detail is stated; however, the idea of “coverings” and layered manifestation supports the ritual-architectural worldview of graded levels (subtle to gross), which Vāstu and consecration rites often mirror through successive enclosures and sanctification stages.