Matsya Purana — Description of Atri’s Hermitage: Sacred Grove Planning, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

शूकपत्त्रनिभैश्चान्यैः स्थलपत्त्रैश्च भागशः पञ्चवर्णैः समाकीर्णैर् बहुवर्णैस्तथैव च //

Transliteration

śūkapattranibhaiścānyaiḥ sthalapattraiśca bhāgaśaḥ pañcavarṇaiḥ samākīrṇair bahuvarṇaistathaiva ca //

Translation

اور دوسرے حصّوں میں غلّے کے خوشے کی پتیوں جیسے نقش، اور زمینی پتّوں کے نقش جو حصّہ بہ حصّہ تقسیم ہوں؛ پانچ رنگوں سے آمیختہ، اور اسی طرح کثیر رنگوں میں مزین۔

Word by Word

• śūka: an ear of grain

• pattra: leaf/petal/foliage motif

• nibhaiḥ: resembling/like

• ca: and

• anyaiḥ: with other (motifs)

• sthala: ground/surface/plane

• pattraiḥ: with leaf designs

• ca: and

• bhāgaśaḥ: by portions/section-wise

• pañca-varṇaiḥ: with five colors

• samākīrṇaiḥ: mixed/interspersed

• bahu-varṇaiḥ: with many colors/variegated

• tathā eva: likewise/also

• ca: and

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Manu

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Temple ornamentation
• Iconography
• Architectural color schemes
• Prasada-lakshana

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it focuses on Vastu/architectural aesthetics—how surfaces are decorated with leaf and grain-ear-like motifs using five and multiple colors.

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

It supports the duty of patrons (kings/householders) to sponsor and maintain sacred buildings properly—ensuring orderly, section-wise decoration and harmonious color planning as part of dharmic temple construction.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It prescribes decorative schemes for temple or sacred structures: foliage motifs (pattra) arranged by sections (bhāgaśaḥ) and executed in pañcavarṇa (five-color) and bahuvarṇa (multicolor) patterns—key for traditional Vastu-aligned visual sanctity.