Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

*देवयान्युवाच पाणिग्रहो नाहुषायं न पुंभिः सेवितः पुरा त्वं पाणिमग्रहीदग्रे वृणोमि त्वामहं ततः //

Transliteration

*devayānyuvāca pāṇigraho nāhuṣāyaṃ na puṃbhiḥ sevitaḥ purā tvaṃ pāṇimagrahīdagre vṛṇomi tvāmahaṃ tataḥ //

Translation

دیویانی نے کہا—نہوشا کے لیے پہلے مردوں نے پाणی گرهण (ہاتھ لینے) کی رسم ادا نہیں کی تھی۔ مگر تم نے سب سے پہلے میرا ہاتھ تھاما؛ اسی لیے میں تمہیں ہی چنتی ہوں۔

Word by Word

• devayānī uvāca: Devayānī said

• pāṇigrahaḥ: the taking of the hand (marriage rite)

• nāhuṣāyam: for/into the line of Nahusha

• na: not

• puṃbhiḥ: by men

• sevitaḥ: practiced/observed

• purā: formerly/earlier

• tvam: you

• pāṇim: (my) hand

• agrahīt: took/seized

• agre: first/before others

• vṛṇomi: I choose

• tvām: you

• aham: I

• tataḥ: therefore/for that reason

Speaker

• Devayānī

Entities Mentioned

• Devayānī
• Nahusha

Tags

• Dynasties
• Marriage Rite
• Genealogy
• Royal Lineages
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it belongs to a genealogical narrative focused on social custom (pāṇigraha) and personal choice in marriage.

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

It highlights the dharmic framing of marriage as a formal rite (pāṇigraha) and implies the importance of recognized social procedure and consent—central to a householder’s lawful life and lineage continuity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual point is the pāṇigraha (hand-taking) marriage rite; there is no Vāstu or temple-architecture instruction in this verse.