Matsya Purana — Measures of Time: Caturyuga Computation, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

इज्या दानं तपः सत्यं त्रेताधर्मास्तु वै स्मृताः तदा प्रवर्तते धर्मो वर्णाश्रमविभागशः मर्यादास्थापनार्थं च दण्डनीतिः प्रवर्तते //

Transliteration

ijyā dānaṃ tapaḥ satyaṃ tretādharmāstu vai smṛtāḥ tadā pravartate dharmo varṇāśramavibhāgaśaḥ maryādāsthāpanārthaṃ ca daṇḍanītiḥ pravartate //

Translation

ایجیا (یَجْن/پوجا)، دان، تپسیا اور سچائی—یہ تریتا یُگ کے دھرم کہلاتے ہیں۔ اس زمانے میں دھرم ورن اور آشرم کی تقسیم کے مطابق جاری ہوتا ہے؛ اور حدود و نظم قائم کرنے کے لیے دَندنیتی (نظامِ حکومت و تعزیر) بھی نافذ ہوتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• ijyā: worship/sacrifice

• dānam: gifting/charity

• tapaḥ: austerity/ascetic discipline

• satyam: truthfulness

• tretā-dharmāḥ: the duties characteristic of the Tretā-yuga

• vai: indeed

• smṛtāḥ: are remembered/are taught in tradition

• tadā: then/at that time

• pravartate: comes into force/operates

• dharmaḥ: righteousness/sacred law

• varṇa-āśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: according to the classification of social order (varṇa) and life-stages (āśrama)

• maryādā: boundary/limit/proper rule

• sthāpana-artham: for the purpose of establishing

• ca: and

• daṇḍa-nītiḥ: policy of punishment/royal jurisprudence/statecraft

• pravartate: begins to function.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Tretā-yuga
• Varṇa
• Āśrama
• Daṇḍanīti
• Dharma

Tags

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Varṇāśrama
• Tretā Yuga
• Daṇḍanīti

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it outlines how dharma functions in the Tretā-yuga—through worship, charity, austerity, truth, and through structured social order supported by governance (daṇḍanīti).

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

It implies that when society is organized by varṇa and āśrama, the king must uphold maryādā (lawful limits) through daṇḍanīti—fair discipline and jurisprudence—while householders sustain dharma through sacrifice/worship, charity, austerity, and truth.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it emphasizes ijyā (yajña/temple-centered worship) as a core Tretā-yuga duty; it does not directly teach Vāstu rules, but it frames ritual order as something protected by social discipline and statecraft.