Matsya Purana — Code of Conduct and Vow-Procedure for Courtesans, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

तदावेक्ष्य जगन्नाथः सर्वतो ज्ञानचक्षुषा शापं वक्ष्यति ताः सर्वा वो हरिष्यन्ति दस्यवः मत्परोक्षं यतः कामलौल्यादीदृग्विधं कृतम् //

Transliteration

tadāvekṣya jagannāthaḥ sarvato jñānacakṣuṣā śāpaṃ vakṣyati tāḥ sarvā vo hariṣyanti dasyavaḥ matparokṣaṃ yataḥ kāmalaulyādīdṛgvidhaṃ kṛtam //

Translation

Bấy giờ, Chúa tể của vũ trụ, dùng tuệ nhãn thấy biết khắp nơi, sẽ phán lời nguyền: “Bọn cướp sẽ bắt mang đi tất cả phụ nữ của các ngươi,” vì sau lưng Ta, các ngươi đã làm điều như thế do dục vọng và lòng ham muốn phù phiếm.

Word by Word

• tadā: then

• avekṣya: having observed/seen

• jagannāthaḥ: the Lord of the world

• sarvataḥ: on all sides/everywhere

• jñāna-cakṣuṣā: with the eye of knowledge (omniscient sight)

• śāpam: a curse

• vakṣyati: will speak/declare

• tāḥ sarvāḥ: all those (women)

• vaḥ: of you/your

• hariṣyanti: will carry off/abduct

• dasyavaḥ: robbers/bandits

• mat-parokṣam: in my absence/behind my back

• yataḥ: because/since

• kāma: lust/desire

• laulya: fickleness/greedily restless craving

• ādī: and the like

• īdṛg-vidham: of this sort

• kṛtam: was done/committed.

Speaker

• Suta (narrative voice) describing the Lord’s response (Jagannatha/Vishnu)

Entities Mentioned

• Jagannatha (Vishnu)
• Dasyus (robbers)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Dharma
• Adharma
• Kama (lust)
• Divine retribution

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic Pralaya; it highlights moral causality—how lust-driven wrongdoing invites punitive outcomes and social chaos under divine oversight.

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

It warns that unchecked kāma and fickle craving lead to adharma and public disorder; a king must restrain and punish such misconduct, and a householder must practice self-control to protect family and social stability.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu/temple or ritual procedure is stated here; the focus is ethical discipline and the societal consequences of secret wrongdoing.