Matsya Purana — Tārakāsura’s Austerity and Boon; Mobilization for War; Bṛhaspati’s Fourfold P..., Shloka 68

Devanagari script

साम दैत्येषु नैवास्ति यतस्ते लब्धसंश्रयाः जातिधर्मेण वा भेद्या दानं प्राप्तश्रिये च किम् //

Transliteration

sāma daityeṣu naivāsti yataste labdhasaṃśrayāḥ jātidharmeṇa vā bhedyā dānaṃ prāptaśriye ca kim //

Translation

Sāma (hòa giải) không có chỗ đối với bọn Daitya, vì chúng đã có nơi nương tựa và hậu thuẫn rồi. Nếu có thể chia rẽ chúng do bản tính phe phái và “dharma theo chủng loại” của chúng, thì việc dâng tặng còn ích gì cho kẻ đã đạt phú quý?

Word by Word

• साम (sāma): conciliation, pacific counsel

• दैत्येषु (daityeṣu): among the Daityas/demons

• नैव (naiva): not at all

• अस्ति (asti): is/has place

• यतस् (yatas): because

• ते (te): they

• लब्ध-संश्रयाः (labdha-saṃśrayāḥ): having obtained shelter/support/allies

• जाति-धर्मेण (jāti-dharmeṇa): by their group-nature/factional character

• वा (vā): or/indeed

• भेद्याः (bhedyāḥ): to be divided/split

• दानम् (dānam): gifts, bribery, concessions

• प्राप्त-श्रिये (prāpta-śriye): to one who has obtained fortune/prosperity

• च (ca): and

• किम् (kim): what use?/why?

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu on policy and governance)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Niti
• Statecraft
• Dharma
• Enemy-policy

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on practical rajadharma—how a ruler should assess diplomacy and strategy toward hostile powers.

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

For a king, it advises realistic policy: avoid ineffective conciliation or bribery when the opponent is already entrenched and better handled through division of alliances and internal factions; for householders, it parallels discerning when gentle persuasion or material concessions will not reform a hardened wrongdoer.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the verse is purely about political counsel (nīti) within the Matsya Purana’s rajadharma material.