Matsya Purana — Brahmā’s Four Faces, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुराणसर्वशास्त्राणां प्रथमं ब्रह्मणा स्मृतम् नित्यं शब्दमयं पुण्यं शतकोटिप्रविस्तरम् //

Transliteration

purāṇasarvaśāstrāṇāṃ prathamaṃ brahmaṇā smṛtam nityaṃ śabdamayaṃ puṇyaṃ śatakoṭipravistaram //

Translation

在一切《往世书》(Purāṇa)与诸论典(śāstra)之中，此者最先为梵天(Brahmā)所忆持：恒常不灭，由神圣音声所成，具功德，且广大无边，铺陈至一百俱胝(koṭi)之偈颂。

Word by Word

• पुराण (purāṇa): Purāṇa, ancient sacred narrative

• सर्वशास्त्राणाम् (sarvaśāstrāṇām): of all treatises/scriptures

• प्रथमम् (prathamam): first, foremost

• ब्रह्मणा (brahmaṇā): by Brahmā

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): remembered, recollected, transmitted

• नित्यम् (nityam): eternal, perennial

• शब्दमयम् (śabdamayam): made of sound/word (śabda), textually constituted

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam): meritorious, holy

• शत (śata): hundred

• कोटि (koṭi): crore (ten million)

• प्रविस्तरम् (pravistaram): extensively expanded, vast in scope

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahma

Tags

• Purana-Authority
• Scriptural-Transmission
• Shabda
• Merit
• Matsya-Manu-Dialogue

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it asserts the Purāṇa’s timeless (nitya) status and Brahmā’s role in first recalling it—implying the text’s continuity across cosmic cycles.

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

By presenting the Purāṇa as a primary, meritorious authority, it frames Purāṇic teaching as a valid source for dharma-guidance that later chapters apply to royal conduct and household duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No specific Vāstu or ritual rule appears in this verse; it functions as a śāstra-pramāṇa statement, supporting the credibility of later Matsya Purāṇa sections on rites and Puranic temple architecture rules.