Matsya Purana — Chapter 100
MtP 100.1
पुरा रथंतरे कल्पे राजासीत्पुष्पवाहनः नाम्ना लोकेषु विख्यातस् तेजसा सूर्यसंनिभः
purā rathaṃtare kalpe rājāsītpuṣpavāhanaḥ nāmnā lokeṣu vikhyātas tejasā sūryasaṃnibhaḥ
Formerly, in the Rathaṃtara kalpa, there was a king Puṣpavāhana, renowned by that name among the worlds, in splendour like the sun.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.2
तपसा तस्य तुष्टेन चतुर्वक्त्रेण नारद कमलं काञ्चनं दत्तं यथाकामगमं मुने
tapasā tasya tuṣṭena caturvaktreṇa nārada kamalaṃ kāñcanaṃ dattaṃ yathākāmagamaṃ mune
The four-faced (Brahmā), pleased by his austerity, O Nārada, gave him a golden lotus that moved according to his wish, O sage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.3
लोकैः समस्तैर् नगरवासिभिः सहितो नृपः द्वीपानि सुरलोकं च यथेष्टं व्यचरत्तदा
lokaiḥ samastair nagaravāsibhiḥ sahito nṛpaḥ dvīpāni suralokaṃ ca yatheṣṭaṃ vyacarattadā
Then the king, together with all the people, the dwellers of his city, roamed at will over the continents and the world of the gods.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.4
कल्पादौ सप्तमं द्वीपं तस्य पुष्करवासिनः लोके च पूजितं यस्मात् पुष्करद्वीपमुच्यते
kalpādau saptamaṃ dvīpaṃ tasya puṣkaravāsinaḥ loke ca pūjitaṃ yasmāt puṣkaradvīpamucyate
At the beginning of the kalpa the seventh continent was his, who dwelt on the lotus (puṣkara); and since it was honoured in the world (as such), it is called Puṣkaradvīpa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.5
देवेन ब्रह्मणा दत्तं यानमस्य यतो ऽम्बुजम् पुष्पवाहनमित्याहुस् तस्मात्तं देवदानवाः
devena brahmaṇā dattaṃ yānamasya yato 'mbujam puṣpavāhanamityāhus tasmāttaṃ devadānavāḥ
Since the vehicle given him by the god Brahmā was a lotus, therefore gods and dānavas call him Puṣpavāhana, 'flower-vehicled'.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.6
नागम्यमस्यास्ति जगत्त्रये ऽपि ब्रह्माम्बुजस्थस्य तपो ऽनुभावात् पत्नी च तस्याप्रतिमा मुनीन्द्र नारीसहस्रैरभितो ऽभिनन्द्या नाम्ना च लावण्यवती बभूव सा पार्वतीवेष्टतमा भवस्य
nāgamyamasyāsti jagattraye 'pi brahmāmbujasthasya tapo 'nubhāvāt patnī ca tasyāpratimā munīndra nārīsahasrairabhito 'bhinandyā nāmnā ca lāvaṇyavatī babhūva sā pārvatīveṣṭatamā bhavasya
There was nothing unreachable for him in the three worlds either, seated as he was on Brahmā's lotus, through the power of his austerity; and his wife was without equal, O chief of sages, greeted on every side by thousands of women, and by name Lāvaṇyavatī; she was as most beloved (to him) as Pārvatī to Bhava.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.7
तस्यात्मजानामयुतं बभूव धर्मात्मनाम् अग्र्यधनुर्धराणाम् तदात्मनः सर्वमवेक्ष्य राजा मुहुर्मुहुर् विस्मयमाससाद सो ऽभ्यागतं वीक्ष्य मुनिप्रवीरं प्राचेतसं वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
tasyātmajānāmayutaṃ babhūva dharmātmanām agryadhanurdharāṇām tadātmanaḥ sarvamavekṣya rājā muhurmuhur vismayamāsasāda so 'bhyāgataṃ vīkṣya munipravīraṃ prācetasaṃ vākyamidaṃ babhāṣe
He had ten thousand sons, righteous in soul, foremost bearers of the bow. Surveying all this that was his own, the king fell again and again into amazement. Seeing the foremost of sages, Pracetas' son, arrived, he spoke these words.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.8
कस्माद्विभूतिर् अमलामरमर्त्यपूज्या जाता च सर्वविजितामरसुन्दरीणाम् भार्या ममाल्पतपसा परितोषितेन दत्तं ममाम्बुजगृहं च मुनीन्द्र धात्रा
kasmādvibhūtir amalāmaramartyapūjyā jātā ca sarvavijitāmarasundarīṇām bhāryā mamālpatapasā paritoṣitena dattaṃ mamāmbujagṛhaṃ ca munīndra dhātrā
"Whence has this stainless prosperity, honoured by immortals and mortals, arisen, and (whence) as my wife she who surpasses all the beautiful women of the gods, and whence was the lotus-house given to me by the Creator, pleased by my slight austerity, O chief of sages?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.9
यस्मिन्प्रविष्टमपि कोटिशतं नृपाणां सामात्यकुञ्जररथौघजनावृतानाम् नो लक्ष्यते क्व गतमम्बरमध्य इन्दुस् तारागणैरिव गतः परितः स्फुरद्भिः
yasminpraviṣṭamapi koṭiśataṃ nṛpāṇāṃ sāmātyakuñjararathaughajanāvṛtānām no lakṣyate kva gatamambaramadhya indus tārāgaṇairiva gataḥ paritaḥ sphuradbhiḥ
"Into which, though a hundred crore of kings have entered, surrounded by throngs of ministers, elephants, chariots and people, it cannot be seen where they have gone — as the moon in mid-sky is lost among the hosts of stars flashing all around.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.10
तस्मात्किमन्यजननीजठरोद्भवेन धर्मादिकं कृतमशेषफलाप्तिहेतुः भगवन्मयाथ तनयैर् अथवानयापि भद्रं यदेतदखिलं कथय प्रचेतः
tasmātkimanyajananījaṭharodbhavena dharmādikaṃ kṛtamaśeṣaphalāptihetuḥ bhagavanmayātha tanayair athavānayāpi bhadraṃ yadetadakhilaṃ kathaya pracetaḥ
"Therefore, what religious merit and the rest, the cause of obtaining fruit without remainder, was done by me in a birth from another mother's womb, O lord — or by my sons, or by this woman — that all this good fortune (is mine): tell it, O Pracetas."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.11
मुनिरभ्यधादथ भवान्तरितं समीक्ष्य पृथ्वीपतेः प्रसभमद्भुतहेतुवृत्तम् जन्माभवत्तव तु लुब्धकुले ऽतिघोरे जातस्त्वमप्यनुदिनं किल पापकारी
munirabhyadhādatha bhavāntaritaṃ samīkṣya pṛthvīpateḥ prasabhamadbhutahetuvṛttam janmābhavattava tu lubdhakule 'tighore jātastvamapyanudinaṃ kila pāpakārī
Then the sage, having looked into the wondrous cause and course of events hidden in the earth-lord's former existence, said at once: "But your birth was in a hunter's family, exceedingly dreadful, and you too, being born (there), were day after day a doer of evil.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.12
वपुरप्यभूत्तव पुनः पुरुषाङ्गसंधिर् दुर्गन्धिसत्त्वभुजगावरणं समन्तात् न च ते सुहृन् न सुतबन्धुजनो न तातस् त्व् आदृक्स्वसा न जननी च तदाभिशस्ता
vapurapyabhūttava punaḥ puruṣāṅgasaṃdhir durgandhisattvabhujagāvaraṇaṃ samantāt na ca te suhṛn na sutabandhujano na tātas tv ādṛksvasā na jananī ca tadābhiśastā
"And your body, again, was a mere jointing of human limbs, covered all around with foul-smelling creatures and snakes; and you had no friend, no son or kinsman, no father, no such sister, and no mother — she was then reviled.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.13
अभिसंगता परमभीष्टतमा विमुखी महीश तव योषिदियम् अभूदनावृष्टिरतीव रौद्रा कदाचिदाहारनिमित्तमस्मिन् क्षुत्पीडितेनाथ तदा न किंचिद् आसादितं धान्यफलामिषाद्यम्
abhisaṃgatā paramabhīṣṭatamā vimukhī mahīśa tava yoṣidiyam abhūdanāvṛṣṭiratīva raudrā kadācidāhāranimittamasmin kṣutpīḍitenātha tadā na kiṃcid āsāditaṃ dhānyaphalāmiṣādyam
"This woman of yours, though joined to you and most utterly desired, had turned away, O lord of earth; and there came an exceedingly terrible drought. Once, for the sake of food, when you were tormented by hunger, nothing at all was obtained then — no grain, fruit, meat or the like.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.14
अथाभिदृष्टं महदम्बुजाढ्यं सरोवरं पङ्कपरीतरोधः पद्मान्यथादाय ततो बहूनि गतः पुरं वैदिशनामधेयम्
athābhidṛṣṭaṃ mahadambujāḍhyaṃ sarovaraṃ paṅkaparītarodhaḥ padmānyathādāya tato bahūni gataḥ puraṃ vaidiśanāmadheyam
"Then a great lake rich in lotuses was seen, its banks ringed with mud; and taking many lotuses from it you went to the city named Vaidiśa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.15
तन्मौल्यलाभाय पुरं समस्तं भ्रान्तं त्वयाशेषम् अहस् तदासीत् क्रेता न कश्चित्कमलेषु जातः श्रान्तो भृशं क्षुत्परिपीडितश्च
tanmaulyalābhāya puraṃ samastaṃ bhrāntaṃ tvayāśeṣam ahas tadāsīt kretā na kaścitkamaleṣu jātaḥ śrānto bhṛśaṃ kṣutparipīḍitaśca
"To get their price the whole city was wandered over by you; that entire day was spent; no buyer appeared for the lotuses, and you were greatly wearied and afflicted by hunger.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.16
उपविष्टस्त्वमेकस्मिन् सभार्यो भवनाङ्गणे अथ मङ्गलशब्दश्च त्वया रात्रौ महाञ्श्रुतः
upaviṣṭastvamekasmin sabhāryo bhavanāṅgaṇe atha maṅgalaśabdaśca tvayā rātrau mahāñśrutaḥ
"You sat down with your wife in the courtyard of a certain house; and then in the night a great auspicious sound was heard by you.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.17
सभार्यस्तत्र गतवान् यत्रासौ मङ्गलध्वनिः तत्र मण्डपमध्यस्था विष्णोरर्चावलोकिता
sabhāryastatra gatavān yatrāsau maṅgaladhvaniḥ tatra maṇḍapamadhyasthā viṣṇorarcāvalokitā
"With your wife you went there, where that auspicious sound was; there, standing in the middle of a pavilion, an image of Viṣṇu was seen (by you).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.18
वेश्यानङ्गवती नाम विभूतिद्वादशीव्रतम् समाप्तौ माघमासस्य लवणाचलमुत्तमम्
veśyānaṅgavatī nāma vibhūtidvādaśīvratam samāptau māghamāsasya lavaṇācalamuttamam
A courtesan named Anaṅgavatī, at the conclusion of the Vibhūti-dvādaśī vow in the month of Māgha, (offered) an excellent mountain of salt,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.19
निवेदयन्ती गुरवे शय्यां चोपस्करान्विताम् अलंकृत्य हृषीकेशं सौवर्णामरपादपम्
nivedayantī gurave śayyāṃ copaskarānvitām alaṃkṛtya hṛṣīkeśaṃ sauvarṇāmarapādapam
presenting to her teacher a bed together with its furnishings, and, having adorned Hṛṣīkeśa, a golden wish-granting tree.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.20
तां तु दृष्ट्वा ततस्ताभ्याम् इदं च परिचिन्तितम् किमेभिः कमलैः कार्यं वरं विष्णुरलंकृतः
tāṃ tu dṛṣṭvā tatastābhyām idaṃ ca paricintitam kimebhiḥ kamalaiḥ kāryaṃ varaṃ viṣṇuralaṃkṛtaḥ
Seeing her, the two then thought this: "What need is there of these lotuses? Viṣṇu is better adorned (already)."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.21
इति भक्तिस्तदा जाता दम्पत्योस्तु नराधिप तत्प्रसङ्गात्समभ्यर्च्य केशवं लवणाचलम् शय्या च पुष्पप्रकरैः पूजिता भूश्च सर्वतः
iti bhaktistadā jātā dampatyostu narādhipa tatprasaṅgātsamabhyarcya keśavaṃ lavaṇācalam śayyā ca puṣpaprakaraiḥ pūjitā bhūśca sarvataḥ
Thus devotion then arose in the couple, O ruler of men; on that occasion, having duly worshipped Keśava and the mountain of salt, the bed too was worshipped with masses of flowers, and the ground all around.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.22
अथानङ्गवती तुष्टा तयोर्धनशतत्रयम् दीयतामादिदेशाथ कलधौतशतत्रयम्
athānaṅgavatī tuṣṭā tayordhanaśatatrayam dīyatāmādideśātha kaladhautaśatatrayam
Then Anaṅgavatī, pleased, directed that three hundred (pieces of) wealth be given to those two, and three hundred of silver.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.23
न गृहीतं ततस्ताभ्यां बहुसत्त्वावलम्बनात् अनङ्गवत्या च पुनस् तयोरन्नं चतुर्विधम् आनीय व्याहृतं चात्र भुज्यतामिति भूपते
na gṛhītaṃ tatastābhyāṃ bahusattvāvalambanāt anaṅgavatyā ca punas tayorannaṃ caturvidham ānīya vyāhṛtaṃ cātra bhujyatāmiti bhūpate
But it was not accepted by the two, out of their great firmness of resolve; and Anaṅgavatī again, having brought food of four kinds for them, said, "Let it be eaten here," O lord of the earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.24
ताभ्यां तु तदपि त्यक्तं भोक्ष्यावो वै वरानने प्रसङ्गादुपवासेन तवाद्य सुखमावयोः
tābhyāṃ tu tadapi tyaktaṃ bhokṣyāvo vai varānane prasaṅgādupavāsena tavādya sukhamāvayoḥ
But that too was refused by the two: "We shall indeed eat, O fair-faced one; by this occasion, through fasting, today there is happiness for us two."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.25
जन्मप्रभृति पापिष्ठौ कुकर्माणौ दृढव्रते तत्प्रसङ्गात्तयोर्मध्ये धर्मलेशस्तु ते ऽनघ
janmaprabhṛti pāpiṣṭhau kukarmāṇau dṛḍhavrate tatprasaṅgāttayormadhye dharmaleśastu te 'nagha
"Sinful from birth are we, doers of evil deeds, O you of firm vow; through association with you a fragment of dharma has come to be between us two, O faultless one."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.26
इति जागरणं ताभ्यां तत्प्रसङ्गादनुष्ठितम् प्रभाते च तदा दत्ता शय्या सलवणाचला
iti jāgaraṇaṃ tābhyāṃ tatprasaṅgādanuṣṭhitam prabhāte ca tadā dattā śayyā salavaṇācalā
Thus the night-vigil was performed by the two on that occasion; and at dawn the bed, along with the mountain of salt, was given,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.27
ग्रामाश्च गुरवे भक्त्या विप्रेषु द्वादशैव तु वस्त्रालंकारसंयुक्ता गावश्च करकान्विताः
grāmāśca gurave bhaktyā vipreṣu dvādaśaiva tu vastrālaṃkārasaṃyuktā gāvaśca karakānvitāḥ
and villages to the teacher with devotion, and to twelve brahmins cows furnished with garments and ornaments and with water-pots.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.28
भोजनं च सुहृन्मित्रदीनान्धकृपणैः समम् तच्च लुब्धकदाम्पत्यं पूजयित्वा विसर्जितम्
bhojanaṃ ca suhṛnmitradīnāndhakṛpaṇaiḥ samam tacca lubdhakadāmpatyaṃ pūjayitvā visarjitam
And a meal together with well-wishers, friends, the poor, the blind and the wretched; and that hunter couple, having been honoured, was sent away.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.29
स भवांल् लुब्धको जातः सपत्नीको नृपेश्वरः पुष्करप्रकरात्तस्मात् केशवस्य न पूजनात्
sa bhavāṃl lubdhako jātaḥ sapatnīko nṛpeśvaraḥ puṣkaraprakarāttasmāt keśavasya na pūjanāt
That hunter has become you, lord of kings, together with your wife — from that heap of lotuses, not from the worship of Keśava.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.30
विनष्टाशेषपापस्य तव पुष्करमन्दिरम् तस्य सत्त्वस्य माहात्म्याद् अल्पेन तपसा नृप
vinaṣṭāśeṣapāpasya tava puṣkaramandiram tasya sattvasya māhātmyād alpena tapasā nṛpa
For you, whose every sin is destroyed, the temple at Puṣkara — by the greatness of that resolve, with little austerity, O king,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.31
यथाकामगमं जातं लोकनाथश्चतुर्मुखः संतुष्टस्तव राजेन्द्र ब्रह्मरूपी जनार्दनः
yathākāmagamaṃ jātaṃ lokanāthaścaturmukhaḥ saṃtuṣṭastava rājendra brahmarūpī janārdanaḥ
— has become a place to go at will; the lord of the world, the four-faced one, Janārdana in the form of Brahmā, is pleased with you, O foremost of kings.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.32
साप्यनङ्गवती वेश्या कामदेवस्य साम्प्रतम् पत्नी सपत्नी संजाता रत्याः प्रीतिरिति श्रुता लोकेष्वानन्दजननी सकलामरपूजिता
sāpyanaṅgavatī veśyā kāmadevasya sāmpratam patnī sapatnī saṃjātā ratyāḥ prītiriti śrutā lokeṣvānandajananī sakalāmarapūjitā
And that courtesan Anaṅgavatī has now become the wife of Kāmadeva, co-wife of Rati, known in the worlds as Prīti, producing delight, honoured by all the gods.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.33
तस्मादुत्सृज्य राजेन्द्र पुष्करं तन्महीतले गङ्गातटं समाश्रित्य विभूतिद्वादशीव्रतम् कुरु राजेन्द्र निर्वाणम् अवश्यं समवाप्स्यसि
tasmādutsṛjya rājendra puṣkaraṃ tanmahītale gaṅgātaṭaṃ samāśritya vibhūtidvādaśīvratam kuru rājendra nirvāṇam avaśyaṃ samavāpsyasi
Therefore, O foremost of kings, leaving Puṣkara there on the earth, and resorting to the bank of the Gaṅgā, perform the Vibhūti-dvādaśī vow, O foremost of kings; you will certainly attain liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.34
इत्युक्त्वा स मुनिर् ब्रह्मंस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत राजा यथोक्तं च पुनर् अकरोत्पुष्पवाहनः
ityuktvā sa munir brahmaṃs tatraivāntaradhīyata rājā yathoktaṃ ca punar akarotpuṣpavāhanaḥ
Having said this, that sage, O Brahman, vanished right there; and the king Puṣpavāhana again did as had been told.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 100.35
इदमाचरतो ब्रह्मन्न् अखण्डव्रतम् आचरेत् यथाकथंचित् कमलैर् द्वादश द्वादशीर् मुने
idamācarato brahmann akhaṇḍavratam ācaret yathākathaṃcit kamalair dvādaśa dvādaśīr mune
For one who performs this, O Brahman, one should carry out the vow unbroken; by whatever means, with lotuses, through twelve dvādaśīs, O sage,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 100.36
कर्तव्याः शक्तितो देया विप्रेभ्यो दक्षिणानघ न वित्तशाठ्यं कुर्वीत भक्त्या तुष्यति केशवः
kartavyāḥ śaktito deyā viprebhyo dakṣiṇānagha na vittaśāṭhyaṃ kurvīta bhaktyā tuṣyati keśavaḥ
(these) are to be performed; and sacrificial fees are to be given to brahmins according to one's ability, O sinless one. One should not be stingy with wealth; Keśava is pleased by devotion.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition