Matsya Purana — Chapter 109

MtP 109.1

श्रुतं मे ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्तं पुराणे ब्रह्मसम्भवे तीर्थानां तु सहस्राणि शतानि नियुतानि च सर्वे पुण्याः पवित्राश्च गतिश्च परमा स्मृता

śrutaṃ me brahmaṇā proktaṃ purāṇe brahmasambhave tīrthānāṃ tu sahasrāṇi śatāni niyutāni ca sarve puṇyāḥ pavitrāśca gatiśca paramā smṛtā

"I have heard what was spoken by Brahmā in the Purāṇa that arose from Brahmā: there are thousands, hundreds, and myriads of tīrthas; all are meritorious and purifying, and the goal (obtained) is said to be the highest."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.2

सोमतीर्थं महापुण्यं महापातकनाशनम् स्नानमात्रेण राजेन्द्र पुरुषांस्तारयेच्छतम् तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तत्र स्नानं समाचरेत्

somatīrthaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam snānamātreṇa rājendra puruṣāṃstārayecchatam tasmātsarvaprayatnena tatra snānaṃ samācaret

"The Soma-tīrtha is of great merit, destroying great sins; merely by bathing (there), O best of kings, one would carry across a hundred men. Therefore with all effort one should perform bathing there."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.3

पृथिव्यां नैमिषं पुण्यम् अन्तरिक्षे च पुष्करम् त्रयाणामपि लोकानां कुरुक्षेत्रं विशिष्यते

pṛthivyāṃ naimiṣaṃ puṇyam antarikṣe ca puṣkaram trayāṇāmapi lokānāṃ kurukṣetraṃ viśiṣyate

"On earth Naimiṣa is meritorious, and in the middle region Puṣkara; but of all three worlds Kurukṣetra is the most distinguished."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.4

सर्वाणि तानि संत्यज्य कथमेकं प्रशंससि अप्रमाणं तु तत्रोक्तम् अश्रद्धेयमनुत्तमम्

sarvāṇi tāni saṃtyajya kathamekaṃ praśaṃsasi apramāṇaṃ tu tatroktam aśraddheyamanuttamam

"Abandoning all those, how (is it that) you praise one alone? What is said there is without authority, unbelievable, (though called) unsurpassed —"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.5

गतिं च परमां दिव्यां भोगांश्चैव यथेप्सितान् किमर्थमल्पयोगेन बहु धर्मं प्रशंससि एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम्

gatiṃ ca paramāṃ divyāṃ bhogāṃścaiva yathepsitān kimarthamalpayogena bahu dharmaṃ praśaṃsasi etanme saṃśayaṃ brūhi yathādṛṣṭaṃ yathāśrutam

"— and the supreme divine goal, and enjoyments just as desired: why do you praise so much merit (as coming) from so slight an effort? Tell me this doubt (of mine), as you have seen and as you have heard."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.6

अश्रद्धेयं न वक्तव्यं प्रत्यक्षमपि यद्भवेत् नरस्याश्रद्दधानस्य पापोपहतचेतसः

aśraddheyaṃ na vaktavyaṃ pratyakṣamapi yadbhavet narasyāśraddadhānasya pāpopahatacetasaḥ

What cannot be believed should not be told, even if it be a thing seen with the eyes, to a man without faith, whose mind is ruined by sin.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.7

अश्रद्दधानो ह्यशुचिर् दुर्मतिस्त्यक्तमङ्गलः एते पातकिनः सर्वे तेनेदं भाषितं त्वया

aśraddadhāno hyaśucir durmatistyaktamaṅgalaḥ ete pātakinaḥ sarve tenedaṃ bhāṣitaṃ tvayā

For the faithless man is impure, evil-minded, one who has cast off all auspiciousness; all these are sinners — that is why you have spoken thus.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.8

शृणु प्रयागमाहात्म्यं यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् प्रत्यक्षं च परोक्षं च यथान्यस्तं भविष्यति

śṛṇu prayāgamāhātmyaṃ yathādṛṣṭaṃ yathāśrutam pratyakṣaṃ ca parokṣaṃ ca yathānyastaṃ bhaviṣyati

Hear the greatness of Prayāga, as seen and as heard, both what is before the eyes and what is beyond sight, as it has been laid down.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.9

यथैवान्यददृष्टं च यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् शास्त्रं प्रमाणं कृत्वा च युज्यते योगमात्मनः

yathaivānyadadṛṣṭaṃ ca yathādṛṣṭaṃ yathāśrutam śāstraṃ pramāṇaṃ kṛtvā ca yujyate yogamātmanaḥ

Just as with any other thing unseen, so with what is seen and what is heard: making the scripture one's authority, one is joined to the yoga of the self.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.10

क्लिश्यते चापरस्तत्र नैव योगमवाप्नुयात् जन्मान्तरसहस्रेभ्यो योगो लभ्येत मानवैः

kliśyate cāparastatra naiva yogamavāpnuyāt janmāntarasahasrebhyo yogo labhyeta mānavaiḥ

But another struggles there and does not attain yoga at all; only after thousands of further births might yoga be gained by men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.11

यथा योगसहस्रेण योगो लभ्येत मानवैः यस्तु सर्वाणि रत्नानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छति

yathā yogasahasreṇa yogo labhyeta mānavaiḥ yastu sarvāṇi ratnāni brāhmaṇebhyaḥ prayacchati

Just as yoga might be gained by men through a thousand yogic practices — but he who bestows all manner of jewels upon brahmins,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.12

तेन दानेन दत्तेन योगं नाभ्येति मानवः प्रयागे तु मृतस्येदं सर्वं भवति नान्यथा

tena dānena dattena yogaṃ nābhyeti mānavaḥ prayāge tu mṛtasyedaṃ sarvaṃ bhavati nānyathā

by that gift, once given, a man does not reach yoga; but for one who has died at Prayāga all this comes about, and not otherwise.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.13

प्रधानहेतुं वक्ष्यामि श्रद्दधत्स्व च भारत यथा सर्वेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्म सर्वत्र दृश्यते

pradhānahetuṃ vakṣyāmi śraddadhatsva ca bhārata yathā sarveṣu bhūteṣu brahma sarvatra dṛśyate

I shall tell you the principal reason — and have faith, Bhārata: just as in all beings brahman is seen everywhere,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.14

ब्राह्मणे वास्ति यत्किंचिद् अब्राह्मम् इति वोच्यते एवं सर्वेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्म सर्वत्र पूज्यते

brāhmaṇe vāsti yatkiṃcid abrāhmam iti vocyate evaṃ sarveṣu bhūteṣu brahma sarvatra pūjyate

or (as) whatever there is in a brahmin, it is (not) to be called non-brahmic — so in all beings brahman is worshipped everywhere.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.15

तथा सर्वेषु लोकेषु प्रयागं पूजयेद्बुधः पूज्यते तीर्थराजस्तु सत्यमेव युधिष्ठिर

tathā sarveṣu lokeṣu prayāgaṃ pūjayedbudhaḥ pūjyate tīrtharājastu satyameva yudhiṣṭhira

So among all the worlds the wise man should honour Prayāga; the king of holy fords is indeed worshipped — this is the very truth, Yudhiṣṭhira.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.16

ब्रह्मापि स्मरते नित्यं प्रयागं तीर्थमुत्तमम् तीर्थराजम् अनुप्राप्य न चान्यत्किंचिदर्हति

brahmāpi smarate nityaṃ prayāgaṃ tīrthamuttamam tīrtharājam anuprāpya na cānyatkiṃcidarhati

Even Brahmā constantly calls to mind Prayāga, the highest of holy fords; having reached the king of fords, one has no need of anything else.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.17

को हि देवत्वमासाद्य मनुष्यत्वं चिकीर्षति अनेनैवोपमानेन त्वं ज्ञास्यसि युधिष्ठिर यथा पुण्यतमं चास्ति तथैव कथितं मया

ko hi devatvamāsādya manuṣyatvaṃ cikīrṣati anenaivopamānena tvaṃ jñāsyasi yudhiṣṭhira yathā puṇyatamaṃ cāsti tathaiva kathitaṃ mayā

For who, having attained godhood, would wish for human status? By this very comparison you will understand, Yudhiṣṭhira, how it is the most holy of all; just so has it been told by me.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.18

श्रुतं चेदं त्वया प्रोक्तं विस्मितो ऽहं पुनः पुनः कथं योगेन तत्प्राप्तिः स्वर्गवासस्तु कर्मणा

śrutaṃ cedaṃ tvayā proktaṃ vismito 'haṃ punaḥ punaḥ kathaṃ yogena tatprāptiḥ svargavāsastu karmaṇā

I have heard this that you have spoken, and I am amazed again and again: how is that attained through yoga, while dwelling in heaven comes through ritual action?

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.19

दाता वै लभते भोगान् गां च यत्कर्मणः फलम् तानि कर्माणि पृच्छामि पुनस्तैः प्राप्यते मही

dātā vai labhate bhogān gāṃ ca yatkarmaṇaḥ phalam tāni karmāṇi pṛcchāmi punastaiḥ prāpyate mahī

The giver indeed obtains enjoyments, and the earth, which is the fruit of (his) action; I ask about those actions, by which again the earth is obtained.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.20

शृणु राजन्महाबाहो यथोक्तकरणं महीम् गामग्निं ब्राह्मणं शास्त्रं काञ्चनं सलिलं स्त्रियः

śṛṇu rājanmahābāho yathoktakaraṇaṃ mahīm gāmagniṃ brāhmaṇaṃ śāstraṃ kāñcanaṃ salilaṃ striyaḥ

Hear, O mighty-armed king, the performance as prescribed: the earth, the cow, fire, the brahmin, scripture, gold, water, women —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MtP 109.21

मातरं पितरं चैव ये निन्दन्ति नराधमाः न तेषामूर्ध्वगमनम् इदमाह प्रजापतिः

mātaraṃ pitaraṃ caiva ye nindanti narādhamāḥ na teṣāmūrdhvagamanam idamāha prajāpatiḥ

Those lowest of men who revile their mother and their father — for them there is no going upward: so said Prajāpati.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.22

एवं योगस्य सम्प्राप्तिस्थानं परमदुर्लभम् गच्छन्ति नरकं घोरं ये नराः पापकर्मिणः

evaṃ yogasya samprāptisthānaṃ paramadurlabham gacchanti narakaṃ ghoraṃ ye narāḥ pāpakarmiṇaḥ

Thus the place where yoga is attained is exceedingly hard to reach; those men who do evil deeds go to dreadful hell.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.23

हस्त्यश्वं गाम् अनड्वाहं मणिमुक्तादिकाञ्चनम् परोक्षं हरते यस्तु पश्चाद्दानं प्रयच्छति

hastyaśvaṃ gām anaḍvāhaṃ maṇimuktādikāñcanam parokṣaṃ harate yastu paścāddānaṃ prayacchati

But he who secretly carries off an elephant, a horse, a cow, an ox, or gems, pearls, gold and the like, and afterwards makes a gift —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.24

न ते गच्छन्ति वै स्वर्गं दातारो यत्र भोगिनः अनेनकर्मणा युक्ताः पच्यन्ते नरके पुनः

na te gacchanti vai svargaṃ dātāro yatra bhoginaḥ anenakarmaṇā yuktāḥ pacyante narake punaḥ

such men do not go to heaven, where givers enjoy their reward; bound up with this deed, they are cooked in hell again.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 109.25

एवं योगं च धर्मं च दातारं च युधिष्ठिर यथा सत्यमसत्यं वा अस्ति नास्तीति यत्फलम् निरुक्तं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि यथाह स्वयमंशुमान्

evaṃ yogaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca dātāraṃ ca yudhiṣṭhira yathā satyamasatyaṃ vā asti nāstīti yatphalam niruktaṃ tu pravakṣyāmi yathāha svayamaṃśumān

Thus, Yudhiṣṭhira, concerning yoga, dharma, and the giver — how it is true or untrue, and what fruit there is or is not — I shall declare the explanation, just as Aṃśumān himself declared it.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain