Matsya Purana — Chapter 38

MtP 38.1

अहं ययातिर्नहुषस्य पुत्रः पूरोः पिता सर्वभूतावमानात् प्रभ्रंशितो ऽहं सुरसिद्धलोकात् परिच्युतः प्रपताम्यल्पपुण्यः

ahaṃ yayātirnahuṣasya putraḥ pūroḥ pitā sarvabhūtāvamānāt prabhraṃśito 'haṃ surasiddhalokāt paricyutaḥ prapatāmyalpapuṇyaḥ

"I am Yayāti, son of Nahuṣa, father of Pūru. Because I slighted all beings I have been cast out; fallen from the world of gods and siddhas, with little merit left, I am plunging down.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.2

अहं हि पूर्वो वयसा भवद्भयस् तेनाभिवादं भवतां न युञ्जे यो विद्यया तपसा जन्मना वा वृद्धः स वै सम्भवति द्विजानाम्

ahaṃ hi pūrvo vayasā bhavadbhayas tenābhivādaṃ bhavatāṃ na yuñje yo vidyayā tapasā janmanā vā vṛddhaḥ sa vai sambhavati dvijānām

Since I am your senior in years, I do not offer you greeting; for among twice-born men it is he who is elder by learning, by austerity, or by birth who is (deemed) so."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.3

अवादीस्त्वं वयसास्मि प्रवृद्ध इति वै राजन्न् अधिकः कथंचित् यो वै विद्वांस्तपसा सम्प्रवृद्धः स एव पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्

avādīstvaṃ vayasāsmi pravṛddha iti vai rājann adhikaḥ kathaṃcit yo vai vidvāṃstapasā sampravṛddhaḥ sa eva pūjyo bhavati dvijānām

"You said, O king, 'I am advanced in years,' and so somehow superior. But he who is learned, grown great through austerity — he alone becomes worthy of honour among the twice-born."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.4

प्रतिकूलं कर्मणां पापमाहुस् तद्वर्तिनां प्रवणं पापलोकम् सन्तो ऽसतो नान्ववर्तन्त ते वै यदात्मनैषां प्रतिकूलवादी

pratikūlaṃ karmaṇāṃ pāpamāhus tadvartināṃ pravaṇaṃ pāpalokam santo 'sato nānvavartanta te vai yadātmanaiṣāṃ pratikūlavādī

"They call what is contrary to (right) actions sin; for those who follow it there is a downward slope, an evil world. The good did not follow the wicked — when one is by his own nature a speaker of what is contrary to them.

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

MtP 38.5

अभूद्धनं मे विपुलं महद्वै विचेष्टमानो ऽधिगन्ता तदस्मि एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो यो वर्तते स विजानाति धीरः

abhūddhanaṃ me vipulaṃ mahadvai viceṣṭamāno 'dhigantā tadasmi evaṃ pradhāryātmahite niviṣṭo yo vartate sa vijānāti dhīraḥ

I had vast, great wealth; by exerting myself I became the winner of it. Having determined thus, whoever remains intent upon his own good — that steadfast man understands.

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

MtP 38.6

नानाभावा बहवो जीवलोके दैवाधीना नष्टचेष्टाधिकाराः तत्तत्प्राप्य न विहन्येत धीरो दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वात्मबुद्ध्या

nānābhāvā bahavo jīvaloke daivādhīnā naṣṭaceṣṭādhikārāḥ tattatprāpya na vihanyeta dhīro diṣṭaṃ balīya iti matvātmabuddhyā

In the world of the living there are many and various conditions, subject to fate, in which the exercise of effort is lost. Meeting with this or that, the steadfast man should not be crushed, having judged with his own mind that what is ordained is stronger.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.7

सुखं हि जन्तुर्यदि वापि दुःखं दैवाधीनं विन्दति नात्मशक्त्या तस्माद्दिष्टं बलवन्मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कदाचित्

sukhaṃ hi janturyadi vāpi duḥkhaṃ daivādhīnaṃ vindati nātmaśaktyā tasmāddiṣṭaṃ balavanmanyamāno na saṃjvarennāpi hṛṣyetkadācit

For a creature obtains pleasure, or else pain, as subject to fate, not by its own power. Therefore, holding what is ordained to be the stronger, one should never be distressed nor yet elated.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.8

दुःखे न तप्येत सुखे न हृष्येत् समेन वर्तेत सदैव धीरः दिष्टं बलीय इति मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत् कदाचित्

duḥkhe na tapyeta sukhe na hṛṣyet samena varteta sadaiva dhīraḥ diṣṭaṃ balīya iti manyamāno na saṃjvarennāpi hṛṣyet kadācit

One should not be pained in sorrow nor elated in pleasure; the steadfast man should always conduct himself with evenness. Holding that what is ordained is stronger, he should never be distressed nor yet elated.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.9

भये न मुह्याम्यष्टकाहं कदाचित् संतापो मे मनसो नास्ति कश्चित् धाता यथा मां विदधाति लोके ध्रुवं तथाहं भवितेति मत्वा

bhaye na muhyāmyaṣṭakāhaṃ kadācit saṃtāpo me manaso nāsti kaścit dhātā yathā māṃ vidadhāti loke dhruvaṃ tathāhaṃ bhaviteti matvā

In danger I am never bewildered, Aṣṭaka; there is no grief at all in my mind, since I hold: as the Ordainer disposes me in the world, so shall I surely be.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.10

संस्वेदजा ह्य् अण्डजा ह्य् उद्भिदश्च सरीसृपाः कृमयो ऽप्य् अप्सु मत्स्याः तथाश्मानस्तृणकाष्ठं च सर्वं दिष्टक्षये स्वां प्रकृतिं भजन्ते

saṃsvedajā hy aṇḍajā hy udbhidaśca sarīsṛpāḥ kṛmayo 'py apsu matsyāḥ tathāśmānastṛṇakāṣṭhaṃ ca sarvaṃ diṣṭakṣaye svāṃ prakṛtiṃ bhajante

For those born of sweat, those born of eggs, those sprouting up, creeping things, worms, and fish in the waters, and likewise stones, grass and wood — all, when what is ordained is exhausted, return to their own natural state.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.11

अनित्यतां सुखदुःखस्य बुद्ध्वा कस्मात् संतापमष्टकाहं भजेयम् किं कुर्यां वै किंच कृत्वा न तप्ये तस्मात्संतापं वर्जयाम्यप्रमत्तः

anityatāṃ sukhaduḥkhasya buddhvā kasmāt saṃtāpamaṣṭakāhaṃ bhajeyam kiṃ kuryāṃ vai kiṃca kṛtvā na tapye tasmātsaṃtāpaṃ varjayāmyapramattaḥ

Having understood the impermanence of pleasure and pain, why should I take up grief, Aṣṭaka? What should I do, and by doing what would I not be pained? Therefore, being vigilant, I put grief away.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.12

एवं ब्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययातिम् अथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत् मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं यत्र स्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत्

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ nṛpatiṃ yayātim athāṣṭakaḥ punarevānvapṛcchat mātāmahaṃ sarvaguṇopapannaṃ yatra sthitaṃ svargaloke yathāvat

Then Aṣṭaka questioned once more the king Yayāti, who spoke thus — his maternal grandfather, endowed with every virtue, who had duly been established in the world of heaven:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.13

ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्र प्रधानास् त्वया भुक्ता यं च काले यथा च तन्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वं यथावत् क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मम्

ye ye lokāḥ pārthivendra pradhānās tvayā bhuktā yaṃ ca kāle yathā ca tanme rājanbrūhi sarvaṃ yathāvat kṣetrajñavadbhāṣase tvaṃ hi dharmam

"Whichever of the foremost worlds were enjoyed by you, O lord of earthly kings, and at what time and in what manner — tell me all that just as it was, O king; for you speak of dharma like one who knows the field."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.14

राजाहमासं त्व् इह सार्वभौमस् ततो लोकान्महतश् चाजर्यं वै तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः

rājāhamāsaṃ tv iha sārvabhaumas tato lokānmahataś cājaryaṃ vai tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ tato lokānparamānabhyupetaḥ

"Here I was a king ruling the whole earth; then (I gained) the great and ageless worlds. There I dwelt a full thousand years, and then I went on to still higher worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.15

ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनान्ताम् अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः

tataḥ purīṃ puruhūtasya ramyāṃ sahasradvārāṃ śatayojanāntām adhyāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ tato lokānparamānabhyupetaḥ

Then the delightful city of Puruhūta (Indra), with a thousand gates and a hundred yojanas across — in that I dwelt a full thousand years, and then I went on to still higher worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.16

ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं प्रजापतेर् लोकपतेर्दुरापम् तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः

tato divyamajaraṃ prāpya lokaṃ prajāpater lokapaterdurāpam tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ tato lokānparamānabhyupetaḥ

Then, having reached the divine, ageless world of Prajāpati, the lord of worlds, hard to attain, I dwelt there a full thousand years, and then I went on to still higher worlds.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.17

देवस्य देवस्य निवेशने च विजित्य लोकान्न्यवसं यथेष्टम् सम्पूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तैस् तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम्

devasya devasya niveśane ca vijitya lokānnyavasaṃ yatheṣṭam sampūjyamānastridaśaiḥ samastais tulyaprabhāvadyutirīśvarāṇām

And in the dwelling of god after god, having conquered the worlds, I dwelt as I pleased, honoured by all the thirty (gods), equal in power and radiance to the lords (among them).

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.18

तथावसं नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् सहाप्सरोभिर्विचरन्पुण्यगन्धान् पश्यन्नगान् पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान्

tathāvasaṃ nandane kāmarūpī saṃvatsarāṇāmayutaṃ śatānām sahāpsarobhirvicaranpuṇyagandhān paśyannagān puṣpitāṃścārurūpān

So too I dwelt in Nandana, taking whatever form I wished, for a hundred times ten thousand years, roaming with the apsarases amid holy fragrances, seeing trees in blossom, of lovely form.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.19

तत्र स्थितं मां देवसुखेषु सक्तं काले ऽतीते महति ततो ऽतिमात्रम् दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण

tatra sthitaṃ māṃ devasukheṣu saktaṃ kāle 'tīte mahati tato 'timātram dūto devānāmabravīdugrarūpo dhvaṃsetyuccaistriḥ plutena svareṇa

While I stayed there, attached to the pleasures of the gods, when a great length of time had passed beyond all measure, a messenger of the gods, of terrible form, said to me three times in a loud, drawn-out voice: 'Fall!'

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.20

एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह ततो भ्रष्टो ऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः वाचो ऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणाम् अनुक्रोशाच्छोचतां मां नरेन्द्र

etāvanme viditaṃ rājasiṃha tato bhraṣṭo 'haṃ nandanātkṣīṇapuṇyaḥ vāco 'śrauṣaṃ cāntarikṣe surāṇām anukrośācchocatāṃ māṃ narendra

So much do I know, O lion among kings: thereupon I fell from Nandana, my merit exhausted. And I heard in the sky the voices of the gods, who out of compassion were grieving for me, O lord of men.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.21

अकस्माद्वै क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः तानब्रुवं पतमानस्तदाहं सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु

akasmādvai kṣīṇapuṇyo yayātiḥ patatyasau puṇyakṛtpuṇyakīrtiḥ tānabruvaṃ patamānastadāhaṃ satāṃ madhye nipateyaṃ kathaṃ nu

'Alas, all at once Yayāti, his merit spent, is falling — he who did meritorious deeds, whose fame was merit!' Then, as I was falling, I said to them: 'How might I fall in the midst of the good?'

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MtP 38.22

तैराख्यातां भवतां यज्ञभूमिं समीक्ष्य चैनामहमागतो ऽस्मि हविर्गन्धैर् दर्शितां यज्ञभूमिं धूमापाङ्गं परिगृह्य प्रतीताम्

tairākhyātāṃ bhavatāṃ yajñabhūmiṃ samīkṣya caināmahamāgato 'smi havirgandhair darśitāṃ yajñabhūmiṃ dhūmāpāṅgaṃ parigṛhya pratītām

The sacrificial ground of you (gentlemen), told of by them, I looked upon, and so I have come; the sacrificial ground shown to me by the smells of the oblation, made known by the sign of its smoke.

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