Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana

by Chaitali Kadia | 2021 | 91,183 words

This page relates ‘State and organizations of Kingdoms’ of the study on the historical elements of the Matsya-purana: one of the eighteen Mahapuranas which are Sanskrit texts that have preserved the cultural heritage, philosophy, religion, geography, etc of ancient India. This Matsyapurana was originally written in 20,000 verses and deals with topics such as architecture, ancient history, polity, religion and philosophy.

The State and organizations of Kingdoms

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Now about the state is discussed. There are ancient and modern thought about the state. Modern thinkers believe that the state is the resource of a particular region, government, population and sovereignty. Ancient thinkers, on the other hand, think that the kingdom is made up of seven elements.

This ‘Saptānga ’ theory is also accepted by the Matsya Purāṇa . this ‘Saptānga ’ mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa are^[1] :

Svāmī (Master),
Mantri (Minister),
Rāṣṭra (State),
Durga (Fort),
Senā (Army) and
Mitra (Ally).

In other words, administrative arrangements, economic self-sufficiency, adequate means of defense, and recognition of other states were considered essential elements for the formation of a particular region. The king is the root of this kingdom of seven. As chief, he protects the people and the kingdom.^[2] The king should carefully protect the last six limbs of the ‘Saptānga ’. The king should kill the fool who rebels against any one of these six limbs. It is not necessary to add a soft heart to the king because a soft heart to the king because a soft hearted king is doomed to defeat. Again, even if a very hard heart is added, the people will be worried about the strict rule. A king who is gentle in time and hard in time is suitable for the kingdom. The king will never make fun of his servants because in times of joy the servant may insult the king. The king must be free from all addiction. The king should always speak with a soft smile. The king must always be associated with great goals. The king should not be delayed in any work. The king should always keep his advice secret because if all the advice is revealed, the king has to face many objections. The king is always the key to the kingdom, so the king must always be protected from divisions (MP-220/21-36).

Now what is described in the Matsya Purāṇa about government is discussed. It is beautifully said in the Matsya Purāṇa . The king is the root of the tree of people so the king should always be protected. Only when the king is saved does the state improve. So all the people must be careful to protect the king.^[3] In the Vedic age, the king was considered the government, but in the Aitereya Brahman , different classes of masters were adopted in the matter of government.^[4]

In the Matsya Purāṇa also some terms or classes are especially noteworthy in this regard–

Adhirāja :

It is said in the Matsya Purāṇa that Candra (Moon) on the day of Koumudi festival in the city of Tripura, he formed an Adhirājya (empire) by removing all darkness with his wife Rohini.^[5] In the Vedas , the Adhirāja is considered to be the ruler. In the Atharva Veda , Indra is identified as Adhirāja (Av-6/98/1). In the Matsya Purāṇa also Adhipati is called Adhirāja .

Cakravartin :

The Matsya Purāṇa discusses a clear description and complete characteristics of Cakravartin . The Cakravartin emperor will originate from the part of Viṣṇu when iniquity rises in every past, present and future of the Tretā Yuga in every Manvantara . These Cakravartin emperors will be long lived, Mahābali , give punishment, great yogi, Yajña parāyana , and Brahmanistha . Their eyes will be huge like lotus petals, full mouth, well organized body, their chest will be wide like a lion, they will walk like great mighty and gajaraja and their incomparable arm strength like great archer and Peepal tree.^[6] The strength, religion, happiness and wealth of the Cakravartin are very strange and auspicious. Their religion, money, work, fame and victory are all obtained. Emperors endowed with lordship and power are also superior to sages in Aishwarya, Anima adi Siddhi , Śastrajñana and and Tapasyā . The hair of their head extends to the forehead, the tongue is large, transparent and smooth, its limbs, are bright red. They have four jaws and all the royal sings are attached. They have fleshy shoulders equal to those of a lion. They have Cakras and fish on their feet and conch and lotus marks on their hands.^[7] In the Matsya Purāṇa , Kartavirya Arjuna is called as Cakravartin^[8] and also Mahamanasa has been called the Cakravartin emperor (MP-48/14).

Ekarāta :

It is said in the Matsya Purāṇa that when someone dies in the field of Dhautapapa , he becomes the devotee of the mighty Śiva and becomes the absolute ruler of the world.^[9] It is further stated in the Matsya Purāṇa that the person who worships Rudrakot on the Amarkantaka mountain becomes an absolute emperor when he is born on the earth.^[10] Mahāpadmananda has long been called the absolute emperor or Ekacchatra in the Matsya Purāṇa (MP-272/19).

Sāmanta (Feudal):

The Sāmanta (feudal) lord mentions that Pulaka will kill his lord and anoint his son at that place and that son will be worshiped by the feudal lords only for his own strength. It is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa that the Śunga kings will also be captured by the feudal kings.^[11] A king should live where the feudal lords live (MP-217/1).

Sārvabhauma (Sovereign):

Yayāti is called the sovereign king (MP-42/22, 38/14). Sudharma’s son was also a sovereign king. He was also declared the sole Cakravartin emperor on the earth (MP-49/71, 72).

Samrata (Emperor):

The king who conquered India is called the emperor (MP-114/15). Kārtavirya and Mahāmānasa are called ‘Saptadvīpeśvara ’ (MP-43/14, 48/14). The person who donates ‘Guraparvata ’ by appropriate rules is worshiped by Gandarva and is established in the Gauriloka . And after passing a hundred Kalpas , he became long-lived and healthy and became the ruler of ‘Saptadvīpa’ (MP-85/9). He can also become the ruler of the seven islands by donating ‘Śarkara-Śailadana ’ (MP-92/15).

Now the question is how this monarchy would have been specific? Wouldn’t that have been in the electoral system for generations? There are many doctrines in this regard. However, it is mentioned in the Matsya Purāṇa that when the situation of was came to the fore, Dharmātmā Manu anointed his eldest son Ilā on the throne and went to Mahendra mountain to perform austerities himself.^[12] The genealogy shows that if a king had many sons, the eldest son would sit on the throne. For example, Kubalāśva had three sons–Dridāśva, Danda and Kapilāśva. In that case the Dridāśva will be the next king, not the other two (MP-12/31). Similarly, king Māndhātā had three sons–Purukutsa, Dharmasena and Mucukund. In this case also the eldest son Purukutsa and his successors sit on the throne (MP–12/35).

However, this rule is also seen to be violated in the Matsya Purāṇa . Yayāti proclaims his youngest son Puru as king. When the Brahmins asked why he had made this decision ever though he had an eldest son, Yayāti showed the reason for his dissatisfaction and said that no one but Puru had agreed to give him youth. And the demon guru Śukrācārya also said that the son who will give youth to Yayāti will be the next king (MP–35/15, 36/5). The people also made this decision because Puru was a real patriarch, worthy, honest and loving. So despite being the youngest, Puru was the greatest (MP–34/26, 27).

On the other hand, the people could also choose their king. For example, Pratīpa has three sons–Devāpi, Śāntanu and Bahlīka. Due to Devāpi’s leprosy, the people did not pay their respects to him and appointed Śāntanu as king and Devāpi became a saint and went to the forest.^[13] Despite beingblind, king Dyumatsenā, who was the father of Satyavāna and the father-in-law of Sāvitri, was brought back to the kingdom by the people with affectionate burial and declared their king. It is to be noted here that Sāvitri sought the vision of her father-in-law as a gift to Yama.^[14] Theology and ethics also say that if the eldest son suffers from any physical or mental illness such as leprosy, blindness, etc. then the next son will sit on the king’s seat, excluding him.

However, it should be noted here that the word ‘Gana ’ has been used in many meanings in the Matsya Purāṇa . Such as–Dala^[15], Khidmatgar .^[16] and Pakṣidala .^[17] It has been said that all kinds of problems are created by the Vināyaka on the ruler of this people. In addition to the monarchical and aristocratic states, there was also the government of the Republic of Ancient India. Although there are detailed descriptions on this subject in other literatures, Matsya Purāṇa does not give any example on this subject.

In ancient India, like in modern times, a king had a cherished ambition to be the absolute ruler. That is why he wanted to rise to power by attacking and conquering. As a model for this expansion of the kingdom, provision was made for the kings to perform Aśvamedha and Vājapeya sacrifices. At that time there was a great lack of communication and travel, so the government was forced to divide and rule the different states separately. And other states were known as Angarājya . There were also many states who established themselves as friends of the powerful state. They were called allied kingdoms. These states aided the central principal state in times of war and fought for that state.

The Matsya Purāṇa describes the organizations of all these kingdoms under certain names, e.g.–Vijigisu (MP-228/3, 4), Akranda, Pārṣṇigraha (MP-240/2). The position of this Mandala is explained with the help of diagrams.