Shloka 42

Matsya Purana — Inquiry into Taraka’s Slaying and the Prelude to Guha

Devanagari script

सा तु लब्धवरा देवी जगाम तपसे वनम् दश वर्षसहस्राणि सा तपो घोरमाचरत् //

Transliteration

sā tu labdhavarā devī jagāma tapase vanam daśa varṣasahasrāṇi sā tapo ghoramācarat //

Translation

That goddess, having obtained the boon she desired, went to the forest to undertake austerities; for ten thousand years she practiced a fierce and rigorous penance.

Word by Word

• सा (sā): she

• तु (tu): indeed/then

• लब्ध-वरा (labdha-varā): having obtained a boon

• देवी (devī): the goddess

• जगाम (jagāma): went

• तपसे (tapase): for austerity/for penance

• वनम् (vanam): to the forest

• दश (daśa): ten

• वर्ष-सहस्राणि (varṣa-sahasrāṇi): thousands of years (i.e., thousand-year units)

• सा (sā): she

• तपः (tapaḥ/tapo): austerity, ascetic heat

• घोरम् (ghoram): terrible, intense, formidable

• आचरत् (ācarat): practiced, performed.

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Matsya Purana’s discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Devī (the Goddess)

Tags

• Tapas
• Vrata
• Forest-asceticism
• Boons
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya directly; it highlights tapas as a source of transformative spiritual power in Purāṇic narratives.

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

It models disciplined vow-keeping and sustained effort; for a householder or king, the parallel is steadfast observance of dharma—regular vows, restraint, and long-term commitment to righteous aims.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated here; the ritual takeaway is the centrality of tapas (austerity) as a recognized means to attain siddhi/boons in the Matsya Purana’s religious framework.