Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — Mahāgaurī’s Entry

Devanagari script

पूर्णचन्द्राननां तन्वीं नितम्बोरुघनस्तनीम् मध्ये क्षामां तथाक्षीणलावण्यामृतवर्षिणीम् //

Transliteration

pūrṇacandrānanāṃ tanvīṃ nitamborughanastanīm madhye kṣāmāṃ tathākṣīṇalāvaṇyāmṛtavarṣiṇīm //

Translation

She is slender, with a face like the full moon; with full hips and thighs and ample breasts; with a waist that is delicately lean—yet she pours forth an unwaning nectar of beauty and charm.

Word by Word

• pūrṇa-candra-ānanām: having a face like the full moon

• tanvīm: slender, delicate-bodied

• nitamba-uru-ghana-stanīm: with full hips (nitamba), robust thighs (uru), and prominent breasts (stana)

• madhye: at the middle/waist

• kṣāmām: lean, fine, slender

• tathā: and also

• akṣīṇa-lāvaṇya-amṛta-varṣiṇīm: one who rains/pours (varṣiṇī) the nectar (amṛta) of un-diminishing (akṣīṇa) beauty/grace (lāvaṇya)

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative transmission of the Matsya Purāṇa’s iconographic description; exact sub-speaker not explicit in this single verse)

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Devi
• Aesthetics
• Temple Art

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to an iconographic/aesthetic description, emphasizing auspicious bodily markers used for divine representation rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it supports dharma through correct worship: kings and householders are urged in Purāṇic practice to commission and venerate properly described images (pratimā-lakṣaṇa), believing that accuracy in form sustains right ritual and social order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse functions as pratimā-lakṣaṇa—criteria for sculptors and patrons—guiding how a deity or revered feminine figure should be envisioned for temple imagery, ensuring auspicious proportions and devotional efficacy.