Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — Maya’s War-Counsel to the Danavas and the Moonlit Revels in Tripura

Devanagari script

तदा मठेषु ते दीपाः स्नेहपूर्णाः प्रदीपिताः गृहाणि वसुमन्त्येषां सर्वरत्नमयानि च ज्वलतो ऽदीपयन्दीपांश् चन्द्रोदय इव ग्रहाः //

Transliteration

tadā maṭheṣu te dīpāḥ snehapūrṇāḥ pradīpitāḥ gṛhāṇi vasumantyeṣāṃ sarvaratnamayāni ca jvalato 'dīpayandīpāṃś candrodaya iva grahāḥ //

Translation

Then, in those monasteries, lamps filled with oil were lit. Their houses, rich in wealth and as though fashioned from every kind of jewel, blazed with radiance—so that the shining lamps seemed to kindle one another, like the stars at the rising of the moon.

Word by Word

• tadā: then

• maṭheṣu: in monasteries/monastic halls

• te: those

• dīpāḥ: lamps

• sneha-pūrṇāḥ: filled with oil/ghee (lit. ‘unctuous substance’)

• pradīpitāḥ: kindled, set alight

• gṛhāṇi: houses, dwellings

• vasumanti: wealthy, possessing riches

• eṣām: of these (people/places)

• sarva-ratna-mayāni: made of (as if composed of) all gems

• ca: and

• jvalataḥ: blazing, shining

• adīpayan: (they) illuminated/kindled

• dīpān: lamps (acc. pl.)

• candra-udayaḥ: moonrise

• iva: like

• grahāḥ: heavenly bodies/stars (lit. ‘seizers’, here planets/stars).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s account; likely within a Vāstu/maṭha description section)

Entities Mentioned

• Maṭha (monastery)
• Dīpa (lamp)
• Candra (moon)
• Grahāḥ (stars/planets)

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Temple Lighting
• Monasteries
• Auspiciousness
• Ritual Lamps

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it depicts auspicious illumination and prosperity—imagery of order, radiance, and sacred habitation rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

The verse highlights maintaining well-lit, prosperous, and orderly sacred and domestic spaces—aligning with the householder’s duty of supporting temples/maṭhas and sustaining ritual cleanliness, hospitality, and auspicious daily observances (like lamp-lighting).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It emphasizes dīpa-pradīpana (lighting lamps) in maṭhas and dwellings as an auspicious practice that enhances the sanctity and visibility of built spaces—an indirect Vāstu cue that illumination is integral to sacred architecture and ritual atmosphere.