Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्पुरे वै तरुणप्रदोषे चन्द्राट्टहासे तरुणप्रदोषे रत्यर्थिनो वै दनुजा गृहेषु सहाङ्गनाभिः सुचिरं विरेमुः //

Transliteration

tasminpure vai taruṇapradoṣe candrāṭṭahāse taruṇapradoṣe ratyarthino vai danujā gṛheṣu sahāṅganābhiḥ suciraṃ viremuḥ //

Translation

In that city, at the tender hour of dusk—when the moonlit night seemed to laugh aloud—those Danuja lords, seeking pleasure, sported for a long time in their houses together with their women.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन् (tasmin): in that

• पुरे (pure): city

• वै (vai): indeed

• तरुण-प्रदोषे (taruṇa-pradoṣe): in the youthful/early dusk

• चन्द्र-आट्टहासे (candra-āṭṭahāse): when the moon ‘laughed aloud’ (i.e., the moonlit night was bright and playful)

• रति-अर्थिनः (rati-arthinaḥ): desirous of pleasure

• वै (vai): indeed

• दनुजाः (danujāḥ): the Danavas/Danujas (sons/line of Danu)

• गृहेषु (gṛheṣu): in (their) houses

• सह-अङ्गनाभिः (sahāṅganābhiḥ): together with women/consorts

• सुचिरम् (suciram): for a long time

• विरेमुः (viremuḥ): they enjoyed themselves/sported.

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the scene within the Matsya Purana’s ongoing narration

Entities Mentioned

• Danujas (Danavas)
• Candra (Moon)

Tags

• Danavas
• City-life
• Night-scene
• Narrative
• Courtly-pleasures

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya or cosmology; it is a descriptive passage portraying worldly enjoyment in a Danava city at moonlit dusk.

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

Indirectly, it functions as a portrait of kāma (pleasure) within household settings—useful in the Purāṇic ethical frame as a reminder that enjoyment is a powerful human drive that should be balanced by dharma rather than becoming mere indulgence.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule appears here; the only setting detail is that the enjoyment occurs ‘in their houses,’ serving narrative atmosphere rather than architectural instruction.