Shloka 25

Matsya Purana — Purūravas Beholds the Divine Himalayan River

Devanagari script

प्रयुक्ता च केसरिगणैः करिवृन्दजुष्टा संतानयुक्तसलिलापि सुवर्णयुक्ता सूर्यांशुतापपरिवृद्धिविवृद्धशीता शीतांशुतुल्ययशसा ददृशे नृपेण //

Transliteration

prayuktā ca kesarigaṇaiḥ karivṛndajuṣṭā saṃtānayuktasalilāpi suvarṇayuktā sūryāṃśutāpaparivṛddhivivṛddhaśītā śītāṃśutulyayaśasā dadṛśe nṛpeṇa //

Translation

It was furnished with troops of lions and frequented by herds of elephants; its waters were rich with lotuses and it was adorned with gold. Though the sun’s rays grew fierce, its coolness only increased—thus it was seen by the king, whose fame was like the moon.

Word by Word

• प्रयुक्ता: furnished/appointed/stocked

• च: and

• केसरिगणैः: with groups of lions

• करिवृन्दजुष्टा: inhabited/frequented by herds of elephants

• संतानयुक्तसलिलापि: even the waters (salila) endowed with lotuses (saṃtāna, understood here as lotus-growth/continuity of blooms)

• सुवर्णयुक्ता: endowed/adorned with gold

• सूर्यांशुताप: heat from the sun’s rays

• परिवृद्धि: increase/intensification

• विवृद्धशीता: having coolness that becomes more and more increased

• शीतांशुतुल्ययशसा: by (one) whose fame is like the moon

• ददृशे: was seen/appeared

• नृपेण: by the king.

Speaker

• Suta (narrative voice) describing what the king beheld (descriptive passage within the Matsya Purana’s royal/narrative flow)

Entities Mentioned

• nṛpa (the king)
• kesari (lions)
• kari (elephants)
• sūrya (sun)
• śītāṃśu (moon)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Royal Prosperity
• City Description
• Puranic Poetics
• Auspicious Omens

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a prosperity-description motif—an ideal realm where nature and wealth appear harmoniously ordered, signaling auspiciousness rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

The imagery of controlled power (lions/elephants), abundant water-bodies with lotuses, and gold ornamentation reflects a king’s duty to maintain security, ecological plenty, and well-governed prosperity—ajñā and order—so the land remains “cool” (peaceful) even under “heat” (pressure).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Indirectly, it points to Vastu-aligned ideals: well-kept water-reservoirs (lotus-filled tanks), ornamented public spaces, and a climate of coolness—features often emphasized in Puranic ideals of a well-planned city/royal precinct.