Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — Purūravas Witnesses the Sports of Apsarases and Gandharvas; Attains the Grace...

Devanagari script

काश्चित्पश्यति भूपालं नलिनीषु पृथक्पृथक् क्रीडमानास्तु गन्धर्वैर् देवरामा मनोरमाः //

Transliteration

kāścitpaśyati bhūpālaṃ nalinīṣu pṛthakpṛthak krīḍamānāstu gandharvair devarāmā manoramāḥ //

Translation

Some celestial maidens behold the king, while others—separately, here and there among the lotus-pools—charmingly sport with the Gandharvas, those delightful women of heaven.

Word by Word

• kāścit: some (women/maidens)

• paśyati: see/behold

• bhūpālam: the king (protector of the earth)

• nalinīṣu: in lotus-tanks/lotus-pools

• pṛthak pṛthak: separately, in different places

• krīḍamānāḥ: sporting/playing

• tu: and/indeed

• gandharvaiḥ: with Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

• deva-rāmāḥ: divine women/celestial maidens

• manoramāḥ: charming, delightful

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing a scene (descriptive narration rather than direct dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhūpāla (King)
• Gandharvas
• Devarāmāḥ (celestial maidens)
• Nalinī (lotus-pools)

Tags

• Sacred geography
• Celestial beings
• Gandharvas
• Royal encounter
• Puranic description

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it is a poetic description of celestial beings and lotus-pools, used to evoke a divine or otherworldly setting.

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

Indirectly, it frames the king (bhūpāla) as a central figure worthy of attention even amid heavenly pleasures, reinforcing the Purāṇic ideal of kingship as a visible, public role tied to dharma and prestige.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual rule is stated; the mention of nalinī (lotus-pools) supports the broader Purāṇic aesthetic of sacred water-bodies, which later Vāstu and tīrtha traditions treat as auspicious elements in temple and pilgrimage landscapes.