Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

जलार्द्रवसनं सूक्ष्मम् अङ्गलीनं शुचिस्मिता धारयन्ती जनं चक्रे काचित् तत्र समन्मथम् //

Transliteration

jalārdravasanaṃ sūkṣmam aṅgalīnaṃ śucismitā dhārayantī janaṃ cakre kācit tatra samanmatham //

Translation

There, a certain woman—smiling with a pure, bright smile—wore a fine, water-damp garment clinging to her limbs; by displaying it she stirred the people into amorous excitement.

Word by Word

• jala-ārdra: water-damp, wet

• vasanaṃ: garment, clothing

• sūkṣmam: fine, thin, delicate

• aṅga-līnam: clinging to the body/limbs

• śuci-smitā: one with a pure/bright smile

• dhārayantī: wearing, bearing

• janam: the people, the crowd

• cakre: made, caused

• kācit: a certain (woman)

• tatra: there

• sa-manmatham: with (the influence of) Manmatha, love-stricken/amorous

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) / Purana-narrative voice (contextual narrator describing an event)

Entities Mentioned

• Manmatha (Kamadeva)

Tags

• Narrative
• Kama
• Social-life
• Poetic-description
• Ethics-by-implication

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya or cosmology; it is a narrative, poetic description focused on kama (desire) and how sensory display can agitate the mind.

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

Indirectly, it highlights the power of sense-objects to provoke desire; for a king or householder, the implied ethical lesson is vigilance (indriya-nigraha) and restraint so that judgment and dharma are not disturbed by passion.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its significance is literary and ethical—illustrating attraction and the mind’s susceptibility to Manmatha.