Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

उच्चीय स्वयम् उद्ग्रथ्य कान्तेन कृतशेखरा कृतकृत्यमिवात्मानं मेने मन्मथवर्धिनी //

Transliteration

uccīya svayam udgrathya kāntena kṛtaśekharā kṛtakṛtyamivātmānaṃ mene manmathavardhinī //

Translation

Raising her hair and braiding it with her own hands, and with her beloved arranging the crest-ornament upon her head, the woman—who heightened the power of Kāmadeva—deemed herself as though her purpose had been fulfilled.

Word by Word

• उच्चीय (uccīya): having lifted up/raising

• स्वयम् (svayam): by herself

• उद्ग्रथ्य (udgrathya): having braided/plaited

• कान्तेन (kāntena): by/with the beloved (husband/lover)

• कृत-शेखरा (kṛta-śekharā): whose head-ornament/crest is arranged/made

• कृतकृत्यम् (kṛtakṛtyam): one who has accomplished what had to be done/fulfilled

• इव (iva): as if

• आत्मानम् (ātmānam): herself

• मेने (mene): she considered/thought

• मन्मथ-वर्धिनी (manmatha-vardhinī): increaser of Kāma (Love/desire), i.e., one who intensifies passion.

Speaker

• Sūta (narratorial voice, describing the episode in third person within Matsya Purāṇa’s ongoing narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Manmatha (Kāma)
• kānta (beloved/lover)

Tags

• Śṛṅgāra
• Adornment
• Kāma
• Narrative
• Poetics

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya or cosmology; it is a śṛṅgāra (romantic) description focused on personal adornment and the intensification of desire (Manmatha).

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

Indirectly, it reflects the householder sphere—mutual intimacy and adornment within companionship—showing the Purāṇic acceptance of kāma when situated in human life, though no explicit rājadharma or gṛhastha-dharma injunction is stated here.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu, temple-architecture, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the technical focus is poetic imagery of hair-braiding and a head-ornament (śekhara) as markers of beautification.