Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — The Ārdrānandakarī Tṛtīyā Vrata: Ritual Procedure

Devanagari script

नेत्रे मदनवासिन्यै विश्वधाम्ने त्रिशूलिनः भ्रुवौ नृत्यप्रियायै तु ताण्डवेशाय शूलिनः //

Transliteration

netre madanavāsinyai viśvadhāmne triśūlinaḥ bhruvau nṛtyapriyāyai tu tāṇḍaveśāya śūlinaḥ //

Translation

To the Trident-bearing Lord whose abode is the universe: His two eyes are assigned to the Goddess in whom Kāma (desire) dwells; and His two brows, indeed, to the dance-loving one—to the Lord of Tāṇḍava, Śiva, the Spear-bearing One.

Word by Word

• netre: the two eyes

• madana-vāsin-yai: to her in whom Madana (Kāma, desire) resides / the desire-indwelling goddess

• viśva-dhāmne: to him whose abode is the universe

• tri-śūlinaḥ: of the trident-bearer

• bhruvau: the two eyebrows

• nṛtya-priyāyai: to the dance-loving (goddess/power)

• tu: indeed/and

• tāṇḍava-īśāya: to the Lord of the Tāṇḍava dance

• śūlinaḥ: of the spear/trident-bearing one (Śiva).

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing a Rudra–Śiva stuti/iconographic assignment within the Matsya Purana’s pratima-lakṣaṇa context

Entities Mentioned

• Shiva (Rudra, Triśūlin, Śūlin)
• Madana (Kāma)
• Tāṇḍava

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Shiva
• Tandava
• Ritual Praise

FAQs

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

Direct pralaya teaching is not explicit here; instead, the verse frames Śiva as “viśvadhāman” (whose abode is the universe), a theological cue that the cosmos abides in him—an idea often used in Purāṇas to ground both creation and dissolution in the deity.

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

It functions as a stuti-based contemplative model: by meditating on the deity’s limbs and powers, a king/householder cultivates restraint over desire (Madana) and steadiness of mind—virtues repeatedly upheld in Matsya Purana’s dharma discussions.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

This is pratima-lakṣaṇa style symbolism: mapping divine energies to specific limbs supports ritual visualization (dhyāna) and informs iconographic understanding used in temple worship and image-consecration contexts.