Shloka 11

Matsya Purana — The Battle at Tripura: Shiva’s Strategy

Devanagari script

अहं च रथवर्येण निश्चलाचलवत्स्थितः पुरः पुरस्य रन्ध्रार्थी स्थास्यामि विजयाय वः //

Transliteration

ahaṃ ca rathavaryeṇa niścalācalavatsthitaḥ puraḥ purasya randhrārthī sthāsyāmi vijayāya vaḥ //

Translation

“And I too, with an excellent chariot, will take my stand before the city, immovable like a mountain, seeking its weak point—a breach—for your victory.”

Word by Word

• अहम् (aham): I

• च (ca): and

• रथवर्येण (ratha-varyeṇa): with an excellent chariot / by the best of chariots

• निश्चल-अचल-वत् (niścala-acala-vat): like an unmoving mountain

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ): standing / stationed

• पुरः (puraḥ): in front (of it)

• पुरस्य (purasya): of the city/fort

• रन्ध्र-अर्थी (randhrārthī): seeking a gap/weak spot/breach

• स्थास्यामि (sthāsyāmi): I will stand / I shall remain positioned

• विजयाय (vijayāya): for victory

• वः (vaḥ): for you / of you (plural).

Speaker

• Likely a commander/king addressing allies or troops (siege counsel context within Matsya Purana’s rajadharma material; exact named speaker not explicit from the single verse).

Entities Mentioned

• Fort/City (Pura)
• Chariot (Ratha)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Warfare
• Fort-siege
• Niti
• Strategy

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it belongs to practical rajadharma—specifically siege tactics—describing how a leader positions himself to locate a fort’s vulnerable point.

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

For a king, it teaches steadiness, leadership from the front, and strategic intelligence—seeking the ‘randhra’ (weak point) rather than relying on brute force—core qualities of righteous governance and victory-oriented statecraft.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it uses the technical fort-term ‘randhra’ (gap/weak spot), implying that strong city/fort design minimizes vulnerabilities; ritually, no specific rite is indicated in this verse.