Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

प्रक्रान्तरथभीमैस्तैः सदेवैः पार्षदां गणैः कृतसिंहरवोपेतैर् उद्गच्छद्भिरिवाम्बुदैः //

Transliteration

prakrāntarathabhīmaistaiḥ sadevaiḥ pārṣadāṃ gaṇaiḥ kṛtasiṃharavopetair udgacchadbhirivāmbudaiḥ //

Translation

Those formidable troops of divine attendants—pressing forward in dreadful chariots, accompanied by the gods and by companies of their retinue, and endowed with lion-like roars—advanced like clouds rising and swelling across the sky.

Word by Word

• प्रक्रान्त (prakrānta): advancing, moving forward

• रथ-भीमैः (ratha-bhīmaiḥ): with terrifying chariots / chariot-like formations

• तैः (taiḥ): by/with those

• स-देवैः (sa-devaiḥ): together with the gods

• पार्षदाम् (pārṣadām): of attendants/retainers

• गणैः (gaṇaiḥ): hosts, multitudes

• कृत-सिंहरव-उपेतैः (kṛta-siṃharava-upetaiḥ): endowed with lion-like roars (having made/raised lion-roars)

• उद्गच्छद्भिः (udgacchadbhiḥ): rising up, surging forth, advancing

• इव (iva): like

• अम्बुदैः (ambudaiḥ): clouds

Speaker

• Suta (narratorial voice within the Purana’s frame), describing the scene

Entities Mentioned

• Devas
• Parshadas (divine attendants/retainers)

Tags

• Divine retinue
• Puranic imagery
• Lion-roar
• Chariots
• Cosmic simile

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly discuss Pralaya; it uses a cosmic simile—rising clouds—to convey the overwhelming, world-filling momentum of a divine advance.

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

Indirectly, it models royal-epic ideals of disciplined forces and awe-inspiring presence: a king’s retinue should be orderly, courageous, and capable of projecting protective strength, though no explicit dharma rule is stated here.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No specific Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the verse is primarily poetic description (processional imagery, sound symbolism like the “lion-roar”) rather than technical temple or rite instruction.