Shloka 68
Matsya Purana — The Battle at Tripura: Shiva’s Strategy
महाजलाग्न्यादिसकुञ्जरोरगैर् हरीन्द्रव्याघ्रर्क्षतरक्षुराक्षसैः विबाध्यमानास्तमसा विमोहिताः समुद्रमध्येष्विव गाधकाङ्क्षिणः //
mahājalāgnyādisakuñjaroragair harīndravyāghrarkṣatarakṣurākṣasaiḥ vibādhyamānāstamasā vimohitāḥ samudramadhyeṣviva gādhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ //
Assailed by great waters, fires, and the like—along with elephants and serpents, and by lions, tigers, bears, hyenas, and rākṣasas—beings, deluded by darkness, yearn for a foothold, as if stranded in the midst of the ocean seeking firm ground.
FAQs
It uses pralaya-like terrors—flood, fire, and predatory forces—to depict beings overwhelmed by chaos and ignorance, urgently seeking a stable refuge, like finding land in a boundless sea.
It implies that worldly life is unstable and fear-driven when ruled by tamas; therefore, a king or householder should cultivate dharma, protection, and clarity—creating safety and moral order so people are not left “mid-ocean” without support.
No direct Vastu or ritual rule is stated; the takeaway is symbolic—stable ‘ground’ (gādha) represents secure foundations, a principle later mirrored in Vastu ideals of firm siting and protective design.