Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

मृधं यथासुराणां च प्रमथानां प्रवर्तते अम्बरे ऽम्भसि च तथा युद्धं चक्रुर्जलेचराः //

Transliteration

mṛdhaṃ yathāsurāṇāṃ ca pramathānāṃ pravartate ambare 'mbhasi ca tathā yuddhaṃ cakrurjalecarāḥ //

Translation

Just as a pitched battle breaks out between the Asuras and the Pramathas, so too the water-dwelling beings waged war—both in the sky and in the waters.

Word by Word

• मृधम् (mṛdham): battle, combat

• यथा (yathā): just as

• असुराणाम् (asurāṇām): of the Asuras

• च (ca): and

• प्रमथानाम् (pramathānām): of the Pramathas (Śiva’s fierce attendants)

• प्रवर्तते (pravartate): arises, comes into action, begins

• अम्बरे (ambare): in the sky/air

• अम्भसि (ambhasi): in the waters

• च (ca): and

• तथा (tathā): likewise, in the same way

• युद्धम् (yuddham): war, fighting

• चक्रुः (cakruḥ): they did, they waged

• जलेचराः (jalecarāḥ): water-moving beings, aquatic/sea-going creatures.

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator describing the battle scene (contextual narration rather than direct dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Asuras
• Pramathas
• Jalecaras (water-dwellers)

Tags

• Battle
• Deva-Asura
• Shaiva Ganas
• Cosmic Conflict
• Mythic Warfare

FAQs

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

It does not directly describe Pralaya; it depicts a large-scale, cosmic-style conflict extending across sky and waters, a common Purāṇic motif that can accompany upheavals but is not itself dissolution here.

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

Indirectly, it frames war as an organized, consequential act with multiple arenas; in Purāṇic ethics this supports the idea that rulers must understand the scope and cost of conflict and restrain violence to what is necessary and dharmic.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is specified in this verse; it is primarily narrative, emphasizing the battlefield’s vastness (sky and sea) rather than temple-building or rites.