Shloka 24

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

तथोत्तरं सो ऽन्तरजो हरस्य बालार्कजाम्बूनदतुल्यवर्णः स्कन्दः पुरद्वारमथारुरोह वृद्धो ऽस्तशृङ्गं प्रपतन्निवार्कः //

Transliteration

tathottaraṃ so 'ntarajo harasya bālārkajāmbūnadatulyavarṇaḥ skandaḥ puradvāramathāruroha vṛddho 'staśṛṅgaṃ prapatannivārkaḥ //

Translation

Thereafter, Skanda—Hara’s son, whose hue was like refined Jāmbūnada-gold and the young rising sun—mounted the city gate. He appeared like the aged sun, descending upon the western mountain peak at sunset.

Word by Word

• tathā-uttaram: thereafter

• saḥ: he

• antar-jaḥ: the son born from within/one’s own body (i.e., true-born son)

• harasya: of Hara (Śiva)

• bāla-arka: the young sun

• jāmbūnada: Jāmbūnada-gold (fine gold)

• tulya-varṇaḥ: of comparable color

• skandaḥ: Skanda (Kārttikeya)

• pura-dvāram: the city gate

• atha: then

• āruroha: mounted/ascended

• vṛddhaḥ: aged/declining

• asta-śṛṅgam: the peak of the western (setting) mountain

• prapatan: descending/falling down

• iva: like

• arkaḥ: the sun.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator describing Skanda (contextual attribution within the Matsya Purana’s narrative)

Entities Mentioned

• Skanda
• Hara (Shiva)
• Arka (Sun)

Tags

• Skanda
• Shaiva
• Mythic narrative
• Simile
• City-gate

FAQs

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

Nothing directly: the verse is a poetic description of Skanda’s appearance and movement, using solar imagery (sunset) rather than describing cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it frames a martial-divine narrative centered on protection and conquest at a city gate—imagery often associated with safeguarding a realm—rather than prescribing explicit rājadharma or gṛhastha duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The only architectural element is the "pura-dvāra" (city gate), highlighting a fortified urban threshold—useful for readers seeking Matsya Purana references to city-structures, though no Vāstu rules are stated in this verse.