Shloka 25

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

यमश्च वित्ताधिपतिश्च देवो दण्डान्वितः पाशवरायुधश्च देवारिणस्तस्य पुरस्य द्वारं ताभ्यां तु तत्पश्चिमतो निरुद्धम् //

Transliteration

yamaśca vittādhipatiśca devo daṇḍānvitaḥ pāśavarāyudhaśca devāriṇastasya purasya dvāraṃ tābhyāṃ tu tatpaścimato niruddham //

Translation

Yama and the divine Lord of wealth (Kubera) stand equipped with the rod of punishment (daṇḍa) and the noose (pāśa) as their weapons; by those two, the western gate of that enemy-subduing city is secured and held in check.

Word by Word

• यमः (yamaḥ): Yama, lord of restraint/death and justice

• च (ca): and

• वित्ताधिपतिः (vittādhipatiḥ): lord of wealth (Kubera)

• च (ca): and

• देवः (devaḥ): the god/divine lord

• दण्डान्वितः (daṇḍānvitaḥ): endowed with the staff/rod of punishment

• पाशवरायुधः (pāśa-varāyudhaḥ): whose excellent weapon is the noose

• च (ca): and

• देवारिणः (devāriṇaḥ): enemy-subduing/foe-crushing (epithet)

• तस्य (tasya): of that

• पुरस्य (purasya): of the city

• द्वारम् (dvāram): gate

• ताभ्याम् (tābhyām): by those two

• तु (tu): indeed

• तत् (tat): that

• पश्चिमतः (paścimataḥ): on the western side/from the west

• निरुद्धम् (niruddham): restrained, blocked, secured, guarded.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu on Vastu and city protection

Entities Mentioned

• Yama
• Kubera (Vittadhipati)
• Pura (City)
• Danda (Rod of punishment)
• Pasha (Noose)

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• City gates
• Directional guardians
• Fortification
• Ritual protection

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s Vastuvidya guidance, describing protective assignments of deities to city gates for order and security.

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

It frames kingship as guardianship: a ruler should secure the city through proper planning and protective व्यवस्था (arrangement), symbolically aligning civic law-and-order (Yama’s danda) and prosperity (Kubera) with the western gate’s defense.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it assigns the western gate to Yama and Kubera as directional protectors; ritually, it implies installing/propitiating these deities (or their symbols) to ‘bind’ and safeguard the gate through Vastu-aligned protection.