Shloka 55

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

येन येन ततो विद्युन् माली याति मयश्च सः तेन तेन पुरं शून्यं प्रमथैः प्रहृतैः कृतम् //

Transliteration

yena yena tato vidyun mālī yāti mayaśca saḥ tena tena puraṃ śūnyaṃ pramathaiḥ prahṛtaiḥ kṛtam //

Translation

Wherever Vidyunmālī went, with Maya beside him, in that very direction the city was left deserted, smitten by the Pramathas.

Word by Word

• yena yena: wherever/whichever way

• tataḥ: from there/then

• vidyun-mālī: Vidyunmālī (a named figure)

• yāti: goes/moves

• mayaḥ ca: and Maya (proper name, often the asura-architect)

• saḥ: he

• tena tena: in that very direction/there and there

• puram: the city

• śūnyam: empty, deserted

• pramathaiḥ: by the Pramathas (Śiva’s attendant hosts)

• prahṛtaiḥ: struck, smitten, assaulted

• kṛtam: made, rendered

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator describing events

Entities Mentioned

• Vidyunmālī
• Maya
• Pramathas

Tags

• Puranic warfare
• City destruction
• Pramathas
• Asura narratives
• Desolation

FAQs

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

It depicts localized devastation—an emptied city due to divine-attendant forces—rather than cosmic Pralaya; the emphasis is on sudden desolation produced by violent assault.

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

By portraying a city rendered empty through attack, it implicitly highlights the royal duty of protection (rakṣaṇa) and preparedness; for householders it underscores the fragility of worldly security and the need for dharmic resilience.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it uses the key urban motif of a 'pura' becoming 'śūnya' (abandoned), a negative counterpart to Vāstu ideals—showing how even well-built settlements can be nullified when protective and ritual order collapses under assault.