Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

जृम्भन्त इव शार्दूलाः गर्जन्त इव तोयदाः प्रवृद्धोर्मितरंगौघाः क्षुभ्यन्त इव सागराः //

Transliteration

jṛmbhanta iva śārdūlāḥ garjanta iva toyadāḥ pravṛddhormitaraṃgaughāḥ kṣubhyanta iva sāgarāḥ //

Translation

Tigers seemed to yawn wide; rain-clouds seemed to roar; and the oceans—swollen with surging waves and rushing billows—seemed to heave and churn in agitation.

Word by Word

• jṛmbhantaḥ: yawning, stretching wide

• iva: as if, like

• śārdūlāḥ: tigers

• garjantaḥ: roaring, thundering

• iva: as if

• toyadāḥ: rain-clouds (lit. ‘givers of water’)

• pravṛddha: grown, increased, swollen

• ūrmi: wave

• taraṅga: billow, ripple

• oghāḥ: flood, mass, rushing multitude

• kṣubhyantaḥ: becoming turbulent, agitated, churning

• iva: as if

• sāgarāḥ: oceans, seas

Speaker

• Suta (narrative voice describing the omens of upheaval)

Entities Mentioned

• Oceans (Sāgara)
• Tigers (Śārdūla)
• Rain-clouds (Toyada)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Omens
• Cosmic turbulence
• Nature imagery
• Matsya Purana narration

FAQs

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

It depicts Pralaya-like portents through nature’s upheaval—roaring clouds, agitated oceans, and intensified animal behavior—signaling a world moving toward dissolution and instability.

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

As an omen-verse, it implies vigilance: rulers and householders should recognize signs of disorder, protect dependents, secure essentials, and uphold dharma amid calamity—an ethical stance often reinforced in the Matsya Purana’s broader guidance.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual rule is stated, but the imagery of surging waters and turbulence is relevant to Vastu-Shastra risk-awareness: sacred and civic construction should account for flood-prone terrain and water dynamics, emphasizing stable siting and protective planning.