Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — The Birth of Tāraka: Varāṅgī’s Lament

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ता सा मया देव प्रोवाच स्खलिताक्षरम् वाक्यं चोवाच तन्वङ्गी भीता सा हेतुसंहितम् //

Transliteration

ityuktā sā mayā deva provāca skhalitākṣaram vākyaṃ covāca tanvaṅgī bhītā sā hetusaṃhitam //

Translation

Thus addressed by me, O Lord, that slender-limbed woman—frightened—replied in faltering syllables, and spoke words that were reasoned and to the point.

Word by Word

• ityuktā: thus spoken to/thus addressed

• sā: she

• mayā: by me

• deva: O god/O Lord

• provāca: replied/spoke forth

• skhalita-akṣaram: with stumbling letters, faltering speech

• vākyam: a statement/words

• ca: and

• uvāca: said

• tanu-aṅgī: slender-bodied, delicate-limbed woman

• bhītā: frightened/afraid

• sā: she

• hetu-saṃhitam: accompanied by reasons, logically grounded, well-reasoned

Speaker

• Primary narrator (contextual first-person voice within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework; likely within the Manu–Matsya narrative stream)

Entities Mentioned

• Deva

Tags

• Dialogue
• Fear
• Reasoned Speech
• Narrative
• Matsya Purana

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly describe pralaya or cosmology; it focuses on a narrative moment where a frightened woman speaks, emphasizing the manner of speech rather than cosmic events.

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

Indirectly, it highlights a dharmic ideal of speech: even in fear, one should speak coherently and with reasons (hetu-saṃhita), a quality valued in counsel, governance, and household disputes.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure appears in this verse; its takeaway is rhetorical and ethical—speech marked by clarity, restraint, and sound reasoning.