Shloka 19

Matsya Purana — The Burning of Tripura and Rudra’s Victory

Devanagari script

स तं तमोरिवदनं प्रणदन्वदतां वरः उवाच युधि शैलादिं दानवो ऽम्बुधिनिःस्वनः //

Transliteration

sa taṃ tamorivadanaṃ praṇadanvadatāṃ varaḥ uvāca yudhi śailādiṃ dānavo 'mbudhiniḥsvanaḥ //

Translation

Then that Dānava—whose roar was like the deep sound of the ocean—spoke on the battlefield to Śailādi, whose face was like darkness, thundering as he addressed him.

Word by Word

• स (sa): he/that one

• तम् (tam): to him

• तमोरिवदनम् (tamor-iva-vadanam): whose face is like darkness

• प्रणदन् (praṇadan): roaring, thundering

• वदताम् वरः (vadatāṃ varaḥ): the best among speakers/eloquent one

• उवाच (uvāca): said, spoke

• युधि (yudhi): in battle, in combat

• शैलादिम् (śailādim): Śailādi (a proper name/epithet)

• दानवः (dānavaḥ): the Dānava (demon/descendant of Danu)

• अम्बुधिनिःस्वनः (ambudhi-niḥsvanaḥ): having the sound/rumble of the ocean

Speaker

• A Dānava (demonic combatant; unnamed in this verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Dānava
• Śailādi

Tags

• Daitya-Dānava
• Battle
• Puranic warfare
• Dialogue
• Epic similes

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses ocean-like imagery (“ambudhi-niḥsvana”) as a simile for a warrior’s roar in battle, not a cosmological flood or dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ideal that speech and courage matter in conflict—here, the ‘best among speakers’ thunders words in battle—supporting the broader kṣatriya ethic of valor and decisive address, though no explicit royal/householder duty is stated in this line.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

None is stated in this shloka; it is a martial-dialogue verse without Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure terminology.