Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

शूलनिर्दारितोरस्का गदाचूर्णितमस्तकाः इषुभिर्गाढविद्धाश्च पतन्ति प्रमथार्णवे //

Transliteration

śūlanirdāritoraskā gadācūrṇitamastakāḥ iṣubhirgāḍhaviddhāśca patanti pramathārṇave //

Translation

Their chests split open by tridents, their heads crushed by maces, and pierced deep by arrows, they fall into the ocean-like mass of the Pramathas (the tumultuous host).

Word by Word

• śūla: trident

• nirdārita: split open, torn apart

• uraskāḥ (uras): chests

• gadā: mace

• cūrṇita: pulverized, crushed

• mastakāḥ (mastaka): heads

• iṣubhiḥ (iṣu): by arrows

• gāḍha: deeply, firmly

• viddhāḥ: pierced, wounded

• ca: and

• patanti: they fall

• pramatha-arṇave: in the Pramatha-ocean, i.e., the vast seething host/assembly of Pramathas

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battle scene within the Matsya Purana’s ongoing narration

Entities Mentioned

• Pramathas

Tags

• Battle
• Shaiva lore
• Weapons
• Epic imagery
• Purana narrative

FAQs

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

It does not teach cosmic Pralaya directly; it uses an “ocean” metaphor (arṇava) to depict the vastness and turbulence of the Pramatha host during battle.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ethic that violence belongs to the battlefield context of protecting order; it is not a household injunction, but a narrative illustration of the consequences of armed conflict.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu/temple-building rule is stated here; the verse is purely martial imagery (trident, mace, arrows) within a mythic combat description.