Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

शरतेजःपरीतानि पुराणि द्विजपुंगवाः दुष्पुत्रदोषाद्दह्यन्ते कुलान्यूर्ध्वं यथा तथा //

Transliteration

śaratejaḥparītāni purāṇi dvijapuṃgavāḥ duṣputradoṣāddahyante kulānyūrdhvaṃ yathā tathā //

Translation

O best of the twice-born, ancient lineages—encircled by the scorching heat of autumn—are likewise burned upward through the generations because of the fault of an evil son.

Word by Word

• śaratejaḥ: the heat/fiery brilliance of autumn

• parītāni: surrounded, encompassed

• purāṇi: ancient (lineages/traditions), old

• dvijapuṃgavāḥ: O bull among the twice-born (excellent brāhmaṇas)

• duṣputra: a bad/evil son

• doṣāt: due to the fault

• dahyante: are burned, are consumed

• kulāni: families, lineages

• ūrdhvam: upward (to forefathers/coming generations), through successive generations

• yathā tathā: just as… so too / in the same manner.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu; address extends to dvija elders in the narrative frame)

Tags

• Dharma
• Kula
• Putra-dosha
• Ethics
• Lineage

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya; it uses a seasonal fire-heat simile to depict moral “destruction” of a family line caused by a duṣputra (wicked son).

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

It warns that raising or tolerating an unrighteous son damages the kula across generations; for a householder it stresses disciplined upbringing and dharmic conduct, and for a king it implies safeguarding social order by encouraging virtue and restraining harmful behavior that ruins families.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated; the verse is an ethical instruction employing a natural metaphor (autumn heat) to emphasize the far-reaching consequences of moral failure in progeny.