Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

बद्धध्वजपताकानि स्वर्णरौप्यमयानि च गृहाणि तस्मिंस्त्रिपुरे दानवानामुपद्रवे दह्यन्ते दहनाभानि दहनेन सहस्रशः //

Transliteration

baddhadhvajapatākāni svarṇaraupyamayāni ca gṛhāṇi tasmiṃstripure dānavānāmupadrave dahyante dahanābhāni dahanena sahasraśaḥ //

Translation

In that Tripura, the houses—adorned with fastened banners and pennants, and fashioned of gold and silver—began to burn in the calamity that befell the Dānavas; countless structures, blazing like fire itself, were consumed by the conflagration.

Word by Word

• baddha: fastened, bound

• dhvaja: banner, standard

• patākā: pennant, flag

• -āni: (plural) things

• svarṇa: gold

• raupya: silver

• -mayāni: made of, consisting of

• ca: and

• gṛhāṇi: houses, dwellings

• tasmin: in that

• tripure: in Tripura (the triple city)

• dānavānām: of the Dānavas (demons)

• upadrave: in distress/calamity/assault

• dahyante: are burned, are set ablaze

• dahanābhāni: having the appearance of fire, fire-like in blaze

• dahanena: by/with fire, by burning

• sahasraśaḥ: by the thousands, innumerably.

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator), recounting the Tripura-dāha episode

Entities Mentioned

• Tripura
• Dānavas
• Agni (fire, implied)

Tags

• Tripura-dāha
• Shaiva mythology
• Cosmic warfare
• Puranic narrative
• Destruction of demonic cities

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya directly; it depicts a localized, divinely-driven destruction—Tripura’s burning—used as Purāṇic imagery for the collapse of adharma and demonic power.

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

By implication, it warns that wealth and splendid construction (even “gold and silver houses”) are unstable when aligned with adharma; righteous governance and conduct are presented elsewhere in the Purāṇa as the true protection against ruin.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it references urban ornamentation—banners and pennants on buildings—signaling ceremonial display and civic grandeur; ritually, the scene functions as a narrative backdrop for the fire of divine retribution rather than a Vāstu prescription.