Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

तात पुत्रेति मातेति मातुलेति च विह्वलम् चक्रन्दुस्त्रिपुरे नार्यः पावकज्वालवेपिताः //

Transliteration

tāta putreti māteti mātuleti ca vihvalam cakrandustripure nāryaḥ pāvakajvālavepitāḥ //

Translation

In Tripura, the women—shaken by the tongues of fire—wailed in bewilderment, crying, “Father! Son! Mother! Maternal uncle!”

Word by Word

• तात (tāta): father, dear father

• पुत्रेति (putreti): 'O son!' (calling out)

• मातेति (māteti): 'O mother!' (calling out)

• मातुलेति (mātuleti): 'O maternal uncle!' (calling out)

• च (ca): and

• विह्वलम् (vihvalam): bewildered, distraught

• चक्रन्दुः (cakranduḥ): they cried, they wailed

• त्रिपुरे (tripure): in Tripura

• नार्यः (nāryaḥ): women

• पावक (pāvaka): fire

• ज्वाला (jvālā): flame

• वेपिताः (vepitāḥ): trembling, shaken

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the scene (within the Matsya Purana’s narration to the sages)

Entities Mentioned

• Tripura
• women of Tripura
• fire (pavaka)

Tags

• Tripura-daha
• Puranic warfare
• Lamentation
• Destruction
• Shaiva episode

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya; it depicts localized destruction—Tripura burning—highlighting impermanence and the fragility of worldly security.

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

By portraying civilians in terror, it implicitly underscores the dharmic duty to protect dependents and family; it also serves as a reminder to householders of life’s uncertainty and the need for righteous conduct and preparedness.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is specified; the verse is a narrative snapshot of a city in flames, useful mainly for contextualizing the Tripura-daha episode rather than temple-architecture rules.