Shloka 71

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

Devanagari script

गृहैः पतद्भिर्ज्वलनावलीढैर् आसीत्समुद्रे सलिलं प्रतप्तम् कुपुत्रदोषैः प्रहतानुविद्धं यथा कुलं याति धनान्वितस्य //

Transliteration

gṛhaiḥ patadbhirjvalanāvalīḍhair āsītsamudre salilaṃ prataptam kuputradoṣaiḥ prahatānuviddhaṃ yathā kulaṃ yāti dhanānvitasya //

Translation

With houses collapsing and being licked by tongues of fire, the ocean’s waters became heated and distressed—just as a prosperous family is struck and pierced through by the faults of an unworthy son.

Word by Word

• गृहैः (gṛhaiḥ): by/with houses

• पतद्भिः (patadbhiḥ): falling, collapsing

• ज्वलन-आवलीढैः (jvalana-āvalīḍhaiḥ): licked/engulfed by flames

• आसीत् (āsīt): was, became

• समुद्रे (samudre): in the ocean

• सलिलम् (salilam): water

• प्रतप्तम् (prataptam): heated, scorched, distressed

• कुपुत्र-दोषैः (kuputra-doṣaiḥ): by the faults of a bad son

• प्रहत (prahata): struck, afflicted

• अनुविद्धम् (anuviddham): pierced through, thoroughly wounded

• यथा (yathā): just as

• कुलम् (kulam): family, lineage

• याति (yāti): comes to, undergoes

• धन-अन्वितस्य (dhana-anvitasya): of one endowed with wealth/prosperity

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within the Matsya–Manu dialogue)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Cosmic Dissolution
• Moral Analogy
• Puranic Ethics
• Disaster Imagery

FAQs

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

It depicts Pralaya-like devastation through collapsing, burning dwellings and even the ocean waters becoming heated—an image of the world’s stability breaking down under cosmic upheaval.

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

By comparing calamity to a family ruined by a ‘kuputra,’ it stresses that inner moral failure can destroy external prosperity—so householders and rulers must cultivate virtue, discipline, and worthy progeny/leadership to protect the lineage and realm.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual rule is stated; the verse uses the destruction of houses as imagery to emphasize impermanence and the vulnerability of built structures during catastrophic periods.