Shloka 35

Matsya Purana — The Burning of Tripura: Maya’s Triple Fortresses and the Boon that Leads to S...

Devanagari script

अट्टालकैर् यन्त्रशतघ्निभिश्च सचक्रशूलोपलकम्पनैश्च द्वारैर्महामन्दरमेरुकल्पैः प्राकारशृङ्गैः सुविराजमानम् //

Transliteration

aṭṭālakair yantraśataghnibhiśca sacakraśūlopalakampanaiśca dvārairmahāmandaramerukalpaiḥ prākāraśṛṅgaiḥ suvirājamānam //

Translation

It shone in splendor with lofty watchtowers and countless engines of war; with devices that hurled wheels, spears, and stones; with gateways vast as Mandara and Meru; and with ramparts crowned by prominent battlements and towering peaks.

Word by Word

• aṭṭālakaiḥ: with watchtowers/lofty turrets

• yantra-śataghnibhiḥ: with mechanical weapons/engines and ‘śataghnī’ missile-devices (lit. ‘slayer of a hundred’)

• ca: and

• sa-cakra-śūla-upala-kampanaiḥ: with (devices) that cast/propel wheels (cakra), spears (śūla), and stones (upala), causing shaking/impact (kampana)

• ca: and

• dvāraiḥ: with gates/gateways

• mahā-mandara-meru-kalpaiḥ: comparable to the great Mandara and Meru (i.e., mountain-like, immense)

• prākāra-śṛṅgaiḥ: with the ‘horns/crests’ of the enclosing wall—battlements, projecting tops, or wall-peaks

• su-virājamānam: exceedingly resplendent, shining beautifully.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) addressing Vaivasvata Manu (Vastuvidya instruction context)

Entities Mentioned

• Mandara
• Meru

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Fortification
• City Planning
• Ramparts
• Defensive Architecture

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s Vastuvidya material, describing an ideal fortified structure with towers, ramparts, and defensive engines.

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

It supports rājadharma in a practical sense: a king is expected to secure settlements through strong gates, walls, and organized defenses—protecting subjects and maintaining order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it outlines key fort components—watchtowers (aṭṭālaka), ramparts (prākāra), monumental gates, and yantra-based defenses—useful for interpreting Matsya Purana Vastu Shastra guidance on durable, defensible urban design.