Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of the Vibhūti-Dvādaśī Vow: Pushkara

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्प्रविष्टमपि कोटिशतं नृपाणां सामात्यकुञ्जररथौघजनावृतानाम् नो लक्ष्यते क्व गतमम्बरमध्य इन्दुस् तारागणैरिव गतः परितः स्फुरद्भिः //

Transliteration

yasminpraviṣṭamapi koṭiśataṃ nṛpāṇāṃ sāmātyakuñjararathaughajanāvṛtānām no lakṣyate kva gatamambaramadhya indus tārāgaṇairiva gataḥ paritaḥ sphuradbhiḥ //

Translation

Even when a hundred million kings—surrounded by their ministers, masses of elephants, streams of chariots, and crowds—had entered that place, it could not be discerned where the Moon in the middle of the sky had gone, as though he had vanished amid the hosts of stars flashing all around.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which (place)

• प्रविष्टम् अपि: even after entering

• कोटिशतम्: a hundred crores (vast multitude)

• नृपाणाम्: of kings

• स-अमात्य: with ministers

• कुञ्जर: elephants

• रथ: chariots

• ओघ: flood/mass (multitude)

• जन-आवृतानाम्: of those surrounded/covered by people (crowds)

• न: not

• लक्ष्यते: is perceived/seen

• क्व: where

• गतम्: gone

• अम्बर-मध्य: in the middle of the sky

• इन्दुः: the Moon

• तारा-गणैः: by groups/hosts of stars

• इव: as if

• गतः: gone

• परितः: on all sides

• स्फुरद्भिः: flashing, glittering.

Speaker

• Suta-like narrative voice (descriptive narration within the Matsya Purana’s flowing dialogue tradition; exact speaker not explicit in this single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• kings (nṛpāḥ)
• Moon (indu)
• stars (tārā-gaṇa)
• ministers (amātya)
• elephants (kuñjara)
• chariots (ratha)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Royal assembly
• Poetic simile
• Crowd imagery
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse is not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) teaching; it is a poetic description of overwhelming multitude, using the Moon-and-stars simile to convey how a prominent figure can become visually indistinguishable amid a vast, glittering crowd.

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

Indirectly, it highlights the scale of royal retinues—kings, ministers, elephants, chariots, and people—implying the administrative and ethical responsibility (rajadharma) of maintaining order, discipline, and visibility of leadership amid massive assemblies.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vastu or ritual rule is stated; however, the imagery presumes a grand venue capable of receiving immense processions—useful context when reading Matsya Purana passages on planning large royal or ceremonial spaces.