Shloka 5

Matsya Purana — The Karmic Cause of Purūravas’ Beauty and Fortune

Devanagari script

देवांस्त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठान् गन्धर्वांश्च मनोरमान् उर्वशी संमता त्यक्त्वा सर्वभावेन तं नृपम् //

Transliteration

devāṃstribhuvanaśreṣṭhān gandharvāṃśca manoramān urvaśī saṃmatā tyaktvā sarvabhāvena taṃ nṛpam //

Translation

Urvashī—celebrated and admired—set aside even the gods, the finest in the three worlds, and the delightful Gandharvas, and with her whole heart chose that king alone.

Word by Word

• devān: the gods

• tribhuvana-śreṣṭhān: the best among the three worlds

• gandharvān: the Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

• ca: and

• manoramān: charming/delightful

• urvaśī: Urvashī (the apsaras)

• saṃmatā: approved/esteemed/celebrated

• tyaktvā: having abandoned/left aside

• sarva-bhāvena: with all her feeling/with her whole being

• tam: that

• nṛpam: king

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the episode within the Matsya Purana’s dynastic/courtly narrative flow

Entities Mentioned

• Urvashī
• Devas
• Gandharvas
• King (nṛpa)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Royal Dharma
• Apsaras
• Gandharvas
• Bhakti/Attachment

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this verse is not about Pralaya; it highlights personal devotion/choice within a royal narrative rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By portraying a king as worthy of wholehearted allegiance even above celestial allure, it implies the ideal of royal excellence—conduct, protection, and dignity that inspires loyalty and stabilizes household and kingdom.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

None explicitly; the verse contains no Vastu Shastra, temple-building, or ritual procedure terminology—its focus is the king’s preeminence in a narrative setting.