Shloka 72
Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth
तत्संगमेन तावत्त्वं दैत्यान्हन्तुं न शक्ष्यसे एवं कृते तपस्तप्त्वा सृष्टिसंहारकारिणी //
tatsaṃgamena tāvattvaṃ daityānhantuṃ na śakṣyase evaṃ kṛte tapastaptvā sṛṣṭisaṃhārakāriṇī //
So long as you remain in that association, you will not be able to slay the Daityas. When this is done, having performed austerity (tapas), she becomes the very power that brings about creation and dissolution.
FAQs
It links tapas to cosmic potency: through austerity, the feminine power (śakti) is described as capable of effecting both sṛṣṭi (creation) and saṃhāra (dissolution), implying that pralaya is an aspect of divine agency, not mere chaos.
It implies that victory over destructive forces requires right association and disciplined practice. For a king/householder, this translates into avoiding corrupting company, cultivating self-restraint, and undertaking deliberate vows or disciplines before attempting major political or ethical action.
No direct Vastu or temple-building rule is stated; the ritual takeaway is the efficacy of tapas (austerity/vows) as a preparatory rite that empowers successful action, a principle often applied in Purāṇic ritual framing.