Shloka 14

Matsya Purana — Tripura Takes Refuge in the Ocean; Maya’s Hidden Nectar-Reservoir and the God...

Devanagari script

मया मायाबलकृता वापी पीता त्वियं यदि विनष्टाः स्म न संदेहस् त्रिपुरं दानवा गतम् //

Transliteration

mayā māyābalakṛtā vāpī pītā tviyaṃ yadi vinaṣṭāḥ sma na saṃdehas tripuraṃ dānavā gatam //

Translation

If this reservoir (vāpī), fashioned by me through the power of māyā, has truly been drunk up by you, then we are ruined—there is no doubt: the Dānavas have reached Tripura.

Word by Word

• mayā: by me

• māyā-bala-kṛtā: made by the force/power of māyā (illusion)

• vāpī: reservoir, stepwell, water-tank

• pītā: drunk up, drained

• tv iyam (tvayā + iyam): by you indeed / by you this

• yadi: if

• vinaṣṭāḥ sma: we are destroyed/undone

• na saṃdehaḥ: no doubt

• tripuram: Tripura (the triple city/fortress)

• dānavāḥ: the Dānavas (demonic beings)

• gatam (gatāḥ): have gone/reached.

Speaker

• A Deva/ally warning about the Dānavas’ approach (context: Tripura episode; exact named speaker not explicit in the single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Dānavas
• Tripura
• Māyā

Tags

• Tripura
• Daityas-Dānavas
• Māyā
• Mythic warfare
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic Pralaya; it highlights māyā as a tactical power in a mythic conflict, where draining a magically-made reservoir signals imminent danger.

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

Indirectly, it underscores vigilance and accurate threat-assessment: once a defensive resource is compromised, decisive action is required—an ethic applicable to governance and protection of dependents.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key term is vāpī (water-reservoir/stepwell), pointing to strategic water-works; here it appears in a narrative setting rather than as a Vastu Shastra prescription.