Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

एतेषां च समारम्भास् तस्मिन्सागरसम्प्लवे निरुत्साहा भविष्यन्ति एतद्रथपथावृताः //

Transliteration

eteṣāṃ ca samārambhās tasminsāgarasamplave nirutsāhā bhaviṣyanti etadrathapathāvṛtāḥ //

Translation

And in that oceanic inundation, the undertakings of these people will lose all momentum; their spirits will grow dispirited, for their chariot-roads and paths will be blocked.

Word by Word

• eteṣām: of these (people)

• ca: and

• samārambhāḥ: undertakings, enterprises, initiatives

• tasmin: in that

• sāgara-samplave: in the ocean-flood, in the great inundation

• nirutsāhāḥ: without enthusiasm, discouraged, lacking drive

• bhaviṣyanti: will become, will be

• etad: these/this (here indicating the aforesaid)

• ratha-patha: chariot-roads, carriageways

• āvṛtāḥ: covered over, obstructed, blocked

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Pralaya account)

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Sāgara (ocean)
• Samplava (deluge)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Great Flood
• Portents
• Disruption
• Infrastructure

FAQs

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

It depicts pralaya’s practical impact: the deluge halts ordinary life—roads are submerged/blocked and human projects lose viability, leading to widespread discouragement.

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

By highlighting how disaster disables transport and commerce, it implies the need for foresight—kings should plan for calamities and householders should recognize the limits of worldly enterprises when cosmic dissolution approaches.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it underscores vulnerability of ratha-pathas (roads) and circulation networks to flood conditions—an indirect cue for site selection, drainage, and resilient planning, though no specific ritual procedure is stated in this verse.