Shloka 36
Matsya Purana — Tripura Takes Refuge in the Ocean; Maya’s Hidden Nectar-Reservoir and the God...
इति भववचनप्रचोदिते दशशतनयनवपुः समुद्यतः त्रिपुरपुरजिघांसया हरिः प्रविकसिताम्बुजलोचनो ययौ //
iti bhavavacanapracodite daśaśatanayanavapuḥ samudyataḥ tripurapurajighāṃsayā hariḥ pravikasitāmbujalocano yayau //
Thus, urged on by Bhava’s words, Hari—whose form bore a hundred eyes and who had risen to action—set forth with the intent to destroy the city of Tripura, his lotus-like eyes fully opened.
FAQs
This verse is not about cosmic pralaya; it depicts a targeted divine act of destruction—Hari setting out to annihilate Tripura—showing how Purāṇas frame “destruction” also as restoration of cosmic order (dharma) rather than universal dissolution.
By portraying decisive action taken after wise counsel (Bhava’s words), the verse echoes a dharmic governance principle: a ruler should act resolutely against threats to social order after proper deliberation and guidance, with controlled intent rather than personal rage.
Architecturally, “Tripura-pura” highlights the fortified “city” motif central to Purāṇic accounts of demon strongholds; ritually and iconographically, it emphasizes Hari’s awakened lotus-eyes and extraordinary form (hundred-eyed), useful for devotees and scholars studying Purāṇic deity-description conventions.