Matsya Purana — Devayānī Meets Yayāti: Courtship, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

रूपेणाप्रतिमां तासां स्त्रीणां मध्ये वराङ्गनाम् शर्मिष्ठया सेव्यमानां पादसंवाहनादिभिः //

Transliteration

rūpeṇāpratimāṃ tāsāṃ strīṇāṃ madhye varāṅganām śarmiṣṭhayā sevyamānāṃ pādasaṃvāhanādibhiḥ //

Translation

Parmi ces femmes se trouvait une dame d’exception, d’une beauté sans égale; et Śarmiṣṭhā la servait, par des soins tels que le massage des pieds et d’autres attentions personnelles.

Word by Word

• रूपेण (rūpeṇa): in beauty, by appearance

• अप्रतिमाम् (apratimām): incomparable, without equal

• तासाम् (tāsām): of those (women)

• स्त्रीणाम् (strīṇām): among women

• मध्ये (madhye): in the midst

• वराङ्गनाम् (varāṅganām): the lovely-limbed woman, an exquisite lady

• शर्मिष्ठया (śarmiṣṭhayā): by Śarmiṣṭhā

• सेव्यमानाम् (sevyamānām): being served/attended upon

• पादसंवाहनादिभिः (pādasaṃvāhanādibhiḥ): by foot-massage and similar services

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative voice) describing the courtly scene within the Yayāti episode

Entities Mentioned

• Śarmiṣṭhā

Tags

• Dynasties
• RoyalCourt
• Service
• YayatiEpisode
• CharacterDescription

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this verse is a courtly description within a dynastic narrative, focusing on personal attendance and social hierarchy rather than cosmology or Pralaya.

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

It reflects household and court order: attendants render respectful personal service, indicating norms of discipline, hierarchy, and proper conduct within a royal household—values often extended to household management and ethical comportment.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is specified; the only “technical” detail is social practice—pāda-saṃvāhana (foot-massage) as a recognized form of personal service in palace life.