Matsya Purana — Design and Splendour of Tripura: Maya’s Threefold Moving Fortress, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

नूपुरारावरम्याणि त्रिपुरे तत्पुराण्यपि स्वर्गातिरिक्तश्रीकाणि तत्र कन्यापुराणि च //

Transliteration

nūpurārāvaramyāṇi tripure tatpurāṇyapi svargātiriktaśrīkāṇi tatra kanyāpurāṇi ca //

Translation

ത്രിപുരയിൽ ആ നഗരങ്ങളും നൂപുരയുടെ രമ്യതകൊണ്ട് മനോഹരമായിരുന്നു; അവയുടെ ശ്രീസമ്പത്ത് സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തെയും അതിക്രമിച്ചു, അവിടെ ‘കന്യാപുര’ എന്ന നഗരങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• नूपुरारावरम्याणि: charming/pleasing due to (the beauty of) Nūpurā

• त्रिपुरे: in Tripurā

• तत्-पुराणि अपि: those cities also

• स्वर्ग-अतिरिक्त-श्रीकाणि: having prosperity/splendour exceeding heaven

• तत्र: there

• कन्या-पुराणि च: and also the cities called Kanyāpurā

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Matsya Purana’s narrative frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Tripurā
• Nūpurā
• Kanyāpurā

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Puranic geography
• City description
• Tripura
• Sacred architecture

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it focuses on the splendour and naming of cities in Tripurā, fitting a descriptive Vastu/urban-imagery passage rather than a dissolution narrative.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ideal that a ruler should establish well-planned, prosperous cities—so orderly and beautiful that they are compared to (or said to surpass) heavenly realms.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key significance is the Vastu-oriented idealization of urban space: cities are evaluated by beauty (ramyatā), prosperity (śrī), and renowned quarters/settlements (named puras), implying planned civic grandeur aligned with dhārmic kingship.