Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

तत्रासीनां महाहर्म्ये रत्नभित्तिसमाश्रयाम् ददर्श मेनामापाण्डुच्छविवक्त्रसरोरुहाम् //

Transliteration

tatrāsīnāṃ mahāharmye ratnabhittisamāśrayām dadarśa menāmāpāṇḍucchavivaktrasaroruhām //

Translation

അവിടെ മഹാപ്രാസാദത്തിലെ മന്ദിരത്തിൽ രത്നഭിത്തിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് ഇരുന്ന മേനയെ അവൻ കണ്ടു—കുറ്റമില്ലാത്ത പാണ്ഡുര കാന്തിയാൽ ദീപ്തമായ താമരമുഖയുള്ളവളെ।

Word by Word

• tatra: there

• āsīnām: seated (feminine accusative)

• mahā-harmye: in the great mansion/palace

• ratna-bhitti-samāśrayām: resting against (samāśrayām) a jewel(-set) wall (ratna-bhitti)

• dadarśa: (he) saw/beheld

• menām: Menā (name)

• apāṇḍu-cchavi: of fair, not-sallow radiance/complexion

• vaktra: face

• saroruhām: lotus-like (literally ‘lotus-born/lotus’), i.e., lotus-faced

Speaker

• Sūta (Paurāṇika narrator) describing the scene (narrative voice)

Entities Mentioned

• Menā

Tags

• Dynasties
• Puranic narrative
• Royal court
• Description (kāvya-style)
• Palace imagery

FAQs

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

This verse is descriptive and courtly; it does not discuss pralaya, creation, or cosmic dissolution, but sets a narrative scene inside a palace.

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

Indirectly, it reflects royal/household prosperity and cultured courtly life (a well-appointed palace and dignified presence), but it does not give a direct dharma injunction.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Architecturally, it references a “mahā-harmya” (great mansion) and “ratna-bhitti” (jewel-inlaid wall), useful as contextual vocabulary for elite palace/mandapa interiors rather than a formal Vastu rule.