Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 147

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वैतत्संभ्रमाविष्टो ध्वस्तधैर्यो महाबलः नारदं प्रत्युवाचाथ साश्रुकण्ठो महागिरिः //

Transliteration

śrutvaitatsaṃbhramāviṣṭo dhvastadhairyo mahābalaḥ nāradaṃ pratyuvācātha sāśrukaṇṭho mahāgiriḥ //

Translation

Mendengar demikian, Mahāgiri yang perkasa dilanda kegelisahan; ketenangannya hancur, tekaknya tersekat oleh air mata—lalu dia menjawab Nārada.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा (śrutvā): having heard

• एतत् (etat): this

• संभ्रम-आविष्टः (saṃbhrama-āviṣṭaḥ): overwhelmed by agitation/confusion

• ध्वस्त-धैर्यः (dhvasta-dhairyaḥ): whose steadiness/courage was broken

• महा-बलः (mahā-balaḥ): very powerful, mighty

• नारदम् (nāradaṃ): to Nārada

• प्रत्युवाच (pratyuvāca): replied, spoke in response

• अथ (atha): then

• स-अश्रु-कण्ठः (sāśru-kaṇṭhaḥ): with a throat filled/choked with tears

• महा-गिरिः (mahā-giriḥ): Mahāgiri (proper name

Speaker

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Mahāgiri’s reaction before he speaks to Nārada)

Entities Mentioned

• Narada
• Mahagiri

Tags

• PuranicDialogue
• Narada
• Grief
• NarrativeTransition
• EthicalTension

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it signals a dramatic narrative turn—Mahāgiri’s shock suggests that what Nārada has said concerns a grave cosmic or moral matter, but the dissolution theme is not explicit here.

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

Indirectly, it models a dharmic moment of accountability: even the “mighty” can be shaken when confronted with truth or warning. In Purāṇic ethics, such emotional upheaval often precedes counsel on right conduct (dharma) and corrective action.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu-śāstra, temple-building rule, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it functions as a narrative connector introducing Mahāgiri’s response to Nārada.