Matsya Purana — The Strategy to Defeat Tāraka: Pārvatī’s Birth, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अथ विष्णुमुखैर्देवैः श्वसनः प्रतिबोधितः चतुर्मुखं तदा प्राह चराचरगुरुं विभुम् //

Transliteration

atha viṣṇumukhairdevaiḥ śvasanaḥ pratibodhitaḥ caturmukhaṃ tadā prāha carācaraguruṃ vibhum //

Translation

ثم إن شْفَسَنَة (النَّفَس/الريح)، وقد أيقظه الآلهةُ يتقدّمهم فيشنو، خاطب براهما ذا الوجوه الأربعة، السيدَ الجبّارَ ومعلّمَ كل ما يتحرّك وما يسكن.

Word by Word

• atha: then

• viṣṇu-mukhaiḥ devaiḥ: by the gods with Viṣṇu at their head

• śvasanaḥ: Śvasana (the Wind/Breath principle, a personified deity)

• pratibodhitaḥ: awakened, roused

• caturmukham: the four-faced one (Brahmā)

• tadā: at that time

• prāha: said, spoke

• cara-acara-gurum: the guru/teacher of the moving and the unmoving (all beings)

• vibhum: the mighty one, the all-pervading lord

Speaker

• Śvasana (personified Wind/Breath deity), after being roused by the gods led by Viṣṇu

Entities Mentioned

• Viṣṇu
• Devas
• Śvasana
• Brahmā (Caturmukha)

Tags

• Deva-Dialogue
• Cosmic Order
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Sarga

FAQs

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

It frames a cosmic-administrative moment: gods led by Viṣṇu rouse Śvasana and he approaches Brahmā, implying a coordinated divine response typical of creation/restoration phases surrounding dissolution and renewal.

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

Indirectly, it models dharmic governance: when order is disturbed, responsible agents seek counsel from the rightful authority (Brahmā as ‘guru of the moving and unmoving’), paralleling a king or householder consulting śāstra and elders before acting.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; the verse mainly establishes speaker hierarchy and authority—useful as narrative groundwork before prescriptive sections where Brahmā’s instruction becomes the source for rules.