Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Dānavas: Yama and Kubera Defeated; Kālanemi’s Māyā and the A..., Shloka 146

Devanagari script

मूकास्तदाभवन्दैत्या रणद्दशनपङ्क्तयः तान्दृष्ट्वा नष्टचेतस्कान् दैत्याञ्छीतेन सादितान् //

Transliteration

mūkāstadābhavandaityā raṇaddaśanapaṅktayaḥ tāndṛṣṭvā naṣṭacetaskān daityāñchītena sāditān //

Translation

Da wurden die Daityas stumm—obgleich ihre Zahnreihen im Getöse der Schlacht noch klapperten. Als man jene Daityas sah, ihres Sinnes beraubt, von der Kälte niedergezwungen und geschwächt, (erschienen sie so).

Word by Word

• मूकाः (mūkāḥ): mute, speechless

• तदा (tadā): then

• अभवन् (abhavan): became

• दैत्या (daityāḥ): the Daityas (demons)

• रणत् (raṇat): clattering, resounding

• दशन-पङ्क्तयः (daśana-paṅktayaḥ): rows/lines of teeth

• तान् (tān): them

• दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā): having seen

• नष्ट-चेतस्कान् (naṣṭa-cetaskān): those whose awareness/senses were lost

• दैत्यान् (daityān): the Daityas

• शीतेन (chītena): by cold, by chill

• सादितान् (sāditān): afflicted, weakened, struck down

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) reporting the battle episode (speaker not explicit in this single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas

Tags

• Daityas
• Battle narrative
• Divine punishment
• Mythic warfare
• Puranic storytelling

FAQs

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

This verse is not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) statement; it uses “cold” as a battle-force that debilitates the Daityas, showing divine or elemental power operating within a mythic conflict rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces a common Purāṇic ethic: adharmic aggressors (here, Daityas) lose strength and clarity, while righteous order is upheld—an implied lesson for rulers to maintain dharma and for householders to avoid adharmic conduct that leads to ruin.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it is purely a vivid battlefield depiction emphasizing the demons’ collapse under a chilling force.