Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Dānavas: Yama and Kubera Defeated; Kālanemi’s Māyā and the A..., Shloka 151

Devanagari script

तद्बलं दानवेन्द्राणां मायया कालनेमिनः तद्दृष्ट्वा दानवानीकं लब्धसंज्ञं दिवाकरः उवाचारुणमुद्भ्रान्तः कोपाल्लोकैकलोचनः //

Transliteration

tadbalaṃ dānavendrāṇāṃ māyayā kālaneminaḥ taddṛṣṭvā dānavānīkaṃ labdhasaṃjñaṃ divākaraḥ uvācāruṇamudbhrāntaḥ kopāllokaikalocanaḥ //

Translation

Jene Macht der Dānava-Herrscher entsprang der Zauberkunst Kālanemis. Als die Sonne (Divākara) jenes Dānava-Heer erblickte und wieder zu sich kam, sprach sie—während Aruṇa in Aufruhr geriet—sie, das einäugige Zeugnis der Welten, von Zorn entflammt.

Word by Word

• tad-balam: that power/that strength

• dānava-indrāṇām: of the Dānava chiefs (lords of demons)

• māyayā: by illusion/sorcery

• kālaneminaḥ: of Kālanemi

• tat dṛṣṭvā: having seen that

• dānava-anīkam: the Dānava host/army

• labdha-saṃjñaḥ: having regained consciousness/awareness

• divākaraḥ: the Sun, the day-maker

• uvāca: said/spoke

• aruṇam: Aruṇa (the Sun’s charioteer)

• udbhrāntaḥ: agitated, thrown into confusion

• kopāt: from anger

• loka-eka-locanaḥ: the single eye of the worlds (the Sun as the world’s eye).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing Divākara (Sūrya) and the scene

Entities Mentioned

• Kālanemi
• Dānava
• Divākara (Sūrya)
• Aruṇa

Tags

• Deva-Asura conflict
• Māyā (illusion)
• Sūrya
• Puranic battle narrative
• Kālanemi

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it highlights māyā (sorcerous power) in a Deva–Asura conflict, showing how illusion can empower demonic forces and provoke a divine counter-response.

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

Indirectly, it underscores vigilance against deception: just as the Sun regains awareness and responds to a māyā-driven threat, a king or householder should regain discernment (saṃjñā) when confronted by भ्रम (confusion) and act decisively against adharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is specified here; the key technical idea is theological—Sūrya as “lokaika-locana” (the world’s eye), a common Purāṇic epithet used in hymnic and iconographic contexts.